Puck Depth Beats Diameter: Why Taller Beds Brew Better Espresso

This episode pokes at espresso tradition and asks whether 58 mm really deserves its “gold standard” status. Instead of worshiping diameter, you walk listeners through why puck depth and aspect ratio matter more for sweetness, balance, and forgiveness at home. Using experiments with step‑down baskets and deeper 49 mm pucks, you show how taller beds let you grind much coarser, hit high extraction yields, and dodge bitterness. The conversation ends with practical tweaks for any machine and a simple equation for better shots: grind, dose, and the depth of the coffee bed itself.​