Modern Espresso Tools (Distribution, WDT & Puck Screens.)

Рет қаралды 139,876

Жыл бұрын

Espresso Tools for brewing great coffee have been around for a while. Though they have never been so available and commonplace with Home Barista and found in cafes, as they are now. Coffee Distributors, WDT Tools and Pucks all aim to increase the efficiency of extraction and brew a better-tasting coffee in the process. In this video, I introduce these tools in what they do, and how to use them - then demonstrate their use in a Blind tasting of espresso with the tools and espresso without to see if I can taste the difference.
Timestamps:
1:22 Coffee Distributors
7:20 Blind Tasting (Distributor)
9:48 WDT Tools
17:30 Blind Tasting (WDT Tools)
21:06 Puck Screens
26:35 Blind Tasting (Puck Screens)
35:40 Blind Tasting (All Tools)
Shop Distribution Tools: alternativebrewing.com.au/col...
Shop Rancilio Silvia Pro: alternativebrewing.com.au/pro...
Shop Eureka Oro Mignon Coffee Grinder: alternativebrewing.com.au/pro...
Normcore V2 Tamper: alternativebrewing.com.au/pro...
Between tasting the coffees made with and without the tools - I was aiming to demonstrate their effectiveness at making a coffee taste better. Hoping to discover true flavour differences in an espresso brewed with vs without. The statement of throwing the science away - is to be taken as: These tools wouldn't exist if they negatively affected the flavour of espresso. It's generally agreed upon that you can look to the numbers to understand extraction - but it only tells half the story, and at the end of the day - it has to be enjoyable coffee to drink.
What I did discover is, that there was less margin for error in using the tools, than without. Meaning in using the tools, more consistency between shots was achieved. This would help anyone looking to gain an upper hand on brewing regular espresso, where consistency can sometimes feel unobtainable.
Similar flavour results from using tools such as the NCD, WDT and puck screen were more repeatable than espresso brewed without the tools back to back.
In my daily routine of making two-three espresso coffees - I do not use any of these tools - and do not have extensive practice with them either. I found each of the tools practical to use, and simple to implement and would use them again in the future. Possibly not all at once! I do imagine, in using the tools - that you become accustomed to them - and the dialling in process incorporates this new level of consistency. With this, you become better at implementing the tools in the workflow.
In the blind tasting - you were able to see the red and green dots - as I was drinking them - and I was not. I am curious whether you prefer seeing what is what - or would you prefer not to know along with me?
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#alternativebrewing #espresso #barista

Пікірлер: 227

@hadializadeh5 5 ай бұрын

one of the best videos about comparing brewing methods and tools i ever seen

@AlternativeBrewing 5 ай бұрын

Wow, thanks!

@ajv802 Жыл бұрын

I find the WDT works best when you place 4 crystals next to the machine while pulling the shot, I find placing one at each corner seems to give the best results.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tips 😂

@pongsing Жыл бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewing Can you do the WDT again please?

@SSeanMan 6 ай бұрын

Even better if the crystals are pyramid-shaped, fyi.

@DJaquithFL 6 ай бұрын

@@SSeanMan .. Huh?! I heard that the polyhedral crystals were the way to go. Looks like we need another blind taste testing video to see which one's better. 👌🤪

@strandedpaki Жыл бұрын

I'm strictly a home user, my current procedure, all elements learned from various coffee bloggers/youtubers, which according to my wife is reaching ridiculous proportions 😂 but hey I enjoy the ritual: 1. place filter paper cut to size in bottom of filter basket (has immeasurably improved single basket brews and also double basket, I know single basket is blasphemy around here) 2. hit paper with quick spray of water, make sure it is seated properly edge to edge, use small paper towel to wipe around the sides of basket so they're not wet 3. transfer ground coffee from niche zero dosing basket to filter basket, with shot collar attached 4. use 5 pin 0.4mm WDT tool to stir, starting near the bottom and rising every couple of rotations progressively to the top, pay special attention to the top so it visually looks well distributed 5. use force tamper to tamp 6. force tamper gets a bunch of grounds stuck in between the plates, use small brush to brush them on top of puck, tamp again (because I hate wasting any coffee) 7. put on 54mm puck screen (I have a Breville Barista Express) 8. spray with multiple sprays of water till the puck screen seems fully wet and all drops have been absorbed into it, none sitting above 9. pull shot, aiming for 15-25 second pull (includes 8-10 seconds of pre-infusion) I guess this is what they call a Turbo shot. Things I have achieved with this process: 1. haven't had any at least visible channeling since I went to this routine, neither in single basket (use 9g dose in, aim for 24-27 g out depending if it is a lighter roast (more output for lighter roast as I want more chocolaty flavors and less acidity/fruity flavors) nor in double basket (18g in, 48-54g out). Before some of these steps the single basket would channel like crazy and squirt coffee outside the target cup area 2. taste has improved a lot according to my taste preference, maybe I just like Turbo shot flavor profile 3. consistency infinitely improved, get roughly the same time and output every time, though it does vary a bit as I have to guess when to stop the shots and then it keeps running a few grams beyond that 4. finally I spent a bunch of money on the tools involved in this (filter paper punches, puck screen, Niche Zero, spray bottles, custom water recipe, replacement IMS 54mm basket and IMS shower screen) but the way I justified it to my SO was that it prevented me from buying a multi-thousand dollar Decent or something 😂 Did I mention she's addicted to my espresso based drinks? My conclusion? If I run even more experiments maybe I could ditch some of these steps but I'm happy with the process and outcomes, they might each be contributing their own tiny bit to the consistency. Some of the water spraying maybe wouldn't be needed in a more expensive machine that had better control over pre-infusion.

