Espresso Equipment: What's the Difference Between Hand Distribution and Using a Distribution Tool? Is a Distribution Tool Necessary?

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Everyone loves to visit a comfortable coffee shop and order a rich, aromatic espresso-based coffee. Have you ever noticed the methods for making espresso coffee? Espresso is the soul of any espresso-based coffee and the fundamental prerequisite for creating specialty coffee drinks. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will share some tips and knowledge about making espresso coffee.

The Importance of Coffee Puck Distribution

To make a proper espresso, coffee puck distribution is a crucial step. The quality of distribution can even determine the success or failure of a good coffee, making it one of the important assessment and scoring criteria for baristas. When we talk about puck distribution, it literally means distributing the grounds evenly. In practice, puck distribution has two meanings:

1. Breaking up clumps - Ensuring that the coffee grounds of various particle sizes coming from the grinder are distributed as evenly as possible, avoiding concentration of coarse or fine particles, and preventing clumping;

2. Leveling - Spreading the coffee grounds evenly in the portafilter basket, ensuring average distribution throughout, avoiding areas with too much or too little coffee, with no mounding or empty spaces.

Puck distribution is an important step in making espresso. Perfect distribution can greatly improve the stability of espresso extraction. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will briefly introduce several distribution methods or auxiliary tools, comparing how each approach achieves the functions mentioned above.

Distribution Methods

1. Hand Leveling

This is the most traditional method, widely used by baristas since the origin of espresso. Similar variations include using the grinder lid, popsicle sticks, etc., all achieving similar effects. The advantage of hand distribution is simplicity and convenience, requiring no special tools. However, this method may appear unhygienic, may waste some coffee grounds, and may create uneven pressure during the leveling process.

2. Tapping and Knocking

This is an even simpler method to achieve, creating a level coffee bed by tapping the portafilter handle or gently knocking it on the countertop. Although it seems simple, the operation is not easy to control and may require repeated attempts to get it right. It may also cause fine particle settling.

3. Stirring or Shaking

Both methods can achieve good clump-breaking and distribution effects. They are simple to operate, easy to control, can thoroughly mix coffee grounds, break up clumps, and ensure even particle distribution.

4. Leveling Tools

This category of "distribution tools" is based on the Sasa OCD and has evolved into many variations. In reality, these tools don't actually distribute the grounds—they only level them. The depth can be adjusted during the leveling process but must be set beforehand. During distribution, there's considerable downward pressure that may cause internal cracks. They only level the surface, and neither distribution nor thickness can be guaranteed consistent. Operation is very simple, but depth is not flexible, there are requirements for coffee amount, operation requires some skill, and there's a risk of inconsistent density. FrontStreet Coffee uses this type of distribution tool in their shop.

5. Force Tamper Base

This could technically belong to the previous category, but its implementation method is somewhat different, and it's not a standalone product, so it's introduced separately. This tool is an optional accessory for the Force Tamper, achieving distribution and tamping in one step. Its functional characteristics use moving distribution fingers to stir the coffee grounds, achieving uniform distribution. By utilizing the Force Tamper's self-leveling function, it can achieve floating distribution—meaning it naturally settles and rotates to level as it sinks, without applying excessive pressure too early. It has no requirements for coffee amount, remains level throughout the settling process, and in the final tamping phase, the distribution fingers automatically retract, achieving a smooth tamping function. Its operation is very simple, completing distribution and tamping in one step. However, compared to other distribution tools, it's more expensive and not a standalone tool.

Through the introduction of different distribution methods above, everyone should now have a basic understanding of puck distribution. The next step after distribution is tamping! The reason for tamping is that after completing each dose and distribution, there will be gaps between coffee particles, so tamping is necessary. FrontStreet Coffee also places great importance on the coffee tamping process before making a rich espresso. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce the tamping steps.

How to Tamp Correctly

There are no strict rules about tamping grip—the best tamping posture is finding the method most suitable for yourself. Generally speaking, the tamper handle should be perpendicular to the portafilter basket, and the force applied to the tamper should be evenly distributed. Press down on the portafilter to make the coffee layer smooth and even, which will produce a perfect espresso.

Tamping also requires attention to one important issue: tamping pressure. FrontStreet Coffee has conducted related experiments before. If the tamping pressure is too strong, the coffee puck will be compressed too tightly, leading to excessive resistance in the coffee puck. Water will take much longer to pass through the puck, and with extraction time too long, the resulting espresso will be very bitter and burnt. Therefore, the tamping process requires constant practice to find the most suitable tamping posture and pressure for yourself.

Tamping is the final step in making espresso. Next, everyone can practice making their own espresso! FrontStreet Coffee will also share how to make a simple espresso-based drink—latte.

How to Make Espresso Coffee

Before making an espresso coffee, everyone needs to choose an espresso bean that best suits their taste preferences. FrontStreet Coffee currently has four types of espresso beans on their menu: Premium Blend, Basic Blend, Commercial Blend, and Sunflower Warm Sunshine Blend. Currently, FrontStreet Coffee uses the Sunflower Warm Sunshine Blend as their espresso blend. This blend uses Honduras Sherry and Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Red Cherry coffee. Through continuous experimentation by FrontStreet Coffee's baristas, they've achieved a nearly perfect blend ratio of 6:4. The resulting espresso has distinct fruit acidity, with berry flavor notes and wine aroma, and a comfortable sweet aftertaste. Everyone can choose according to their coffee flavor preferences.

After selecting an espresso bean, you can proceed with making espresso.

FrontStreet Coffee uses the Faema E98 espresso machine with the following extraction parameters:

Pressure: 9 bar±2

Temperature: 90.5~96°C

Time: 20~30 sec

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:1.7~1:2

Dose: 12g (single espresso) 20g (double espresso)

Extraction yield: 20ml (single) 40ml (double)

FrontStreet Coffee uses double espresso for making lattes. The extracted coffee flavors show: distinct fruit acidity, subtle berry aroma lingering, rich wine and chocolate flavors, and a comfortable sweet aftertaste.

Then FrontStreet Coffee uses a latte ratio of 1:6.5, meaning 40g of espresso mixed with 260g of steamed milk. By incorporating the properly steamed milk and creating latte art, you can make a delicious and rich latte!

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473