You will be surprised to know the number of factors that influence your daily cup of coffee. The quality of the beans, the brewing time, optimal water temperature, the ration of coffee to water, the amount of milk (if you add milk to your coffee), and the one that we will be discussing today- the grind size.
Grind size is a crucial factor that derives the taste of the coffee. To brew the perfect cup of coffee, you need to get the grinding size right. Different kinds of brew require different size of coffee. The aroma, texture, flavor, strength and acidity of your coffee depend considerably on the way the flavors and oils are extracted out of your coffee. The seep time or the brew time must also be considered. If the ground size is not optimum, extracting the right flavors is not feasible. If your coffee is ground too fine, it may extract flavors and aromas too quickly and may turn bitter. On the contrary, if the ground size is too big, it may remain under-extracted and taste sour. Whichever brewing method you use to make your coffee, a mismatched size of coffee ground can potentially change the taste and feel of your drink.
You can always enjoy the convenience of buying pre-ground packages of coffee. But, to grind your beans, you need to be well-versed with the practicalities of the different grinding sizes.
So, let’s look into the different grind sizes, their flavor, and some benefits of freshly ground coffee. Let’s begin by understanding why do we need to grind the beans to brew coffee?
Why to grind coffee?
When the beans are roasted, carbon dioxide is released, which helps in releasing oils. These oils are responsible for creating the characteristic aroma and enhancing the flavor. When the ground coffee is exposed to oxygen, the cells within break down and make it taste lively. Therefore, if you do not grind your coffee, you will be losing out on these qualities.
- Versatility: With beans, it is difficult to be versatile. You cannot add beans to French press machines or espresso filters. Consequently, you are unable to enjoy different aromas and flavors from your coffee.
- Difficult to extract flavors from hard shell: The outer shell of coffee beans is slightly hard. It becomes difficult to extract the required flavors and other compounds when the shell is intact. Therefore, it becomes imperative to grind the beans.
- The endosperm is not exposed: When the coffee bean is intact, the inner most layer is safe. The endosperm is the layer that contains most amount of flavors, oils, aroma and minerals. If the coffee is not ground, it becomes impossible to reach this layer and extract the right flavors.
- Reduced brewing time: if you brew your coffee with whole beans, the brew time will be really long. You may also be disappointed at the end of the long brewing process if you do not get the desired taste, which is highly likely!
- Oils and aroma can be extracted: If coffee is not ground, it is impossible to extract the right amount of oils, aroma and flavors from the beans.
- Reduces sourness: If the coffee is not ground, it may taste sour. Griding them reduces the sourness.
- Less amount of coffee: If you brew your coffee with whole beans, you would need about double the amount of coffee than you would if your coffee has been ground.
- Under-extracted and acidic: With beans being large enough, your coffee will remain under-extracted. Under-extracted coffee is usually acidic.
What is grind size?
In order to get the best out of our coffee, we need to break or grind it into smaller pieces. A coffee grinder is used for the job. Depending upon the setting of the grinder or the duration you grind your coffee for, you may get coffee grounds of different sizes.
Terms like extra coarse ground, coarse ground, medium coarse ground, fine ground, extra fine ground are used to describe the size of coffee ground.
Each level will have different characteristics and thus, impact your drink in its own way. The texture of your drink and the strength of your coffee varies considerably based on grind size.
How it works?
Grind size is one of the important variables that determine how fast your water will dissolve coffee particles. This is the reason why grind size has a significant impact on your coffee.
- Vey finely ground coffee can result in a very strong brew as the exposed surface area of your beans increases. Now hot water can absorb oils and flavors much faster and easier.
- If the beans are very coarsely ground, a lot of the coffee ground might get wasted as your drink will not be able to assimilate all of it.
Does the size of the coffee grind matter?
Yes, it does. The grind size impacts so many aspects. Some of them are:
- Extraction: The finer you grind your coffee beans, the more is the exposed surface area of the grounds. This produces faster extractions. But you do not want your coffee to be over or under extracted. This is the reason why the coffee in espresso machines is ground fine. The water passes very quickly at high pressure through the grounds. On the other hand, cold brew is made using coarse-ground coffee as it allows the coffee to sit with the water for a much longer time (several hours).
- Flavors: To extract the ideal flavor from the coffee, you need to choose specific grinding sizes and brewing methods.
- Brew time: The grind size hugely impacts the brew time. Larger grinds require longer brew time whereas smaller grinds can be extracted quickly and require shorter brew time.
- The roast of the coffee: If your coffee is roasted more, it dissolves quickly. Coffee roasted for less time required more brewing time. Therefore, grind size should be more coarse for the coffee that has been roasted more. Less roasted coffee can be ground finer. If the grind size is not optimal, extraction may again be impacted, changing the taste of the coffee completely.