@sjfarrell2.03 Жыл бұрын

I bought a cheap ish distibutor from Amazon yesterday and together with a WDT & dosing ring has improved my espresso; zero chanelling and great consistency. For less than £60 for all three, its a no brainer.

@hyojoonus 8 ай бұрын

The suspense is the best part of this video.

@AZyzk Жыл бұрын

Completely under-rated channel! Thanks for the great content!

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Much appreciated!

@mikerichards5610 Жыл бұрын

A pleasure to watch. I'm getting a wdt!

@terbang78 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for these unscripted blind tasting tests. Correct or incorrect, your professional opinion matters and helped me decide on going with Distribution and WDT only.

@UBDB 6 ай бұрын

Bros obviously looking at the return feed as he tips the cups up

@nicholashongkong Жыл бұрын

For me, the most important task of the tools is to add more repeatability and remove variations from the puck perp, also hope they can make up my poor puck perp skills. But this video is a lot of work, thank you for making this video.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

You're welcome 👍 "add more repeatability and remove variations "- love it!

@Presso99 Жыл бұрын

My daily brewing is WDT, OCD and tamping. After watching this video, I had placed the order for the puck screen. 😄😄

@JoiIsakYT Жыл бұрын

Thanks for showing everything and also individually

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

My pleasure 😊

@Tomas-CZE Жыл бұрын

Great video. 👍 As a home barista I am familiar with all these tools. Eventually, I decided to use a combination of WDT and distributor, which works best for me. When I don’t have much time, I usually skip the WDT tool. I also like to experiment a lot with flow control on my ECM Classika PID, so the flow and temperature are other variables. 😄 Well, it’s a piece of science, but when you find and fine-tune the recipe for the specific beans to perfection it’s pure joy just to replicate it. 🎉

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Good stuff! right on 😀

@andrewelliott1939 Жыл бұрын

Great comparisons. Thanks.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@lellefot Жыл бұрын

I would say for my impression of these tools, that they are not necessarily made for the pro barista, they have sufficient skill to pull very consistently good shots back to back to back, as is required in a work setting. These tools are probably more useful to improve consistency for those home baristas that only pull one or two shots a day, at least that is what they do for me. I have seen several experts test and try the various tools, and come to their conclusions, but like I say, I don't think they are the best testers for these, they mostly prove that you can pull just as good espresso without tools. What would be interesting is if you took someone that struggles to pull good shots, and see if the tools help with that, less channeling, more consistent extraction and so on.

@Mindrust69 6 ай бұрын

I do all three, I love the ritual and experience.

@balmatian Жыл бұрын

Probably the best channel for explaining coffee brewing by far

@tomasmieres4486 Жыл бұрын

As a new person in this world doing a lot of research and learning ...I find this video not only enjoyable but worth watching for the professionalism and quality. I am just recently purchased de distribution tools but definitely I believe WDT will help to avoid channeling.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Wow, thanks 🫶

@7851A9 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video!

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@chrislange1354 Жыл бұрын

Man! This video is just as good as the last one he made similar to this, with the grinders 🙌🏻😁

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Wow, thanks!

@YaZdoDi Жыл бұрын

Thanks, answered all my questions in one video.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Glad I could help!

@edipisreks5535 Жыл бұрын

“I don’t even know…” That was adorable. Adorability or not, great-in depth video. I do WDT/Distribution/tamp (Normcore set to 15 or Happy to 20, depending on which basket/grinder I use), and while I haven’t done an objective test, I do think that each step removes some amount of variance, which, while it may or may not “improve” any individual shot’s quality, does improve consistency shot-to-shot. I make one to two espressos at home, so the extra time is no big deal. In fact, I think home is a perfect use for the tools, as I’m not constantly pulling shots, so I need all the help I can get for consistency. I use the Niche cup or a Weber Blind Shaker for dosing; they both give similar results. I use a current Flair 58 so puck screen is always in play.

@esbenrasmussen4289 Жыл бұрын

I stopped using the the OCD type tools, and I get less channeling and more consistency. Based on taste. There has been a large study about OCD tools, that show that if you just press it down and spin it, you will get a very uneven puck. If you WDT before you will ruin that work. If you want a flat puck surface to begin your tamp, you might set the OCD tool to very shallow, so it doesn't compress more than a few mils

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Is it just the OCD that does this (4 wings) or all distributor tools? - Pesado have just released a weighted tools as well - interested in this - as it should provide a consistent pressure on the puck whilst distributing rather than possibly setting it too deep.

