# Is clumping a problem?



## Trevor (Mar 21, 2014)

I've read a lot on this forum about clumping and how to solve it, with paper clips and cocktail sticks. But is it a problem, the reason I ask is that after the beans are ground and in our portafilter, we then tamp it, compressing the coffee and at the same time any clumps?

I have a SJ, I occasionally get the odd clump but, don't bother to break it up with a paper clip, for that reason. Does it make any difference or not, I'd be interested in other members thoughts!


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

I'll be watching this for responses.

You're right in that you end up compressing the coffee into one solid block anyway. I think the issue is that these clumps form slightly tighter areas within your puck, and the water moves around them rather than through them. Meaning you get poor extraction.

Some looser clumps are probably not an issue, but the likes of those that come out of a eureka mignon and mazzer mini-e probably need some work done to them.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

I tend to give the grinds a quick stir with a little stick before i put in PF.

Then give it a tap on the tamper stand before tamping.

Guess a naked would tell you if its working?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

I take it your SJ is doserless ? How much are u are thwacking as I wouldn't expect alot of clumps from one ...

And any call clumps of does have should break up with a good tamp

What do you extractions looks like thro a naked pf and taste like is probably a more import at indicator of how much of an impact your clumps are having ....


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

The stirring of the grinds is not just to break up clumps, but to give a more even distribution of the grind through the portafilter. Ground coffee is made up of particles of many different sizes, if a lot of very fine particles exist in one place the flow will be slower promoting channeling and an uneven extraction. It is well possible that clumps tend to be made up of the finer particles, which would negatively affect the extraction.

But yea, as above, if you are getting an even pour through a naked PF and the shots taste good, then you're sorted. I have played about with not distributing the grinds before and tamping directly after grinding, but I have always found it to negatively affect the shot.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

If the OP is using a doser I'd be loathed to start stirring grounds in the PF as well. Can lead to extraction problems too


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Mrboots2u said:


> If the OP is using a doser I'd be loathed to start stirring grounds in the PF as well. Can lead to extraction problems too


My Mazzer SJ doser spits out clumps every now and then, but I have a cut off plastic cup in the portafilter which allows me to 'shake' the clumps away.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

If your doser is clumping you're not thwacking fast enough


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> If your doser is clumping you're not thwacking fast enough










.........................

Thwacker.............


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

interesting... i don't thwack while its grinding, as i don't single dose. I just grind the amount of coffee I need, and then using a few slower pulls on the doser lever, dispense it into my PF

as you rightly observe though, this leaves the clumps largely untouched.

The solution for me, would be to get a timer added to the SJ so that i can thwack and grind at the same time.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

What type of SJ do you have? Timer,auto etc


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

timer doser.

so i just run the timer for just about enough time and then top up as necessary. While its grinding, i prep my portafilter and warm a cup.

What i've been doing is emptying the grinds onto the doser lid and then tipping the grinds back into the doser. This generally deals with all the nasties and means i get a nice fluffy mound of coffee in the PF.

I may add one of these electronic timers, so that I can just tap a button and then thwack away while it grinds.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

You could single dose and thwack which the timer is on, otherwise not sure if there's a way round with more serious mods


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

i can't stand single dosing. Really can't be arsed with that kind of nonsense when making coffee. Its why I'm half tempted to lose the SJ in favour of something larger and on-demand.

Otherwise it would be adding an electronic timer and modding the doser as much as possible to cut down on mess and retention (e.g. cocktail shaker, and schnozzola)

Even an external Auber timer would let me do this.


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## Trevor (Mar 21, 2014)

Mrboots2u said:


> I take it your SJ is doserless ? How much are u are thwacking as I wouldn't expect alot of clumps from one ...
> 
> And any call clumps of does have should break up with a good tamp
> 
> What do you extractions looks like thro a naked pf and taste like is probably a more import at indicator of how much of an impact your clumps are having ....


My SJ is a doser, I grind a single dose and yes I do thwack it pretty hard.

I don't have a naked pf yet, so can't really tell much about the extraction is like, but out of my Silvia I'm really enjoying my coffee, so much more since having a grinder and not using pre ground, so for me a grinder has made a big difference for the better. I was just curious what other members thought about clumping, so when I get clumps next time, I'll stir them up and see if I can taste a difference either way?


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

shrink said:


> i can't stand single dosing. Really can't be arsed with that kind of nonsense when making coffee. Its why I'm half tempted to lose the SJ in favour of something larger and on-demand.
> 
> Otherwise it would be adding an electronic timer and modding the doser as much as possible to cut down on mess and retention (e.g. cocktail shaker, and schnozzola)
> 
> Even an external Auber timer would let me do this.


I don't really understand. If the timer is running for a while it must get through a fair amount of beans. How do you weigh your dose?


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

I know that if i count to about 10 in my head, i'll have just short of enough coffee to make up the 16.5g I need. I then top up as needed with a quick burst on the timer switch.

This would be much easier with an electronic timer!


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

jeebsy said:


> If your doser is clumping you're not thwacking fast enough


You are correct, I weigh in, let it grind then I thwack. Annoys me too much having to thwack away the whole time its grinding, especially as single dosing the last few beans take ages to make their way through.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Grind while thwacking. Otherwise you get big piles forming that just sort of get dumped in


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

I am too lazy I'm afraid... I prefer distribution after its out of the grinder


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

im fairly sure if you took a standard schnozzla type thing at the exit chute and put a fairly wide spaced grid over it (or just a couple of pins crossing each other) that it'd break up any clumps as they fell through.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

D_Evans said:


> I am too lazy I'm afraid... I prefer distribution after its out of the grinder


A cavalier attitude to distribution


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

D_Evans said:


> I am too lazy I'm afraid... I prefer distribution after its out of the grinder


I bought one of the HG One 2014 Blind Tumblers to grind into.

Then I can fiddle about to remove clumps and finally pull the plug and load up the PF. Lazy sod I may be, but it works for me!


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

jeebsy said:


> A cavalier attitude to distribution


Lol, perhaps, but it works for me


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

What is thwacking?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

charris said:


> What is thwacking?


From the great man himself


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