# Distribution.. easily the biggest thing that affects extraction?



## Taff (May 5, 2015)

Ive been really concentrating on improving this the last couple of days. The difference between good and bad is pretty obvious, both in taste and looking at the naked PF.

The most surprising thing I've noticed is that when its wrong, the shot is longer and it speeds up when its right. Which is right the more I think about it. When its wrong and the puck channels then there are only a few outlets so water takes longer to come out. When the distribution is more even, the puck extracts more quickly as there is an even flow.

Every day a school day etc etc..


----------



## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

What's the technique you're using when it's right?


----------



## risky (May 11, 2015)

I'm interested in this as well. What gets me though, is how do you know (unless you can taste it) if the coffee extracted evenly if you aren't using a bottomless pf? Doesn't apply to me as I have one, just always wondered.


----------



## NJD1977 (Dec 16, 2014)

I'm not sure that's right from my experience. If you get a fracture or a channel in your puck, the water finds that fracture and pours through it pretty quickly. When the whole puck is consistent, unfractured, then the pour is slow, steady and consistent.


----------



## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Probably depends on what the issue is, if it's got obvious areas to flow through maybe it goes fast, but if it's over compacted in some and very over compacted in others then I suppose it would come through more slowly and still inconsistently?


----------



## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

After coming across this in another thread I gave the 'tap levelling' technique a go and it works brilliantly!!:

http://www.baristahustle.com/2015/08/

I used the finger levelling technique up to now but always felt it was a bit inaccurate.

I have a Mythos so thought I was laughing with my centrally-placed mound of grinds but I rarely got a completely even extraction (by eye with a naked pf).

Tried it this morning and the puck wet through pretty evenly and the cone was central.


----------



## Taff (May 5, 2015)

I've always used tapping and I wouldnt say I have a catastrophic channelling problem, (changing yield has a much bigger effect on the taste than different pours) just wondering out loud really!


----------



## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I do the gentle tap/shake distribution having lost patience with all the poking and stroking, and believe less is more. Having a pour with multiple tails isn't necessarily a sign of channeling either though, is it? I find that the coffee can taste just as sweet when I get 3 tails as when I get 'espresso porn' central pour, but it is probably a sign I've tamped a bit too hard rather than unevenly.


----------



## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Since switching from side taps (thinking about it I was probably too aggressive when using my palm!) to a couple of vertical taps, I think I've improved on my distribution.


----------