@Delmar829 3 ай бұрын

Spot on research and great words. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!

@AlternativeBrewing 3 ай бұрын

You are so welcome 👍

@fluxequinox 5 ай бұрын

Amazing video!

@AlternativeBrewing 5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@massimo.marini Жыл бұрын

Amazing video, thank you! I'm actually using the wdt and distribution tools, but I was curious about puck. It doesn't cost additional effort to add a puck to wdt and distribution tools, and I guess it worth the price to try, even for the cleaner shower. Great comparison video! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful thanks! Just be sure to possibly lower the dose in using a Puck screen - as it does take up some head room - and you don't want it to stop the ground coffee from expanding. if the ground coffee is already maxed in the basket - you place the screen on - with the coffee not expanding it will dramatically change the flow of the coffee - slowing it down - or even choking it. 👌 But - thecleanlinesss you get from a puck screen is 2nd to none!

@massimo.marini Жыл бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewing thank you! I've actually the opposite problem, because I guess the puck could help: making a single coffe (8-9 gr) in a double dose basket, the coffee doesn't stay "pressed" and "dry" after water supply. I guess the puck could make the trick. Just one question: for a single espresso, is better to use a single dose basket, or a double dose basket with half amount coffee? In case of the second one, which is the correct amount of coffee? With 8.5/9 grams it results tasty and enjoyable, but coffee grounds are unfriendly to pull out, due to aren't compact ad very wet.

@Morgs914 5 ай бұрын

Honest feedback here, take it for what it’s worth… excellent material and I sought it out as a relatively new home barista. I did a search and stumbled on this vid. Tbh I just couldn’t get through it, it was just too long and way too much commentary. After the first tool, I just zipped through to each tool’s description. Hopefully you’re not offended and I hope I didn’t offend avid listeners. Happy extractions & best wishes!!

@AlternativeBrewing 5 ай бұрын

nah not at all 🫶 My style of presenting ain't for everyone. Much love all the same and thanks for stopping by. If there's anything I can help with, let me know

@yogasaja8942 6 ай бұрын

I got at my friend's cafe with so many customer. And the brewer used WDT and Distribution tools. But for puck screen, brewer said, hell no. Little bit confusing when have to clean it up evry time after brewing. 😂 Sometimes puck screen dropped and he had to find where it was and wasted time. But in other case, i am using three of them in my home. And enjoy because every morning just brewing two cups coffee. And using 3 of them changed the taste better (for us), and makes me not busy to clean group heads. And thanks for the videos. Very comforting to make such good comparison with clear terms and category. Love it.

@AlternativeBrewing 6 ай бұрын

You're welcome 🫶 thanks for watching

@TC_Prof Жыл бұрын

Im here because of the haircut Josh 😂- seriously well done great video as always mate!

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Legend! 😂 thanks

@marcelapetrescu8754 Жыл бұрын

nice job!

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@yskwong Жыл бұрын

I suspect it has something to do with the funnel you use. The side creates a hollow ring around the portafilter. What you did was you WDT with the funnel, and after you remove the funnel, you didn't keep WDT'ing till it's evenly spread out, but instead, you just lightly tapped it before tamping. I'm suspecting that you have some channeling through the sides that aren't as compact, that's why it's losing out. I may be wrong, though.

@bigafrodaddy 3 ай бұрын

Haha too much caffeine in one sitting. I agree, using the distribution tool only seemed to get the best response from you. Using a WDT seems like too much work but I'd probably give it a try at some point. Very informative video mate, I appreciate you, great work!

@AlternativeBrewing 3 ай бұрын

thanks so much!

@KnightBaron_ Жыл бұрын

My daily routine involve all 3 tools. They help tremendously with consistency. There are several points I've learned while dialing my process. - Preheat my portafilter along with the puck screen. - Reduce the dose in the basket to make room for the screen. (I dose 18g in 20g VST basket). This is probably the most important one. If you feel resistant when locking in portafilter then the puck screen probably make contact with the shower screen and create crack in the puck. - Deep WDT. Starting from the bottom and slowly make my way to the top. Try to make sure that I end up with a reasonably level bed before distribution. - I use distribution tool set to minimal height just to level the surface before tamping - I tamp the puck without the screen and just place the screen on top of the puck right before brewing. - I do poorman preinfusion with my Rancilio Silvia as well. (open steam wand when start brewing and gradually close the valve) - Although I don't do this, you may want to consider slightly increase brew temperature to compensate for having the screen.

@7531monkey 6 ай бұрын

Do you ever leave the house?

