03. Our Research

One of the commonly discussed variables in espresso preparation is distribution techniques. There are many techniques and methods for distributing the grinds in the portafilter basket but which one truly gives the better espresso? We decided to conduct a little experiment to find out for ourselves once and for all. Which is the King of Distribution Techniques?

Tamping is one of the crucial steps to espresso preparation. Many baristas have been taught to tamp evenly with 30 pounds of pressure and to ensure tamping levelness. Today there are also different tampers from flat bases to concave to ribbed surfaces and even different base sizes. This week we set out to test two different aspects of tamping; the levelness of a tamp, the tamper's base size and their effects on the resulting espresso.

Tamping is one of the crucial steps to espresso preparation. Last week, we set out to test two different aspects of tamping; the levelness of a tamp, the tamper's base size and their effects on the resulting espresso. If you haven't already read it, you can check it out below! This time, we are doing a direct comparison between the Levy Tamp and the Pergtamp.

Almost all semi-automatic espresso machines are calibrated and set by default to brew at roughly 9 bars of pressure. Lucky for us, we use the Slayer espresso machine, one of the few espresso machines out there that allows for easy tweaking of the brew pressure. This week, we will be setting out to test the impact of brewing pressure on the resulting espresso and it's extraction percentage.

This week we will take a look at pre-infusion (pre-brew) and it's result in the espresso. Pre-infusion can come in many forms, from soft infusion to hard infusion to variable pressures and different lengths of time. We will be testing multiple pre-infusion techniques over the coming weeks but first, let's define some of the different pre-infusion variables that are commonly used in the coffee industry.

We've tested different brewing pressures, we've tested different pre-infusion timings and pressures; now it's time to put them all together! These days, we pull our espressos with a pre-infusion between 9-16s and full brew pressure at 7 Bars at the shop. Does pre-infusion at this lower brew pressure setting make a difference in extraction percentages? Or will it prove to be equally insignificant as compared to the standard brew pressures?

For the past few decades, temperature stability has been a major goal for many espresso machine manufacturers and also one of the deciding factors of the quality of an espresso machine. There is without a doubt, a huge emphasis placed on temperature in the brewing process of espresso. So how exactly does temperature affect espresso and the brewing process? What is the final impact on the extraction of the coffee when brewed using different temp..

In many of our experiments, we are always searching for ways to increase coffee extraction without introducing unpleasant bitterness and anstringency. One of the main reasons for this is because higher extractions tend to results in sweeter, more flavourful coffee. Recent research and tests have disocvered that full and proper extractions help to result in sweeter tasting coffees. Is this accurate? How does coffee extraction relate to sweetness i

A new coffee has arrived on our shores! This time we have a glorious Colombian coffee from Finca La Falda! The coffee has previously placed 7th in the Colombian Cup of Excellence and we are super excited to taste this coffee!

For awhile now, we've experienced a streak of inconsistent timings with our espresso brewing. Shot timings changed radically every couple of shots after calibration which had our whole team scratching their heads. We've set out to discover the reason behind this mystery.

Does freezing green coffee impact roasting and it's resulting flavours?We decided to try it for ourselves; with Gesha Village coffee. It might be a bit extreme, but the higher complexity and subtle flavours of this coffee will allow us to better gauge and taste if there is any true impact from the freezing.

Since our last experiment with The King of Distribution Techniques, there have been numerous new distribution tools released. Here is an updated review of the winner from round 1 vs 3 new tools!