A RIPPLED TAMPER BASE TO IMPROVE
ESPRESSO EXTRACTION?
1
STÉPHANE RIBES – NOVEMBER 2019
THE FORCE TAMPER + DE1 PRO V1.1 DECENT ESPRESSO MACHINE
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RIPPLED TAMPER BASE
MAIN RESULTS
2
• Lower puck resistance with the rippled tamper base
• Quicker puck wetting and earlier first drop, even after compensation of the puck resistance
with a higher dose
• No visible benefits on the extraction uniformity (bottomless portafilter)
• A little less crema when the rippled base was used
• After extraction, no impact on the puck compactness or dryness
• With the rippled tamper base, less tasty espresso shots (higher astringency, lower acidity)
• Slight but consistent Extraction Yield increase (ca. + 0.5 to +1.0 point)
Flat tamper base – 58.5 mm
Rippled tamper base – 58.5 mm
Brass spacer with 2 different shower screens
RIPPLED TAMPER BASE
TEST PROTOCOL (1/3)
3
15g dose
15g dose
IMS CI 200 IM screen + spacer:
additional 3.8 mm protrusion in
the basket
IMS CI 35 WM screen + spacer:
ca. 5 mm protrusion
RIPPLED TAMPER BASE
TEST PROTOCOL (2/3)
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• Decent Espresso Machine DE1PRO v1.1 with a Cafelat 8.0 mm silicone gasket
• 3.8 mm brass spacer + IMS CI 35 WM or IMS CI 200 IM screens
• Mahlkönig EK43 S grinder – SSP burrs “High Uniformity” with Silver Knight coating
Same grind setting for all recorded and presented shots (EK 1.1)
• Montille water (Le Mont Dore, France) – adjusted to 50 ppm eq. CaCO
3
alkalinity and
100 ppm eq. CaCO
3
total hardness, with sodium carbonate and Epsom salts
• Thorough drying of the basket and of the shower screen before each shot, with a clean
tissue
• Single dozing of frozen beans ground in a double wall stainless steel cup
• WDT in a 15g VST basket with a Londinium tool (and a Decent funnel) – no taps
• The Force Tamper with a 58.5 mm flat or rippled base – used twice in a row
• TDS measurements: Atago PAL zeroed with SCAA water – no additional filtering of the
coffee samples – all samples measured at room temperature after thorough agitation –
1 data point = average of 3 to 5 measurements of each coffee sample
RIPPLED TAMPER BASE
TEST PROTOCOL (3/3)
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• Mix between a Londinium profile
and a blooming shot
• The objective of the low pressure
bloom (step 2) is to maintain a
constant volume of the air pocket
above the puck in order to limit
further damages to the puck
surface during the water flow
increase (step 3)
Rippled
15g in
30g out
Max P:
5.9 bar
EY: 19.3%
14g in
28g out
Max P:
5.1 bar
EY: 19.3%
Flat
14.5g in
29g out
Max P:
6.9 bar
EY: 18.7%
14g in
28g out
Max P:
5.8 bar
EY: 18.4%
14g in
28g out
Max P:
6.0 bar
EY: 18.2%
14.5g in
29g out
Max P:
4.4 bar
EY: 19.0%
RIPPLED TAMPER BASE – RESULTS (1/3)
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IMS CI 35 WM + spacer IMS CI 200 IM + spacer
IMS CI 35 WM + spacer IMS CI 200 IM + spacer
Flat
Rippled
RIPPLED TAMPER BASE – RESULTS (2/3)
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IMS CI 35 WM + spacer IMS CI 200 IM + spacer
IMS CI 35 WM + spacer IMS CI 200 IM + spacer
EY 18.2% EY 18.4% EY 18.7%
EY 19.3% EY 19.3% EY 19.0%
14g in – 28g out 14.5g in – 29g out14g in – 28g out
14g in – 28g out 14.5g in – 29g out15g in – 30g out
Flat
Rippled
RIPPLED TAMPER BASE – RESULTS (3/3)
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IMS CI 35 WM + spacer IMS CI 200 IM + spacer
IMS CI 35 WM + spacer IMS CI 200 IM + spacer
Taste assessment (intensity)
Body
Taste score
5
0
10
Acidity
FlavorSweetness
Bitterness
Astringency
Taste assessment (intensity)
Body
Taste score
5
0
10
Acidity
FlavorSweetness
Bitterness
Astringency
Taste assessment (intensity)
Body
Taste score
5
0
10
Acidity
FlavorSweetness
Bitterness
Astringency
Taste assessment (intensity)
Body
Taste score
5
0
10
Acidity
FlavorSweetness
Bitterness
Astringency
Taste assessment (intensity)
Body
Taste score
5
0
10
Acidity
FlavorSweetness
Bitterness
Astringency
Taste assessment (intensity)
Body
Taste score
5
0
10
Acidity
FlavorSweetness
Bitterness
Astringency