@Mandragara Жыл бұрын

I like WDT and I use a circular filter paper cut from Chemex. Not a big fan of distribution over just tapping as I worry it creates density inhomogeneities in the puck. Flat is meaningless if density is uneven. I'm not sure about puck screens as I feel they'd need to be cleaned very often to prevent build up of old coffee oils. The chemex filter is the game changer for me as it really brightens my shots for me, which is my preference

@paulmurphy4925 Жыл бұрын

Good video and fresh haircut!

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much

@emc14000 4 ай бұрын

fantastic analysis video well done. there is so much tweaking going most folks have no idea.

@AlternativeBrewing 4 ай бұрын

Much appreciated!

@emc14000 4 ай бұрын

of course! a really wonderful thorough exploration o f the art of crema! i can appreciate it as i had to do 10 shots of dialing in my own beans the first time i used my breville. i also prefer the wet, distro tool an equal spring loaded tamp pressure tool and consistent grind size and grind time. 20-30 secs and a nice for me anyway 45 gram pull. whatever taste and crema body gets on there. @@AlternativeBrewing

@hanzo52 Жыл бұрын

The deciding factor on taste was probably the temperature. The first shot allowed the machine to cool down to a temperature which yielded better taste. Might also be the time spent waiting for the crema to "disappear".

@xxcrankflipxx716 7 ай бұрын

I could have gone a lifetime without hearing mouth sounds with that much fidelity and been so much happier without 🤐🤐

@FaithAndCoffeeBean 3 ай бұрын

Great video ☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

@AlternativeBrewing 3 ай бұрын

Thank you! 🤗

@balmatian Жыл бұрын

WDT definitely improved my espresso shots. I’m not so sold on puck screens.

@strandedpaki Жыл бұрын

not sure if they improved consistency or anything else measurable, but sure do keep my shower screen clean(er)

@brattingprincess Жыл бұрын

Cleaning and no mess make it worth

@0402Grappler 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this video. It's wonderfully made. One thought is to grind two portafilters worth of beans, mix the grinds a little, then add half to each portafilter. This would help to control the potential grind and bean variable

@AlternativeBrewing 6 ай бұрын

That's a great idea!

@xitanul Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video, now we just need one where you also test out paper filters in the portafilter

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Good idea!

@attitune 6 ай бұрын

I'm pretty much a newbie. I started with just raking the grounds with a WDT and then tamping. But eventually I started using all these accessories. What made me change? Well, the pour started going faster (like 16-18 seconds) and I didn't know why. I was using the same beans. I started grinding them finer. But then I made some "accessory" changes. 1) bigger basket but using the same weight of grinds -- so more head room, 2) puck screen -- which right away, slowed down the pouring, and finally 3) a weighted distribution tool that I use after raking the grounds but before tamping them. The end result is a pour that takes about 24 seconds, and a great-tasting, well-rounded coffee. Plus a cleaner underside to the group head. There's no turning back now.

@AlternativeBrewing 6 ай бұрын

Love this 🙌

@danielf_swe Жыл бұрын

I love the scientific approach to the espresso making! 🙏

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Me too!

@TC_Prof Жыл бұрын

By the way I do wdt - distie- tamp - puck when I use the flair58. When doing espresso using my dual boiler machine distie- tamp - puck and they are both yummy spro no issues at all 🥰🥰🥰

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

@airveo Ай бұрын

I like your video ... very scientific comparison method and funny you make me laugh when you guess it wrong 😅

@AlternativeBrewing Ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@timhaddadian7096 Жыл бұрын

puck screen probably absorbed some of the heat away from the water before infusion. That caused the coffee to be under-extracted. try raising the temperature with the puck screen and it probably will taste better.

@Assenayo Жыл бұрын

I use the Flair 58 so it's already got a puck screen. I use WDT straight in the basket (replaced the stock basket with a VST). Keeping the puck screen clean is a pain

@wangouthangout 8 ай бұрын

The results: Distributor: 7:16 WDT tool: 17:30 Puck screen: 26:33 Ensemble: 35:42

@AlternativeBrewing 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for this 🫶

@wangouthangout 8 ай бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewing my pleasure. Thank you for making the video. Top notch!

@cotobakan01 Жыл бұрын

I preheat my portafilter and use cheap aliexpress distribution tool, a home-made wdt (needles and a cork) and a 3d printed dosing funnel. Works pretty well in my daily routine with my Oster perfect brew ^u^ Really apreciate the explanations and blind test, helps a lot, nice video!

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Good stuff!

@falkenvir Жыл бұрын

make sure your 3D printed funnel food grade and uses machine with lead free nozzles ie, stainless steel.

@cotobakan01 Жыл бұрын

@@falkenvir Thx for the advice! Is it toxic even if it's cold-room temperature just touching the ground coffee for a few seconds? I've been using it for almost a month (i don't know if it's food grade and if the nozzle is free lead).

@falkenvir Жыл бұрын

@@cotobakan01 you have to ask your manufacturer, here in my country not all manufacturer aware of this, and I always ask them first, if they are clueless I always assume that they are probably not having the stainless steel treatment. Especially 3D printed stuff are produced not in mass production so it's a number of non registered producers. Personally I'm not risking my health for long term. I was also tempted for the Lightness factor. But right now since the awareness for this food safe on 3D printing I'm still using good ol stainless steel.

