# MP on distribution



## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

Good article and a nice discussion below:

http://baristahustle.com/distribution-for-espresso/?utm_content=buffera65cf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

An intresting read , like the bit about second indicators .

didnt know the word Stockfleth


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

Thecatlinux said:


> An intresting read , like the bit about second indicators .
> 
> didnt know the word Stockfleth


Yes, stockfleth sounds very sophisticated!


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## fluffles (Sep 4, 2012)

so he's telling us to tap the PF, whereas Gwilym recently told us definitely not to tap as it creates cracks and seams in the grounds


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

fluffles said:


> so he's telling us to tap the PF, whereas Gwilym recently told us definitely not to tap as it creates cracks and seams in the grounds


The side tap re-fluffs the bed of grinds.


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## frandavi99 (Jun 8, 2014)

Tap before you tamp but never after.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

frandavi99 said:


> Tap before you tamp but never after.


Agree, neither Gwillyam or Perger are advocating tapping after tamping......

Upset that my special brush method hasn't made it into the list on Barista Hustle ...


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Mrboots2u said:


> Upset that my special brush method hasn't made it into the list on Barista Hustle ...


+1 on a brush


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

We need a video of the brush technique


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> We need a video of the brush technique


Ha..im not getting the grief that goes with that clip ....


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Who gives you grief for your clips? I've tried brushing and it just doesn't work properly. Demo, demo, demo....


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> Who gives you grief for your clips? I've tried brushing and it just doesn't work properly. Demo, demo, demo....


Define doesnt work properly


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Doesn't give a flat bed, if anything is worse than the starting point


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Been using a brush for ages to lightly distribute the grind from the EK - definitely improves the pours.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Using NESW method or custom tool to level grinds didn't improve flow for me. Using a brush does.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

One of these









not one of these!


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Use the brush side ways like watercolour/oil painting, rather than straight up/down like girlies applying blusher


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

The Systemic Kid said:


> One of these
> 
> View attachment 12806
> 
> ...



View attachment 12808


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> Use the brush side ways like watercolour/oil painting, rather than straight up/down like girlies applying blusher


That's how I do it Gary - applying blusher, I mean


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Maybe that's where i'm going wrong, always seem to end up with loads of coffee in the brush


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

You havent got the right brush


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Important not to apply any pressure to the grinds.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

I've just recently got one of these brushes (it's usually called a pastry brush) for brushing out spent grounds out of pf basket. Might give it a go to distribute fresh grounds in basket and see if I can eliminate the occasional sign of channeling.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I've got a pastry brush, do I need a pergbrush?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Yep - you can get a non-MP branded one from BB for £3.99.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Mine should do the job, i'll try the non-blisher technique later


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Definitely no blishing.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I was saying blush in a south African accent


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> Use the brush side ways like watercolour/oil painting, rather than straight up/down like girlies applying blusher


Or guys! My skills with a blusher brush is legend


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

coffeechap said:


> Or guys! My skills with a blusher brush is legend


Were we in any doubt??


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Just had a read, interesting article. Has made me rethink my method.


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

looks like a bowling green @garydyke


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

The Systemic Kid said:


> One of these
> 
> not one of these!
> 
> View attachment 12807


I think you need the clean sweep mod!


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Xpenno said:


> looks like a bowling green @garydyke


i can get the grounds flat

doesnt mean they are distributed evenly

Car crash naked all the way


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

Mrboots2u said:


> i can get the grounds flat
> 
> doesnt mean they are distributed evenly
> 
> Car crash naked all the way


I tried it a couple of times after Gary showed me but I just ended up mashing it into something even worse than I started. The centralised dosing plus tapping has been doing me proud for the last few months.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Xpenno said:


> I tried it a couple of times after Gary showed me but I just ended up mashing it into something even worse than I started. The centralised dosing plus tapping has been doing me proud for the last few months.


I'm just a bit shit at coffee I think


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Tried using pastry brush to distribute grounds in pf basket this morning. Didn't go so well. It made more mess around the outer rim of pf holder plus some of the grounds get caught up within the brush bristles so your dosage is no longer what you previously weighed it out as. 

Have been nutating with my Torr Titan 58.55mm though and have had good results from that. 99% eliminated any sign of channeling.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Pastry brush needs something like the coffee catcha or the OE funnel. With one of these, you can gently brush and distribute the grinds without applying any pressure on them. With this technique, I can get really even pours out of an EK43 which is notoriously difficult especially with lighter roasts.


