I've been lurking for awhile, trying different methods to dial in my Expobar Lever which I received about a month ago. I finally found a dosing and tamping technique that has given me very good extractions - I no longer want to buy a bottomless portafilter!

For my doubles, I start by dosing two full scoops from the scoop that came with the machine. It holds 8 grams. I've tried dosing more or less and found this to be optimal for my setup. Then, I do the "Joystick" with about 5-10 lbs of pressure. I tilt about 25 degrees all the way around and stop when it looks level. The coffee surface looks packed but really isn't - it is mainly leveled and consistent, especially on the edges. Then I hit the left & right sides of the portafilter with my tamper, once each. Then I tap the top of the basket in 4 locations with the side of the tamper, settling the ground once more. I see some separation from the basket, and some grounds are now laying on top. Finally, I tamp around 30-40 lbs.

My shots have gone from "WTF happpened again?" to quite consistent. Gone are needles, yogurt cups, knives, chopsticks or whatever else I used to use to distribute. Since my dosing doesn't ever reach the top of the basket, leveling by hand never was an option.

Hope this is useful to someone...

-Carter

CST wrote:Then, I do the "Joystick" with about 5-10 lbs of pressure. I tilt about 25 degrees all the way around and stop when it looks level. The coffee surface looks packed but really isn't - it is mainly leveled and consistent, especially on the edges.

Indeed, nutating does work surprisingly well. Here's a nice visual from Nutation: how to do it right:



For true nutation devotees, I recommend this tamper piston with the angled sides:


From HB Roadshow - Espresso Tamper Reviews

CST wrote:Then I hit the left & right sides of the portafilter with my tamper, once each. Then I tap the top of the basket in 4 locations with the side of the tamper, settling the ground once more.

Hmm-m, I cannot see the benefit of tapping the portafilter six times. While tapping was very much in vogue at one time, most agree it risks breaking the puck/basket adhesion, leading to channeling.

I had been using nutation, but until I started doing the side and top taps, I didn't get consistent results. I'm thinking these extra steps made the difference.

the notion of taps and hits on portafilter is somehow displeasing to me.

HB wrote:Hmm-m, I cannot see the benefit of tapping the portafilter six times. While tapping was very much in vogue at one time, most agree it risks breaking the puck/basket adhesion, leading to channeling.

I can agree this would be a problem if you've already applied a full-pressure tamp, but if you've just very lightly tamped to settled the grounds, probably not.

I use a light single smack of the pf against the counter (but it'll be more comfortable to have a tamping stand if using a naked pf).

Vad wrote:the notion of taps and hits on portafilter is somehow displeasing to me.

It could be worse:

CST wrote:I can agree this would be a problem if you've already applied a full-pressure tamp, but if you've just very lightly tamped to settled the grounds, probably not.

Regardless as to when in the process, there is no part of it that isn't going to leave your PF and your tamper (depending on who wins) covered in imperfections. Find a nice cushion-y bit to thump the PF on instead of smacking it. You'll be happier this time next year...

It would be hard to know what the taps are doing or what the nutating is doing without a naked PF.