@antonyh6864 Жыл бұрын

@@cotobakan01 I wouldn't worry. Even if you got a couple milligrams of filament into your brew somehow, odds are the coffee contains more heavy metals/toxins and the brewing process would kill any active bacteria, with your body taking care of any endospores that make it through. It'd be a concern if you were drinking from a print or stirring your shot with one, but any toxicity in this scenario is going to be negligible.

@littledevilz Жыл бұрын

The other thing with puck screen is you will need to run the boiler about 1-2 deg hotter. Also preheating puck screen is mandatory in my experience.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

NICE 👌 thanks for the tips

@Youtuber-ku4nk Жыл бұрын

Maybe we should even preheat the coffee itself to a certain degree??

@davidcordatos-marcotte8144 Жыл бұрын

I have been using the Weiss in the grinder basket rather than my Brikka funnel...sometimes both

@franciscofranco1610 Жыл бұрын

Es bueno saber que tanto cambian el espresso cada herramienta gracias

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

de nada 😀

@actualreplyguy Жыл бұрын

Although buried in the video description: "In my daily routine of making two-three espresso coffees - I do not use any of these tools - and do not have extensive practice with them either." this is a very important disclosure worth highlighting. I sort of sense the accessory aspect of this hobby is getting to the point of ridicule. Very similar to psychoacoustics effect in the wi-fi community and people spending hundreds for a headphone *cable*. Great video, though, although in my case it persuaded me not to spend my money on these devices, except perhaps the distributor.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Hi Ruben - thanks for taking the time to watch and also read the description. Really appreciate it. Since making this video - I have started using a Puck screen - simply to keep the shower screen clean - but am beginning to waiver from it again - as I've had to turn the machine temp up, drop my dose and in knocking the pucks out - they're always super wet! The distributors - I use occasionally - but very often. And yeah - the WDT tool - only if I really feel it requires my investment in time to prepare the puck, in order not to waste the shot.

@bill4123 Жыл бұрын

The WDT is a fair comparison and you did clearly taste a difference. You also mentioned potential flow differences. Perhaps WDT enables a different grind, thus giving you a different comparison to try for yourself in the future.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

100% 👏

@DJaquithFL 6 ай бұрын

WDTs are only really necessary if your coffee is clumping. Screens are if your puck prep is bad otherwise to slow down the coffee then adjust your grind size. Paper I'm not adding paper in any way shape or form to my espresso.

@jackmontreal1 Жыл бұрын

wow

@thijmencla 9 ай бұрын

It will be extra hard to compare with or without puck screen as there will be less room between the puck and the group head. There is an ideal balance here to reduce channeling and with the 1.5 (or so) mm of the puck screen you can’t compare ‘with or without’ without having the issue of causation or vs correlation.

@AlternativeBrewing 9 ай бұрын

🙌 so true - thanks for the input

@wakeawaken430 Жыл бұрын

As for the tools, I use only wdt and then tap (and side tap) the portafilter on desk before tamping I don't use anymore the leveling tool P.s. I would like a basket comparison video I get much better results with Gaggia double basket, than my vst or rancilio(103) baskets

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

That's something! Okay - Basket geometry would have a huge roll to play in the movement of the water through the puck. I'll look in to it 👍

@wakeawaken430 Жыл бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewing I really pushed myself to "accept" that vst (or ims) is better, but I get better results with Gaggia basket ( I have a Rancilio Epoca), much sweeter and more clarity, better aftertaste You know that in coffee world there are tons of "placebo effect", I want to believe that I overpassed it, I look only for the cup, I am not impressed anymore from expensive coffee machines or just like that

@ceekster Жыл бұрын

Where do you get this glass portafilter basket? I've been looking for one for ages.

@jephh Жыл бұрын

Any plans to carry the Pesado WDT stand? Don't want to have to order it from somewhere else and double up on postage.

@someguy9520 Жыл бұрын

The so called "distributor" is more sth i would call a leveler It doesn't really distribute deeply at all, but does make avery even surface to tamp

@productionguy1170 Жыл бұрын

Can you guys do some taste tests of different decent espresso machine profiles?

@drsteee Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the vid! Which scale do you using?