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

Lets get some vids on this thread, tempted to post one later on.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Good idea, Beano. Will do one after I've done one on syphon brewing.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Pastry brush needs something like the coffee catcha or the OE funnel. With one of these, you can gently brush and distribute the grinds without applying any pressure on them. With this technique, I can get really even pours out of an EK43 which is notoriously difficult especially with lighter roasts.


What do you mean by even?


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

DoubleShot said:


> Have been nutating with my Torr Titan 58.55mm though and have had good results from that. 99% eliminated any sign of channeling.


Same here. Very light tamp with this Torr and it seems most of my channeling problems are a think of the past.


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

Something else that I think it is very important in this discussion and MP covered it very lightly: *From which grinder do you distribute from?* I think based on the grinder different distribution methods are needed: e.g these are all very different: Mazzer with doser, Mazzer electronic, Versalab, EK43 and on.


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

I am watching this with interest, Looking forward to a video explanation of the brush technique. I am struggling with my distribution at the moment. Not really sure what has changed but I am having a nightmare.


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

A bleary eyed, extra convoluted video of my prep this morning.

Didn't even need to WDT but it was my first dose post grinder-mod last night and forgot how good the distribution was going to be.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I did a couple of brushes last night - seemed to end up with a concave bed. A video on how to do it properly would be useful


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> I did a couple of brushes last night - seemed to end up with a concave bed. A video on how to do it properly would be useful


I'll put one up dreckly.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)




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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Your chute seems less clingy than mine. Might do a tapping vid later with a naked pour for a laugh


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Patrick I would be interested to see how the surface collapses if you tap the portafilter on the counter as the EK tends to throw grinds to one side of the basket. You seem to have some channeling .

I do exactly the same as you but shake the whole coffee bed left and right until flat and level before final brushing , it fills all the cavities.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

I do routinely tap the portafilter - but quite lightly - don't get any major collapsing, if at all. Might try tapping a little harder to see if this makes a difference. I move the portafilter around during the grind to compensate for the EK throw out. Find it piles to one side, if you don't.


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

The Systemic Kid said:


>


Nice Vid!

Agree with Gary, the EK pushes grinds to the left. I dose into a cup and then transfer to the basket, works much better for me









One other option is to twist the basket as the beans are ground into it but it's a pain to get it the same every time.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

The Systemic Kid

You got some mad video editing skills, yo! Classy!


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Cheers, DoubleShot.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Shaking fixes everything*

*May not apply to other grind qualities


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> Shaking fixes everything*
> 
> *May not apply to other grind qualities


I cupped and shook this evening . dead centre pour


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Human vibration plate


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Excuse the crap editing


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Is it me or is Jeebsy heavily into coffee porn???? He is always wanting people to post videos about coffee techniques. I am sure someone on here can help you Jeebsy, we won't leave you alone?









P.s. on the theme of this thread I divide my grind time up by 3 and level out using my finger each time then let the weight of the tamper level out all the coffee then tamp.

Don't have a NP so can't tell how effective this method is.


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Was laughing my arse of at that Jeebsy, my wife would flip if I made that level of mess everytime


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

mremanxx said:


> Is it me or is Jeebsy heavily into coffee porn???? He is always wanting people to post videos about coffee techniques. I am sure someone on here can help you Jeebsy, we won't leave you alone?


You should see my private youtube channel....



mremanxx said:


> Was laughing my arse of at that Jeebsy, my wife would flip if I made that level of mess everytime


There's a reason the naked PF is relegated to the drawer


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

mremanxx said:


> He is always wanting people to post videos about coffee techniques.


Seriously though it's good to compare your technique to others, ask questions, learn things. Videos are the easiest way to get a proper butchers


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## frandavi99 (Jun 8, 2014)

mremanxx said:


> Was laughing my arse of at that Jeebsy, my wife would flip if I made that level of mess everytime


+1

My wife is always moaning at how messy I am, now she knows I could be a lot worse!


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

jeebsy said:


> There's a reason the naked PF is relegated to the drawer


You beat me to it, was just about to post...

So the naked pf finally saw the light of day and a messy one by the look of it?!


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

jeebsy said:


> Seriously though it's good to compare your technique to others, ask questions, learn things. Videos are the easiest way to get a proper butchers


Agree but doesn't help me with my latte art, buggers make it look so easy.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Latest newsletter:

Espresso distribution test results

http://baristahustle.com/distribution-test-results/


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