Making real coffee is a creative process. Especially if you need to brew this drink in a coffee machine. For this, the barista bartender, like any artist, needs a lot of tools. Otherwise, the taste of the finished drink will not be so pleasant. Which, of course, greatly upsets. Tempers for coffee are important devices that serve for preparing in a coffee machine not just an invigorating, but also a very tasty drink.
What it is
Not everyone knows what coffee tempers are. These are not just tools. Without them, the barista will not be able to make a tasty drink. The main purpose of the tempera is tamping coffee directly in the portafilter. The name of the tool comes from English tamping. It translates as "tamper". This conveys the essence of the tool. It is worth noting that today there are many ways to ram coffee. However, tamper remains relevant until now. Such a tool is suitable not only for professional barista, but also for home use.
What is a similar tool for?
Tempers for coffee allow you to compress natural coffee. This is necessary so that the tablet from ground grains acquires a uniform structure. Due to this, the water will evenly pass through it. As a result, the correct extraction of flavoring substances will be ensured.
If the coffee tablet is pressed unevenly, empty cavities will remain in it. It is through them that water will pass. Because of this, the taste of the finished drink will seem burnt. Proper tamping of ground beans is one of the most important stages in making coffee. Only tapping provides a stable taste and unique aroma of the drink.
How did tamper appear
Tempers for coffee as an independent device were introduced to the market by the American Rage Barber. He was very surprised that an uncomfortable and cheap piece of plastic came with many coffee machines for tamping ground grains. Such a device does not make it possible to carry out high-quality pressing of the product. Moreover, working all day with it was very inconvenient.
As a result, Rage Barber's Reg Barber Enterprises Inc established the production and sale of coffee tamper. As a result, she became a leader in the industry. In addition, the products of this company at many competitions among the barista serves as an award.
Reg Barber Enterprises Inc makes comfortable and original tamper. However, their cost is quite high. The cost of a steel platform with a wooden handle is from $ 30 (about 2000 rubles) and above.
What you should pay attention to
How to choose a tamper for coffee and what should you pay attention to when choosing it? First of all, the accessory must have a convenient handle. Otherwise, it is impossible to compress ground coffee evenly. To get a good pill, you need to exert a force of 13–20 kilograms on the instrument. If the tempera handle is not comfortable, then pressing it with such an effort will simply be impossible. You should choose a tool for your hand.
Outsole sizes are very important. The diameter of the accessory must match the size of the portafilter basket. But that is not all. Keep in mind that in some coffee machines, the walls of the portafilter taper down. If the clearance is very small, the tool will constantly become stuck. A tamper for coffee, the dimensions of which should be 0.5-1 millimeter smaller than the diameter of the basket in the machine, should be selected in accordance with all parameters.
Outsole Material
Many manufacturers make tempera with a sole out of plastic. This is the least practical and cheapest material. It is easily scratched. In addition, the tool has a small weight, which complicates the process of pressing coffee.
Very often the sole for an accessory is made of aluminum. As a rule, these are temperaments of the middle price category. Such an accessory is a practical and quite convenient option. However, aluminum is easily scratched.
The stainless steel sole is a stable and durable surface that is not scratched. In addition, such a tamper has a lot of weight.
Tempera shape
Do you know what a spherical tamper is for coffee? A similar accessory has recently become very popular. Many barista believe that water usually runs along the walls of a portafilter. The spherical shape of the accessory allows you to increase the coffee layer around the perimeter of the circle. The result is a uniform passage of water through the tablet. Moreover, such a surface makes it possible to avoid destruction of the tablet mount. However, this tamper has a drawback: when pressed hard, there is a possibility of warping.
Flat - This is the traditional and most common form of the sole.
In the case of a grooved sole on its surface there is a pattern in the form of several circles. For what it is needed, no one can say for sure. However, there is an opinion that through a tablet with such a pattern, the water will pass more evenly.
Another accessory - with a dynamometer. Such a tamper allows you to set the exact pressure when tapping. However, experienced barista believe that such a device is useless. After all, the ability to push with the right effort is practiced quite quickly.