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much. The Acaia Lunar Scales alternativebrewing.com.au/products/acaia-lunar-scales

@bartslijkhuis Жыл бұрын

Did you use the same basket size when using the puck screen? As you mentioned you compressed the coffee more when seeding the portafilter, you might consider going up to a 2gr bigger size basket. 🤔

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

100%, this would have made the difference too. This was quite a large video for three products - but I might break it down more in-depth for individual products - and then do it across brands 👌 Will add this to the Puck Screen video for sure thanks

@MrArdytube Жыл бұрын

Two things. I use a puck screen and find that in addition to helping even extraction… it keeps the group head much cleaner… I also use a paper filter underneath the puck… and that also is very helpful for even extraction. My hunch is that the filter keeps espresso dust from clogging the holes in the porta filter My other tools are tap to settle, distributor, and tamp. Oh… one further thing… I used to have occasional problems with the puck not releasing from the group head… the puck screen eliminates that problem

@lynnchpin 6 ай бұрын

I love coffee, but have to admit at a couple of moments in this video I was like “are you serious”? I would think as complex brewing coffee already is, the WDT thing is overkill. But honestly, I get it. It’s like guitar players and bassists looking for the perfect tone. The perfect cup can be just as epic.

@AlternativeBrewing 6 ай бұрын

agree 🙌

@ScottBurton11 Ай бұрын

To be honest, the Silvia is likely producing more variability than the tools. I'd have liked to see this done with an E61 machine.

@AlternativeBrewing Ай бұрын

Its the Rancilio Silvia Dual Boiler with PID 🫶

@wakeawaken430 Жыл бұрын

That was a great video to start my coffee day, just before wake up all my family members with my grinder 😂

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Love that!

@ravingcyclist624 8 ай бұрын

I've been using puck screens for about a month. I've stopped using them because the machine seems to be struggling to pump through the screen. It's as if the screens have become clogged. I have been washing them, alternating between two of them. I can see nothing in the mesh, but I think something is there.

@IvanLeben 5 ай бұрын

Yeah I was gonna say the same thing others have mentioned: due to temperature difference it is really hard to do these blind tests properly unless both shots are made at the same time (which is impossible as you'd need 2 machines, but then they're not both coming from the same machine). Firstly, the time between 2 shots is enough for the first shot to cool down considerably (and the crema to dissipate). Secondly, even if the temperature/time itself wasn't a factor in the taste, you'd still know exactly which shot is which simply due to one being hotter, so I really cannot imagine how you can possibly feel like you're doing this "blindly" while you're tasting.

@AlternativeBrewing 5 ай бұрын

Yes, you're correct - it is the perpetual conundrum of my testing. there's a point where each espresso will reach an equilibrium of temperature - I'm careful to make each as quickly as possible back to back - and leave tasting for a minute or two for them to reach similar temps. The hotter a drink is the faster it cools. So the 2nd espresso if given enough time - is usually quite close to the 1st. Visually - they'd be different - so I do my best not to look when picking up the cups. I think I do as much as I can not to impact the significance on experience when tasting - but this is the beautiful thing about espresso anyway - held under the Microscope - we have to admit - no two espresso are ever alike 🫶

@IvanLeben 5 ай бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewing That's a good point - I had not considered the non-linear cooling of the two shots - the first one will always be ahead, but with time the two might get close enough that you can't consciously percieve the difference - hopefully this happens early enough before the taste goes "flat" as well. Crema dissipation is still an issue, but not looking definitely helps. Maybe having them in an opaque container with some kind of lid would make this more blind. I'm also playing in my head with an idea of trying to interleave the puck prep steps of the two shots in a way where you have both ready, each in its own portafilter, so the time difference is only the extraction time hehe. Ahhh, the neverending chase for scientific perfection :)

@williss9995 21 күн бұрын

If you’re seeing red and green dots in front of your eyes it may be a sign to back off the espresso? Even so thanks for your dedication!

@matttaylorfilms319 Жыл бұрын

Those glasses are amazing, where did you get them from?

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Normcore sells them alternativebrewing.com.au/products/normcore-transparent-filter-basket Pesado Gravity Distributor comes with one: alternativebrewing.com.au/products/pesado-gravity-distributor-58-4mm And, if you want - look for "small candle dishes" - these come in various sizes, - usually in large batches 50-100 units , but is the perfect fit 👌

@HuJaas Жыл бұрын

The dosing funnel you used, is that the one that leaves a roughly 2mm wide channel in the coffee grounds around the outside edge of the portafilter? I wonder if that affected the flavour.

@wakeawaken430 Жыл бұрын

I have both, the one you said and one that sits outside the basket The first doesn't creates mesh, you only have to distribute the empty area you described, I use side tapping

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

It is - fair question. Either tapping on the bench once or twice or side tapping seems to keep this in check quite reliably - as well you could use the WDT to back fill the gaps

@wakeawaken430 Жыл бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewing I tried that but I have to be very careful, if not the coffee drops outside

@italianfreek 4 ай бұрын

What mods have been done to that rancillio? It looks like the shower screen and screw have been changed along with a shot timer or pid installed?

@AlternativeBrewing 3 ай бұрын

No electrical mods. This is the Rancilio Dual Boiler: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nJyXq7dez8rLj3k.html

@haynesdarlington792 Жыл бұрын

What are your comments on pressurized portafilters vs bottomless !

