itsleighton Senior Member Joined: 17 Oct 2009 Posts: 45 Location: Texas Expertise: I love coffee
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Posted Wed May 23, 2012, 9:16pm Subject: Naked Portafilter VS Spouts
Im beginning to see lots of high end coffee shops who used to have bottomless portafilters go back to the spouts. The bottomless portafilter was like a phenomenon that allowed you to see everything. Is the consensus changing? If so, why?
Posted Wed May 23, 2012, 9:40pm Subject: Re: Naked Portafilter VS Spouts
It's my understanding that while the naked offers some nifty training features, it really doesn't improve the cup. The problem with the naked is that eye-cupping is a bad practice, and they can be a little messy even when the pour isn't so bad. So there really is very little benefit for a cafe to be using bottomless, as they should have at least one person there who doesn't need a bottomless portafilter to diagnose shots.
Posted Wed May 23, 2012, 10:29pm Subject: Re: Naked Portafilter VS Spouts
Sad to say, another reason is that, due to the economy, some cafe's can't afford professionally trained baristas, so lesser skilled PBTC are doing the shot pulling. As 80%...or more of all shots pulled go into milk, there is little need for the "show", and in fact any less than perfect shots are never visible to the customer from shots dribbling out of spouts.
NobbyR Senior Member Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Posts: 1,604 Location: Germany Expertise: I love coffee
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Posted Thu May 24, 2012, 12:55am Subject: Re: Naked Portafilter VS Spouts
A naked portafilter is very handy for diagnosing extraction problems, because any faults in distributing or tamping that might lead to channeling, for example, will show by splattering. Also it looks very cool, when you see the tiger striped stream pouring into the cup. Some say there's a more voluminous crema. But it does not improve taste in the cup.
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emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,692 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
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Posted Thu May 24, 2012, 8:35am Subject: Re: Naked Portafilter VS Spouts
I suspect Rob is right on the money on this one.
Also, but not quite to the point re cafes, for the reasons mentioned previously (diagnostic purposes and it looking cool), I don't see myself ever using the spouted pfs again, except when I need to split the shot for two drinks.
JPF Senior Member Joined: 3 Jun 2010 Posts: 207 Location: NJ Expertise: I love coffee
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Posted Thu May 24, 2012, 8:45am Subject: Re: Naked Portafilter VS Spouts
IMAWriter Said:
Sad to say, another reason is that, due to the economy, some cafe's can't afford professionally trained baristas, so lesser skilled PBTC are doing the shot pulling. As 80%...or more of all shots pulled go into milk, there is little need for the "show", and in fact any less than perfect shots are never visible to the customer from shots dribbling out of spouts.
I've also heard, but never tested, that the shot will be warmer from the spouted portafilter since it doesn't have to travel as far through the air before reaching the cup. Of course, I doubt that figures into the reasoning.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,632 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
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Posted Thu May 24, 2012, 8:53am Subject: Re: Naked Portafilter VS Spouts
A wild guess is that Rob is closer to the truth. As to taste, yes I find a difference and I like a shot from a bottomless more than a shot from a spouted PF. There is a MUCH thicker cremma on the shot and I really like it. YMMV though as this is a personal taste thing. Some taste a difference others perhaps do not, personal preference.
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auxpomme Senior Member Joined: 5 Mar 2012 Posts: 88 Location: los angeles
Posted Fri Jun 8, 2012, 4:18pm Subject: Re: Naked Portafilter VS Spouts
I was curious and went down to Intelligentsia (silverlake) and yes, they're still using nakeds. And mustaches. And hats. Apparently you need all three of those items to get a truly great coffee.
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