What are all the coffee grind sizes?
I would like to list 7 distinct sizes of coffee grind. These range from Extra Coarse to Extra fine or superfine ground.
The primary terms used are:
- Extra coarse ground: The extra coarse grind size has the largest particles of coffee. The size may be compared to that of pebbles. You can see chunks of coffee beans in this ground size. The coarser the grind, the less bitter it is going to taste. You can make cold brews using this grind.
- Coarse ground: Coarse grind is slightly finer than extra coarse. The grounds are still chunky in appearance. You can compare them to small sized beads. These are used to make French press and percolators.
- Medium coarse ground: This ground is chunky and coarse, but not as coarse as coarse ground. You can think of chunky granular sand.
- Medium ground: This is the size of regular sand or you may compare it to kosher salt in size. This grind setting is used in most coffee shops to make a regular cup of pour over or drip coffee. The consistency of the medium grind resembles that of sea salt.
- Medium fine ground: The medium-fine grind lies in between the grind sizes required for drip coffee and espresso. You can use it to make both, and it will turn out fine. This grind size is great for use in cone-shaped filters.
- Fine ground: The fine grind size is used in pre-ground packages that are readily available in markets. It is the ideal size for making espressos and is commonly used in coffee shops.
- Extra fine ground: Superfine, also called extra fine grind, has a consistency similar to powdered sugar or flour. It is usually reserved for making Turkish coffee.
What is the coffee grind chart?
To extract the ideal amount of flavor, you need to choose specific grind sizes and brewing methods. You do not want to waste your time and efforts on coffee that doesn’t taste right. You can prevent this by learning how different-sized grinds yield the right coffee extraction. So based on each size of coffee ground, you need to follow the brewing method and brewing time to get great results. Both, the brewing method and time are crucial otherwise it may impact extraction.
In most cases, bad coffee is a result of incorrect extraction. If your coffee beans are under-extracted, they are likely to make your coffee taste sour, acidic, and salty. Similarly, if your coffee beans are over-extracted, your coffee is likely to be tasteless, hollow, and bitter.
| Grind Size | Appearance | Brewing Method | Brewing time | Taste |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Coarse | Pebbles | Cold Brew | 6-18 hours | Smooth, Chocolaty, low on acidity |
| Cowboy Coffee | 4 minutes | Rough, Earthy, medium acidity | ||
| Coarse | Very chunky | French Press | 3-5 minutes | Full and Rich taste |
| Percolator | 7-10 minutes | Rich and Strong | ||
| Medium Coarse | Less Chunky but coarse | Chemex | 3-5 minutes | Less bitter, Less body, Smooth |
| Clever Dripper | 2 minutes | Soft and textured. Cross over of French press and pour over. It is customizable | ||
| Cafe solo Brewer | 3 minutes | Flavorful, smooth | ||
| Medium Ground | Size of Kosher or sea salt | Pour Over | 3-4 minutes | Textured, but can be inconsistent |
| Machine drip | 5 minutes | Strong and Bold flavor | ||
| Aeropress | 2-3 minutes | Flavorful, Strong, Smooth, Full bodied, low on acidity | ||
| Siphon Coffee | 60-90 seconds | Full bodied, low on acidity | ||
| Medium Fine | Size of granular sand | Aeropress | 2-3 minutes | Flavorful, Strong, Smooth, Full bodied, low on acidity |
| Siphon Coffee | 60-90 seconds | Full bodied, low on acidity | ||
| Fine ground | Powdered Sugar | Aeropress | 2-3 minutes | Flavorful, Strong, Smooth, Full bodied, low on acidity |
| Espresso | 30-40 seconds | Tart and Bitter | ||
| Moka Pot | 3-4 minutes | Full bodied and bitter | ||
| Superfine or very fine | Flour or talc | Ibrik (Turkish) | 3-4 minutes | Strong, Bitter, with foamy texture. Can feel muddy if not filtered properly |
How is the ideal grind size affected?
As we just mentioned, different grind sizes as appropriate for achieving different results as they help achieve different levels of extraction. Personal preferences play the most important role in determining the ideal coffee recipe. After that, secondary characteristics like the origin, processing method, type of coffee, and roast profile influence the grind size and the resulting cup of coffee.
There are 2 game-changing factors that you need to look into:
- Brewing method: Different brewing methods require different grind sizes of coffee beans. For instance, to make a cup of Turkish coffee, you will have to use the superfine grind, whereas, for a French press, the coarse grind is the best option.
- Age of your coffee: Coffee is a natural plant product, not a synthetic commodity. It is bound to lose flavor over time. Many home brewers prefer to grind finer to increase extraction, while others grind coarser to increase intensity.
What happens if you grind coffee too fine?