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

I'm guessing you mena pressurized vs non-pressurized? , as bottomless baskets by nature are non-pressurized. At all costs, I wold use a non-pressurized basket vs a pressurized one. I find it leads to better consistency overall, and as you have more control to dictate grind size, extraction time, and flavour in the cup. So non-pressurized for the win. Pressurized is okay, if that's all that's available - you can still make the most of it to brew a tasty espresso

@user-pe6yl8qn5v 4 ай бұрын

might have been relevant to taste 4 espressos - base (without anything extra), 2-with the screen, 3-with the WDT and 4-with the distribution and rate them against each other

@anthonybotonis5841 Жыл бұрын

With all the espresso downed, your going to be awake four the next 4 days🤣...... time to get some more videos done.... seriously though gread vid keep em comming

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Deal! thanks so much 😂

@anthonybotonis5841 Жыл бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewingcould i have your honest thoughts on the breville dual boiler as i am in the market for a machine?

@toljohn 2 ай бұрын

Very interesting video. But on the contrary all these tools despite the fact that help, make people more lazy on the research and practice. Also very beautiful glasses. Can you attach a link for them. Thank you.

@AlternativeBrewing 2 ай бұрын

Fair enough! Sure: alternativebrewing.com.au/products/kruve-propel-espresso-glasses

@etc115 5 ай бұрын

Curious. Why do I have so much spouting with my normcore bottomless portafilter? And never anyone in the videos? Any tips how I can fix that?

@AlternativeBrewing 5 ай бұрын

I get some spouting aka Channelling - it's common but can be avoided. Perhaps I'll make a video on this - it's a great topic - but if it's just a little bit here and there - i wouldn't be too too concerned - however if it's a consistent large streaming of it - then this could indicate the shot won't be so great.

@petrusscott3038 Жыл бұрын

The Ranchillo doesn’t include a PID, so how did you deal with the difference in temperature between shots.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Hi Petrus, you are correct the Rancilio Silvia does not have PID, however I was using the Rancilio Silvia PRO model, this does come with a PID. One of the more reliable PIDs too.

@petrusscott3038 Жыл бұрын

Thanks

@rmessenger23 7 ай бұрын

Ok..2 tools in and your favorite and least favorite are no tools.. what am I supposed to think? I guess I think shots are just random. Multiple shots will just taste different. Espresso is as over analyzed as the golf swing.. I do appreciate this video. Thank you

@AlternativeBrewing 7 ай бұрын

agree in some part to this "shots are just random. Multiple shots will just taste different. Espresso is as over analyzed as the golf swing.. Though, I'd always like to work towards something that is better than yesterdays shot - and doing in a way that provides a level of reliability and consistency in the improvement. THere's many things - that don't require tools - and could also make a large impact on the quality of the coffee - such as going through the bag of beans and homogenising the beans to only use the best 😅

@UBDB 6 ай бұрын

Looks at the same spot every sip... return feed helping a bit there

@AlternativeBrewing 6 ай бұрын

Return feed? What do you mean by that? 🫶 I do look in one place often when thinking of similar things - in this case “what am I tasting here?”

@otodidakid6099 Жыл бұрын

What do you prefer, just ncd and tamp or wdt and tamp?

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Great question - I would prefer to NCD and tamp - just because it is faster to do. I'm making a few coffees in a row - usually first thing in the morning - sun isn't even up yet, and it's usually a blended coffee Im brewing 😂 so messing around with a WDT tool isn't my kind of fun. Now If I were dialling in a really sweet Single O on the other hand - I might take more care to maximise the output of quality

@otodidakid6099 Жыл бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewing yeah,i totally agree with you.. i tired do wdt day by day,slow down my workflow,and many more.. thanks for video! 👏

@jak50n Жыл бұрын

I also knocked my WDT tool off the bench the other day, went to stop it by moving towards the bench, and bent the needles.☹

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

argh! Yeah, they have their drawbacks. Most that I have seen , do either come with spare needles, or at least are able to replace them easily.

@MarHru Жыл бұрын

Hello, I like it a wooden square under Heureka, could you share when I can buy it? Or brand of this product?😊

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Which one?

@daverangie Жыл бұрын

Out of my Rancilio v5 with a Eureka Silenzio, my second cup is always better , more body more flavour more crema..

@wakeawaken430 Жыл бұрын

Cause at first cup the machine is still cold Try to make 1-2 backflushes with a blind basket, and then the coffee

@rmessenger23 7 ай бұрын

So have the needle thing, but don't use it.. your favorite was the WDT round made without the WDT..

@AlternativeBrewing 7 ай бұрын

pretty much 😂

@Youtuber-ku4nk Жыл бұрын

Seems like you are tamper much harder the first 4 times than those tampers that click at a certain pressure level.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback - perhaps I'll use one of these in the future 👌

@noname-tf7kq 10 ай бұрын

Brilliant video! Solving coffee mysteries... I dont see how wdt would help anything as with enough straight pressed pressure, the puck always evens out and presses evenly. This technique is used in many industries. Just my thought

@AlternativeBrewing 10 ай бұрын

density of hte puck is important - and quite often how the grind comes out of the grinder and layers in to the filter basket - it can be quite stratified, which will be an issue. WDT disperses any inconsistencies present in the grounds prior to tamping - I mean, you don't have specific control over the density using the tool, but you can work it in such a way that it's mixed up enough that's it's all one density afterwards.

