Tamping is a step that helps even out the peaks and valleys in a batch of coffee grounds, so you get consistent espresso that tastes the same every time you use the same type of grounds. Usually, this step is very subtle, but if your espresso puck comes out too watery or easy to split, then you might think about tamping too hard.
If you tamp espresso too hard, the resulting coffee tastes bitter. If the grounds aren’t distributed evenly, and you press down straight, you solidify the gaps giving the water a path of low resistance, and it passes without brewing the grounds, which leads to inconsistent taste and watery coffee.
In this article, you will learn all you need to know about tamping espresso and the effects of the pressure when applied in different tamping motions. You will also discover how to use coffee that has come out too bitter because of harshly tamped and overloaded espresso. Finally, you will learn about the best motion to use when tamping so you can ensure evenly distributed grounds.
Effects of Tamping Espresso Too Hard
The first effect of tamping espresso too hard is that it gets bitter. That’s because the contents that make coffee bitter are the acidic oils that are extracted towards the end. Usually, the coffee grounds will release these contents only if the brewing temperature is too high or the grounds are too fine. Espresso made from fresh grounds rarely tastes bitter and can be taken even without sugar.
Tamping espresso too hard will put pressure on the grounds making them susceptible to releasing more essence upon interacting with hot water. This might be exactly what you want, though. If you want to squeeze as much out of your coffee as you want, then tamping too hard might not be a bad idea. However, the taste of the resulting beverage might ask for additives.
Do Not Tamp Espresso Too Hard if You
- Have it plain with little or no sugar – the resulting beverage might be too bitter to drink.
- Use it in a black coffee drink like Americano or Long Black – The resulting beverage can have an acidic aftertaste and lead to heartburn.
If you have already tamped your espresso too hard, then you might be able to use it if you have your coffee with cream and sugar because the bitterness of over-extracted coffee can be toned down by cream and sweetener. If it tastes too bitter, do not make the mistake of compensating for it with sugar.
How To Make Coffee Taste Less Bitter
Whether you have tempted espresso too hard or run extremely hot water through coffee grounds too fine for your taste, you are left with a bitter cup of coffee. Adding sugar and calories isn’t the only answer to your espresso problem.
In fact, salt is better at neutralizing bitterness than sugar. I have written a whole post about adding salt to coffee grounds. That said, salt doesn’t go in the coffee grounds only; it can work its magic in a cup of coffee as well. You have to be careful, though, as it is easy to over-spike your coffee with salt.
- Add the coffee to a large mug/cup and place it on your kitchen counter.
- Take a pinch of salt and place it on a dark plate, so the salt is visible.
- Take a knife or fork and use its side to divide the salt into two mini-pinches.
- Use the same utensil to further divide the piles until you have a quarter of a pinch.
- Add one-fourth of the original pinch, i.e., one of the four mini-piles, into your cup and stir.
- Taste-test the coffee. If it tastes good, you can throw the remaining salt away.
- If the coffee tastes like it can use more salt, add another mini-pile and return to step 6.
Tamp Espresso Hard If
You’re Using Coffee in a Cake
Coffee cakes rely on coffee’s bitterness for flavor. Because they are loaded with sugar, over-extracted coffee is actually good for the taste as mellower espresso will get overpowered by sugar and cocoa, resulting in a cake that tastes too “chocolate-like.”
You’re Making a Mocha Frappe
Mocha frappe, or any coffee drink that features chocolate, can benefit from coffee made with harshly tamped espresso. Again, the bitterness adds depth to the resulting product’s flavor profile.
Tamp With a Twist
When tamping espresso, it is crucial that you use a twisting motion that keeps the grounds from getting crushed. This motion distributes the coffee grounds equally into a consistent and not too wet puck. As a result, there aren’t any gaps that grant water an easy path to pass through without interacting with coffee grounds.
Unevenly distributed grounds have certain regions that are dense with grounds. These areas act as solid barriers that do not allow water to pass through. When the article recommends tamping hard, like when preparing espresso for a coffee cake, you should not tamp straight but with a twisting motion that distributes coffee grounds evenly.
Tamping Too Hard Without Twisting
If you push down the coffee grounds into the scoop, you might think you’re helping the grounds form a hard puck. In reality, you’re leaving the results up to chance. If you happen to have poured the grounds evenly, then tamping too hard might just get you bitter coffee.
But if your pour had peaks and valleys, then harsh, straight tamping will further cement the gaps and create a lake of low resistance from which the water can pass without having to rub against coffee grounds. The resulting coffee will taste “off” or be downright watery, depending on how big the gaps are.
Final Thoughts
Tamping espresso is crucial, but if you tamp too hard, you might do more damage to the final product’s taste than you would by using your thumb to even out the coffee grounds. The best way to tamp espresso is to use a twisting motion and be gentle, so the resulting beverage contains the right dose of the grounds’ essence.