There are a few scenarios that may play out if you grind your coffee too fine.
- Your coffee may turn cloudy: Very fine coffee particles are able to escape most of the filters. They enter your cup and make your coffee appear cloudy.
- Can block the espresso machine basket: Coffee grinds that are too fine might settle in the basket of your espresso machine. This leads to the fine powder clogging an otherwise even mesh and hindering the course of water.
- Overflowing Espresso machine: The fine grind particles pack too tightly. There is very little room for the water to flow through. Thus, the water moves slower than expected. This may even lead to the espresso machine overflowing.
- Your coffee may taste different: Because of the above reason, different cups might differ in taste. While some may be too bitter, others might be sour; a few might taste strong and a few weak.
- Coffee may be over extracted: We must have guessed this one by now. If the coffee is ground too fine, it will be over-extracted and will taste bitter.
- Use it for Turkish coffee: Turkish coffee requires very fine ground. So if you have very fine ground coffee, you can make yourself Turkish coffee!
So, you might want to grind the beans a tad more coarsely, just enough so you do not sacrifice the surface area. A coarser grind also requires lesser water and beans as compared to finer grinds, cutting down on cost and time.
Does a finer grind make stronger coffee?
Yes, if we consider extraction, a finer grind does make stronger coffee. However, very fine grind may lead to over extraction. This may lead to a bitter coffee instead of a stronger one.
In addition to grind size, the strength of your coffee usually depends on factors like the acidity of the beans, where they came from, and the level of roast. When talking about extracting caffeine from your coffee beans, you can adjust the grind finer to strengthen the flavor. In the sense of caffeination, a finer grind will brew a stronger cup of coffee, while a coarser grind results in a weaker cup.
How does the grind determine your coffee’s flavor extraction?
The extraction from coffee is directly dependent on the grind size, the finer the grind, better the extraction. This is because finer grind size has better exposed surface area while coarse grind does not expose a lot of area of the bean. Thus, the coarseness or fineness can determine the extraction. The grind size impact the following factors that further impact the flavor of your coffee.
- Contact Time: If the contact time is kept constant, smaller grind size will give better extracted coffee. On the contrary, coarsely ground coffee may remain under extracted.
- Surface Area: For fine grounds, more surface area is exposed. This means better extraction or absorption of the flavors. Finer ground beans appear powdery and are better blended, whereas coarser grounds are in larger pieces. Therefore, a finer grind means a higher level of flavor extraction as it increases the period that your coffee is in contact with water. A more coarsely ground bean is more likely to be under-extracted as the grind determines how long your coffee will steep.
- Speed of Flow of water: With finer grind, water passes through very slow as there is little space between the coffee grind particles. On the contrary, water passes fast when the grind size is large. This gives more contact time to fine grind coffee, allowing for better extraction, and consequently, better flavor.
These are the reasons why fine coffee is used for espresso and other coffee that has shorter brewing time. At the same time, cold brew, or other long brewing methods require coarse grind.
How does grind size affect the taste of coffee?
The grind size is one of the most crucial aspect in making perfect coffee. Even if you use the right equipment, the perfect ratio of water, grounds (and milk, if you use it), the right brewing time, your coffee may not taste right if your ground size is not right. The texture of the grounds and exposed surface area impacts the overall taste of the coffee, considering which type of coffee you are trying to make. The coffee ground chart above also offers details on the same.
Based on the grind size, the following factors of your coffee may vary:
- Flavor profile
- Acidity
- Strength
- Body of the drink
- Texture
- Aftertaste
The coffee ground chart above also offers details on the same. Fine grind can be associated with fancier coffee like Turkish coffee or espressos. The finer the grind, the more versatile options you have, such as lattes and cappuccinos. A coarser grind is used in other coffee beverages like cold brews or French press.
What are the benefits of freshly ground coffee?
Coffee being natural product, just like any other plant produce, changes in flavor. It cannot maintain consistent flavor for a long time. Numerous external factors impact the taste.
- Coffee tastes fresh: We know that majority of plant produce tastes best when fresh. When you grind your coffee just before brewing, you ensure its freshness.
- Higher caffeine content: If you need that kick from your coffee, freshly ground beans possess better potential to offer you the desired results. This is because they have higher caffeine content than pre-ground coffee.
- Rich in antioxidants: Fresh ground coffee is highly rich in antioxidants and prevents against free radicals. Consequently, the risk of certain diseases may be reduced.
- More floral and fruity notes: When coffee is ground freshly, you can taste more of the fruity notes in it. This is because if the grounds are kept for longer, these notes tend to oxidize and you cannot taste them much. On the contrary, these flavors are infused in your drink very well when the beans are freshly ground.
- Flexibility with grind size: When you grind the coffee fresh, you may grind it to the desired size based on the kind of coffee you are willing to enjoy.
