La Pavoni - Pre-Fill "Blooming" Technique (Updated 2022 Workflow) Light-Medium Roast Espresso

If you want to see my lady try to make espresso on the LP (and general NYC lifestyle), check out her channel!    / @newyorkcherry  

Finally picked up the camera to record my latest workflow since getting the MC4 (almost 1.5 years now). This time with an interesting technique I randomly came up with.

I've always had issue with the air pocket when lifting the lever up, causing sponginess, puck disturbance, and reduced yield. Even when locking the portafilter with lever 90% up still produces inconsistent results.

So my pre-fill technique is basically a substitute to the Airbuster. While I love the ingenuity of the airbuster, it's just too much $$$ and maintenance.

How to pre-fill
1. Put a towel underneath (cause it gets messy!)
2. Without the portafilter in the group, lift the lever until water drips out
3. Float the portafilter below the group and "shower" the puck
4. While slowly moving lever up, slowly pop in the portafilter and lock it tight, it should start dripping on the side as it overflows
5. Lift the lever all the way up and listen for the fill
6. Do the normal blooming profile
7. If you feel the immediate resistance when pulling the lever down, you executed it right

My theory is prefilling would replace all the headspace with water instead of air. Additionally, when the lever is at the point of water pushing out, we've essentially removed most of the "air suction" motion from the piston. I would also assume the water helps "seat" the puck so the piston moving up (and corresponding air sucked up) won't affect it.

Benefits I get from pre-filling:
+ Even screen fill
+ No sponginess
+ Immediate feedback in puck/lever resistance
+ Increased yield
+ Consistency in taste and workflow

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And yes I "tamped" 3 times lol. Technically it's only 1 tamp, the first "tamp" was just to clean the corners (I'm a bit OCD when it comes to messy pucks) and no pressure is applied beyond the weight of the tamp. 2nd tamp is a real tamp (25lb spring). 3rd "tamp" is just to fit the puckscreen + filter easily.

La Pavoni Esperto
Kafatek MC4 (10++ Setting)
BPlus Puck-Screen (51.8mm) w/ Aeropress Filter
LeverCraft WDT Tool
BPlus Esperto Tamper (51.8mm)
Coffee Sensor 51mm Dosing Funnel

Coffee:
Beans: Fluffy Peach (Yirga)
Roaster: Dak's
Roast: Light Medium

Espresso Parameters:
Input = 14g
Output = ~42
GH Temp = 95c
Static Preinfusion = 5s
Progressive Preinfusion (@ 4 bar) = 7s
Brew Time (Slow Ramp @ 6 bar) = 23s

Postmortem:
Clear, balanced, great mouth feel. Consistent.