In the espresso extraction process, the tamper plays a pivotal role. Faced with a dazzling array of tampers on the market—from flat to ripple, from U.S. Curve to Euro Curve—how exactly should you choose? This article specially invites senior roaster Huang Jijun to share the flavor differences presented by different tamping surfaces, and to provide practical purchasing advice for beginners and advanced players. At the same time, the article also compiles a variety of classic tamper collections, combined with recommendations from Front Street Coffee, to help you find the one tamper that suits you best.
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Text and photography / Liao Wanzhen; Compiled and edited by ANN
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Coffee Tamper
Tamper
The tamper is an indispensable and important tool for baristas when making espresso. Not only are there abundant choices of materials, but details such as grip feel, weight, diameter, and thickness are also finely set to meet the needs of different coffee professionals. Common tampers on the market are mainly divided into six major categories: Flat, C-Flat, Ripple, C-Ripple, U.S. Curve, and Euro Curve. This time we have invited collector Huang Jijun, who will introduce the base shapes of tampers, analyze the flavor characteristics extracted by different tampers, and provide advice for beginners choosing their first tamper.
Huang Jijun
Serves as store manager and roaster at Single Origin espresso & roast
Flavor differences presented by different tampers
Classification and differences of each type of tamper (Image provided by: Xilong Enterprise Co., Ltd.)
Huang Jijun suggests that beginners can choose a flat tamper to practice their technique. The focus of practice is to tamp the coffee grounds level, with a solid structure and no tilted angle. If one uses a tamper with a chamfer or curved surface before becoming proficient with a flat tamper, the tamping will become even more uneven due to immature technique, further affecting the extraction result.
For players who have already reached the advanced level, he suggests buying at least two tampers, so you can have a U.S. Curve and a Euro Curve to compare the differences in extraction. As for tamping force, light tamping can bring out aroma and the flavor layers of fruit acidity and sweetness, while heavy tamping can extend a rich, full-bodied feel.
The right image shows a general C-Flat, and the left image shows a C-Flat improved by Maruyama Coffee in Japan. The more rounded chamfer emphasizes the expression of aroma and soft acidity.
The flat tamper shows a balanced, moderate expression of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness.
For a curved tamper, the central raised mountain shape forms an opposite valley shape in the middle when tamping the grounds.
A U.S. Curve tamper can extract more sweetness and fruit acidity, making it suitable for lighter-roasted coffee beans.
The Euro Curve can extract deeper flavors, such as caramelized aromas, and the body is also fuller, making it more suitable for coffee beans at medium-dark roast levels or above. If you want to present aroma and acidity, flat and ripple are recommended.
The ripple tamping surface
Huang Jijun says that when choosing a tamper, if distinguishing by curvature, RB is recommended for the U.S. Curve. It feels comfortable to operate and is durable, claimed to be durable for 20 years without oxidation, but the price is relatively higher, at about five thousand yuan per tamper. For the Euro Curve, the TORR Euro Curve series is recommended, which can bring out a balanced flavor of rich caramel, nuts, and stone fruits. Coffee enthusiasts are still advised to rely on firsthand experience and try many different tampers, so they can choose the tamper they like!
Tampers collected by Huang Jijun
1. Reg Barber / Euro Curve
The only manufacturer that can customize tampers.
The tamper on the WBC World Barista Championship trophy is an enlarged version of RB.
2. Espresso Parts / U.S. Curve
Compared with the Euro Curve, the shallower curvature of the U.S. Curve can extract more sweetness and fruit acidity, making it suitable for lighter-roasted coffee beans.
3. Custom model / Ripple
Spiral guide grooves can increase the extraction of aroma and acidity and reduce uneven extraction.
4. PULLMAN / U.S. Curve
The center of the tamping surface is slightly convex,
and the extracted sweetness is high.
5. Nuova Simonelli / Flat
Suitable for beginner coffee enthusiasts to practice with, and the extracted flavor shows balance in all aspects.
6. Reg Barber (commemorative edition) / C-Flat
The 2014 WBC Barista Championship trophy was inlaid with the diamond version of this tamper, when Japan’s Hide Izaki won the award.
7. TORR / Euro Curve
Its deeper curvature can extract a fuller body flavor, such as dark chocolate and caramelized sweetness.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