- Higher bioactive compounds: Coffee beans contain numerous bioactive compounds. These offer numerous health benefits. Freshly ground coffee is richer in these compounds and pre-ground may lack so many of them.
Which is a better grinder- manual or electric?
Both, manual and electric grinders have their pros and cons. One thing to note here is that the size of the coffee ground and the uniformity depends on the grinding technique. It is less dependent on whether the beans have been ground automatically or manually.
Automatic Grinder: An automatic grinder can be any grinder that works on a press of a button. It can use any grinding mechanism, including blade grinder or burr grinder.
Pros:
- Require very little effort
- Normally faster than hand grinders
Cons:
- Heat up more than hand grinders
- More expensive than manual grinders
Manual Grinder: A manual grinder is one where one needs to manually operate the grinder in order to get coffee grounds. Manual grinders can also operate using burr or blade grinding mechanisms.
Pros:
- Usually cheaper
- Most manual grinders are portable
Cons:
- Require manual effort
- Lower speed as speed mostly depends on how fast you can manually grind
Before we decide based on just manual and electric grinder, let us understand that a lot of factors can help us decide on the right grinder. Therefore, you must consider:
- The brewing method: The method you prefer can be a deciding factor in your choice of grinder. This is because different grinders produce grinds of different sizes. Some are amazing at producing fine and uniform grounds. Others may produce bimodal or even more varied size beans. So based on the brew you need, opt for the suitable grinder.
- The heat they produce: If your grinder produces a lot of heat, your coffee grounds will start oxidizing the moment you grind them. This may make your coffee taste a lot bitter and toasted. You probably don’t want that. In this case, you would want to keep the ground cool before you actually brew your coffee. Go for a grinder that produces less heat.
- Size: You would want the size to be in accordance with the amount of space you have. Select the size accordingly.
- Material: There is a plethora of options in materials when it comes to coffee grinders. You can find amazing quality grinders that use high alloy, high nitrogen stainless steel. At the same time, normal grinders that use stainless steel, aluminum and ceramic are also available. In terms of outer body, there are materials like plastic, fiber, wood etc.
- Capacity: Do you want to brew for a party, a coffee shop, or just for yourself? Selecting the right capacity also helps in saving space, time, cost and electricity consumption. If you need to make larger quantities of coffee, an electric grinder might be worth the investment.
- Speed: Everyone wants things done quickly, so you probably want the grinder to offer a good speed.
- Portability: If you want to travel with your grinder, you want it to be portable. It should be really light if you want to travel by air often.
- Noise: Coffee grinders are noisy! If you do not like the noise, check the noise at the store before making the purchase. If you are purchasing online, check for the specifications or get in touch with the manufacturer.
- Durability: As we discussed that they are available in different materials, the one made with good quality material are usually more durable. They do not tend to break or crack easily.
- Support: You do not want to be stuck with a broken grinder. Therefore, checking for after sales support is a good idea. Invest in a grinder for which it is easy to find parts or after sales service.
The other aspect: Blade Grinder v/s Burr Grinder
More than the mode of use (manual or electric), the mechanism, of the grinding process impact the taste of your coffee. The blade grinder will chop the beans with its sharp blades, just like a blender. The burr mechanism breaks the beans by applying pressure. There are two types of burr grinders- flat burr (uses flat discs) and conical burr(uses conical discs).
Flat grinders are normally considered better for filter coffee. This is because they produce unimodal or same size coffee beans. The Conical burr is considered good for espresso. This is because it produces bimodal, or two sized grounds. The smaller grounds reduce the speed of water flow. This gives more time to water to extract from bigger beans.
Let us look at the basic differences in these three.
| Blade Grinder | Flat Burr | Conical Burr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Uses blade to cut or chop coffee beans just like a blender | Two flat discs evenly break the beans with one rotating on the other | Two conical discs break the beans by rotating |
| Grind size | Non-uniform, beans simply break into different sizes. | Unimodal or most uniform among the three | Bimodal, produces coffee in 2 grind sizes |
| Heat | Generate a lot of heat | Generate a lot of heat | Generate less heat |
| Cost | Economical | Expensive | Economical |
| Speed | Faster | Fast | Fastest |
| Sound | Loud | Moderate noise | Quietest |
Summary
Now, you need not rely on pre-ground coffee, as you know the right ways of grinding your beans. Your cup of coffee will be bursting with flavor if you use the right grind size and brewing methods. Make sure you use freshly roasted beans that are of high quality for the maximum retention of flavor. But before you get to grinding, keep in mind the brewing method you will be using.
Your personal preference is the ultimate deciding factor of the resultant coffee. It might differ from brewer to brewer. Pay attention to the consistency of your grounds, and you are good to go.
