BIGSTEP TAMPER
Written by Tim Adams Lamkin Lane Espresso , 2009 Australian Barista Champion, 2009-2010-2013 Qld barista Champion and Tilly Sproule , Lamkin Lane Espresso Bar, Head barista , 2nd 2014 Qld Barista Championship
Covers ALL the surface area in the basket (it’s a perfect fit in the VST baskets!)
This has been an issue with many of the tamps currently on the market wether being a 58mm all the way through to the 58.3mm and above. Coffee grind always seemed to make their way up the insides of the group basket once the tamper was all the way pressed into the coffee. The Big step with its giant 58.8mm diameter presses all the grinds down evenly leaving no grind behind. This has allowed for a cleaner dose and tamp and of course has increased shot quality with added flavour and richness per dose of espresso.
The sharp ‘stepped edge’ of the BigStep tamp ensures no waste or ‘loose’ grind in the basket. Therefore (if correct tamping technique is applied) we have a clean, flat, perfectly smooth and level tamping result in the basket.
Having the bottom diameter of the big step sharpened has allowed perfect coverage of the inside of the vst baskets. Allowing no air pockets at the very bottom of the basket once coffee is packed in. Once the barista has started tamping there is also less room for error as the base of the big step will not go in the basket unless a perfect level tamp is applied. We have seen an increase in all our baristas technique because of this . A perfect vertical tamping technique must be applied to achieve the best results with the BigStep. Nice snug fit in the basket.
Comfortable and easy to use in service. This has always been the case with any of the Pullman Tampers and there handles. The big step base paired with a Pullman handle makes tamping coffee a pleasure. Super comfortable in a busy environment.
We found a higher TDS reading using the BigStep in the results between the BigStep Tamp vs Other Tamps.
This result is the one which grabbed us the most. As with anything proof in recorded data means everything. Over the course of a few weeks we continually measured our TDS readouts of the same coffee which was also our most development coffee in terms of roasted development. TDS readings and extraction % are super important to us and gives us direction if we are lost in making high quality espresso. Every day for over a fortnightly period we measured our TDS readings and also converted this into our extraction %. The only change was going from a standard Pullman base to the Pullman Big step. Continually the big step pulled a higher TDS reading and therefore a higher extraction % of approx. 1.5%.
In coffee flavour we noticed a bigger, bolder, juicier and more viscous extraction. Very impressed with the results!
Once again everything comes down flavour. At lamkin we love our viscosity in out espresso . the big step has added a far greater mouth feel and gives us that lovely viscous on the pallet we are chasing. Tasty coffee is what we are about. The big step also made us adjust our rind settings courses allowing for a more even grind dispersion. This has added to the flour of our espresso.