@noname-tf7kq 10 ай бұрын

@@AlternativeBrewing awesome thanks! "Adds to Christmas list"

@StefanoCipo87 9 ай бұрын

All respect for the hard work done to make this video. In my opinion however, every espresso shot tastes different even using the same exact technique, so attributing differences to these tools makes little sense to me. Espresso is just a very random method no matter what you do to improve consostency

@AlternativeBrewing 9 ай бұрын

thanks so much 🙌 I often consider what you say to be true. And in the very real sense it is! The goal, born from the era of fast food, is consistency in some form or another - 100% agree you gotta stop and appreciate the magic

@ijachelsea 10 ай бұрын

Mirror opposite and can see dots easily 😂

@annann4786 7 ай бұрын

What’s WDT

@AlternativeBrewing 7 ай бұрын

Weiss Distribution Tool. A tool to break clumps of coffee up that are present in the dose, sitting in the basket - Prior to tamping.

@annann4786 7 ай бұрын

Thank you

@anhquan237 10 ай бұрын

i must admit that traditional espresso workflow ain't gonna be as good as the modern. The only benefit it brings is that the workflow is faster than that of the modern, personally I think if you consider coffee making as a hobby, spending a few hundreds of dollars on necessary tools above will definitely save your money rather than spending on high quality beans but shitty tools and the results are the worst.

@oscarkallenbach9131 Жыл бұрын

Does not using the distribution tool mean you can’t pull a good shot as an experienced barista? Mmm

@Apopjak Жыл бұрын

I HAD TO TURN THE AUTOOFF WHILE U WERE TASTING DUDE. MAKE SOME EDIT NEXT TIME

@glloyd9707 5 ай бұрын

Can you answer if your reading and comprehension increased with your caffeine intake or not? I'm betting on red eyes😂

@Simon-iq1yl Жыл бұрын

45 seconds of WDT, plus mucking around with a collar - not a great advertisement for the grinder given the cheap Sette produces fluffy separated grinds straight off.

@persianwingman Жыл бұрын

Home baristas love to add more steps to the process. Professionals can knock out 100 shots in 30 mins and the home barista is still doing his 4th round of WDT after 10 mins 🤦🏻‍♂️

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

🤦 Yeah 😂 they do have more time and only one shot to enjoy! Love it though - I come from that Barista stand-point too, but am interested in how espresso can become more consistent from shot to shot.

@Jess_Bishop Жыл бұрын

The process is part of the enjoyment 😊

@ArtUnlimited Жыл бұрын

By that metric, McDonalds makes the best hamburgers. 🤔 While it may be impractical from a fast production standpoint, it still has great value.

@M88JABER Жыл бұрын

I gotta admit, when you’re at my level, you enjoy the process more than the shot most of the time😢

@stephendenagy3396 Жыл бұрын

But what is the quality of those 100 shots? On my experience most “professional “ baristas need a LOT of work on their technique. I will bet my shots (using WDT and tamp) are better than most baristas. But…I am a nut for quality, whereas they do have to pound out those shots regardless. For me, adopting these tools has made my espressos amazingly more consistent, shot to shot. And they noticeably taste better.

@chesterpan7344 6 ай бұрын

Too much drinking sound🤦🏻‍♂️

@esbenrasmussen4289 Жыл бұрын

Just feedback here, from an espresso nerd, not hating, I would like to like; 1. I can't really get exited over a single persons attempt a validating techniques when we have the data and the studies to make sound conclusions. 2. When you talked about OCD tools, you included very different use cases, from your use (very shallow polishing before tamping, which is probably helpful, but not in any way the original intended use) to the no tamp use of a distribution tool. It has been shown that if you use a OCD type distribution tool you will create a 3 wing (or 4 wing depending on the tool) pattern of extra compacted coffee, then you spin it and you compact the top layer much more than the bottom layer. Not going to watch the rest, I do think YT channels have an obligation to spread valid information, and if you want to do opinions and "let's compare by pulling to shots" at least relay the information that has been very thoroughly established. If I am the only one, then you can of course ignore me, but from engaging with others on reddit and home barista and here, most people want reliable information.

@AlternativeBrewing Жыл бұрын

That's all fair comments Esben, and I appreciate your feedback. - please excuse the mislabelled video. I don't see myself as the keeper of information or concluder to sound techniques - and choose to explore this in video sometimes, as opposed to using YT solely for the case of prescribing methods. I'm not interested in spreading misinformation - but that's different to suggesting the occurences of variety. This was more an introduction to the tools, that someone might notice and find curious enough to know a little more about - whether I was incorrect in their utilty, or too shallow an inverstiagtion in to their qualities- I apologise about. Happy to keep the discussion going always.