Bitter? Too strong? Too weak? Dirty water?
We’re here to tell you that size does matters when it comes to brewing a well balanced cup of coffee. So, java lover, are you using the proper coffee grind size for your brewing method?
The basic science of brewing coffee is; the relationship between the size of the grinds and the hot water running through the coffee grinds. Depending on the size of the grind, there is more or less surface for the water to come into contact with to extract flavor from the coffee. Essentially, the more surface there is for the water to come into contact with, the faster the brew process. You guessed it! Your coffee brewing method equals time to brew which determines grind size.
Let’s cover three of the most common methods of brewing coffee at home:
Espresso……...Fine
Drip…………..Medium
French………..Course
In this image you can see the coarseness of each grind and its correlated method of brewing.
FINE size grind is recommended in preparing an incredible espressos shot. Whether you’re using an espresso machine or a moka pot, both use steam pressure to push hot water through compacted fine grinds. Because espresso is a quick brewing process the perfect grind surface must be fine to extract the coffee flavor quickly in less than 30 seconds on espresso machines.
MEDIUM size grind is preferred in preparing drip coffee, also known as filter coffee, which is one of the most popular methods for home brewing. Drip coffee involves soaking coffee grinds in hot water in a paper filter that slowly drips into a carafe. Because the drip process is leisurely compared to espresso, it requires medium surface contact for the best flavor extraction. Medium grind size is also preferred when brewing coffee using the pour over method. *Coffee makers vary in process and technology so it is always best to understand your home brewing machine's recommendations and don't forget to do a descaling of your machine from time to time.
COARSE size grind is preferred when using a French press, which is a carafe a with a screen filter plunger. French coffee is the easiest method to be prepared. Just pour the hot water over the coffee grinds and wait for 4 minutes to let it steep. Once the grinds are done steeping, press down on the plunger to simply separate the grinds down to the bottom and pour immediately. YES, it’s that easy to make a delicious coffee shop quality cup of coffee. Parabola encourages you to give coffee brewing at home a try and to experiment with different brewing methods to find which works best for you! We hope we have helped you understand the importance of coffee grind sizes. If you do not have the equipment to grind your coffee, we can ship it ground to your preferred grind size. And don’t hesitate to ask us for a grind size in between.
