Paul's MDD coffee puck technique

Decent Espresso's Paul Chan developed what he calls the "multi-depth distribution" method for preparing an espresso coffee puck. He swirls around the edges, with the puck rake in deep, and after one circular pass, starts to lift the puck rake up, and finishes with the center. After a single tap of the portafilter, you can see that his coffee grounds are very evenly distributed, and make a very nice espresso shot.

But, we need a better name for this technique!

This video is now in the Decent Guide to Espresso, in the newly rewritten Puck Prep section.
https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/kBvnUfR ... vgHLsAL61L

Like all techniques they evolve and become optimized through the examination of materials and methods.

WDT has evolved, but fundamentally the idea remains the same. It's just a more modern, optimised WDT. Basically the same routine I've iterated to through trial and error and repetition. We don't need a new name just clearer demonstrations such as this one.

Absolutely agree. This is WDT, but specified out more thoroughly. I've myself found a lot of difference in results with different WDT "gestures". Paul's come up with a way that works reliably, and that can be easily communicated, so I have switched over to using it myself.

It makes sense. You see it on larger and larger platforms (reaching a more diversified and less experienced coffee enthusiasts) where you see our "coffee nerd terminology" like WDT and RDT etc, being replaced with more transparent, but lengthy descriptions. I've noted on James Hoffmann's excellent videos, he is careful not to use our nerdy lingo. He says "distribution" or lately, puck raking, not WDT. He never uses the term RDT, because more than half of his audience wouldn't know what he is referring to, so he just says "spritz water on the beans before grinding".

Decent Scale progress

I received a box of 40 scales 8 days ago, and have thoroughly checked every one of them, and I have submitted the testing protocol back to the supplier.

There other 960 scales are now being checked according to my specification. They should arrive here next week, and then we'll start to ship them to customers. However, there are 600 orders, and only 3 people in the Boxing team, so it will likely take a week or two, to get all those orders out.

The 40 scales I have now are reserved for App programmers. We are giving away free Decent Scales to people who have apps in the Google or Apple store, if they express interest in supporting the Decent Scale. My goal is for this scale to be the first "open scale" and it will hopefully be supported by many apps.

I have fully documented the Bluetooth API https://decentespresso.com/decentscale_api and am providing free technical support to any programmer working on it.

We've recorded two videos about the scale, and they are being edited now. Hopefully they'll be released next week.

-john

decent_espresso wrote:Decent Espresso's Paul Chan developed what he calls the "multi-depth distribution" method for preparing an espresso coffee puck. He swirls around the edges, with the puck rake in deep, and after one circular pass, starts to lift the puck rake up, and finishes with the center.

Sounds like the my "spirograph" technique from 2006.



I didn't think to name the multi-depth part as I thought everyone was already doing that. Then again, I also use a distribution leveler as suggested by Penelope at Counter Culture Coffee. I'm not convinced it makes any difference, but who could resist a suggestion from such a sweet lady?


And yes, she really does smile like that for everyone who walks in

HB wrote:Sounds like the my "spirograph" technique from 2006.

It's definitely similar, with a few differences:
1- since our puck rake is less wide than the tool you use, Paul is "spirographing" the outside and then finishing with a spin in the inside




2- Paul is lifting his rake 1/2 way up the puck on the 2nd pass around the basket.
3- at least, when I do it, I am intentionally leaving a little less grounds in the center 1/3rd of the puck. I find that this fights the donut-start tendency with espresso. That's what I did to arrive at the all-over (no donut) in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIexlhxP0Ig though (cough) even in that example, you can see there's a section that is not wetting as quickly as the rest (sigh, pursuing perfection in espresso is hopeless)



At some point, post-COVID, it'd be great to have an in-person competition for the highest EY%, with everyone getting exactly the same beans weight and grind, to try to find which if these techniques really is best, and consistent at it.

John...i was getting the same little section as pictured. Over and over. I then checked the counter top to see if it was level. It wasn't. Adjusted my machine. Far less issue now. Yeah...who would have thunk it?

decent_espresso wrote:At some point, post-COVID, it'd be great to have an in-person competition for the highest EY%...

Having done so many times as part of the site's review process, I believe a blind taste test would tell us more about what level of OCD-ness it worth the trouble for an average espresso aficionado.

As an aside, since you documented, named and promoted your Spirograph approach, I'm going to refer to Paul's technique as a slight mod of your approach, use the Spirograph name, and credit your HB post Home barista techniques that the pros shun (and vice versa) as what this WDT technique is. Thanks for both solving the name question, and for dating the idea.

-john