Grinding coffee can easily be one of the world’s greatest pleasures. You would simply fall in love with the rich, spicy and flavorful coffee grind and the way it helps you brew the perfect cup of your favorite beverage.
Grinding coffee for French Press or even Espresso looks like a relatively simple affair. However not many people know how important it is to grind their best coffee beans properly.
Coffee Grinds And Brewing Methods
Perhaps the most common mistake people make while grinding coffee is that the coffee beans are not appropriate for their preferred brewing method.
You might have heard the term ‘fine grind’ ‘medium grind’ or coarse grind. Well, it’s really tough to explain how these grinds actually look like, but here’s a simple description that will help you get a better idea.
- Coarse coffee grinds appear like distinct particles. In fact chunks of coffee closely resemble potting soil you use in your home garden.
- Medium coffee grinds are usually smaller and they closely resemble the particle size and texture of coarse sand.
- Fine coffee grinds as the name suggests are a lot smoother. They would feel more like table salt if you rub them between your fingers.
- Extremely fine or super fine coffee grind might look like powdered sugar, but you could still feel some gritty particles.
- Coffee grind for Turkish coffee is finely powdered, like flour and feels very powdery to touch.
Although you can use any type of coffee grinder for grinding and crushing coffee, you have to remember that quality Espresso and Turkish coffee can only be brewed perfectly when you use the highest quality (but sadly expensive) burr coffee grinders.
Choosing The Right Grind
As stated earlier, the way you grind coffee beans makes a huge difference on the way your coffee tastes. So the question is how do you choose the right grind size for the brewing method?
Generally coarse grinds can be less flavorful because the aromatic oils and flavors might not be extracted fully.
On the other hand, if you use coffee grind that is extremely fine, your drink can be awfully bitter.
The Coffee Grind Chart
What is the best way to grind coffee? What is right grind level? What special equipment do I need to use?
Since we are talking about equipment, the type of coffee grinder you choose depends on the kind of coffee you are making as well as the amount of coffee you are trying to brew.
Drip coffee is a fairly simple brewing method and you should be able to get a nice grinder for about $50.
French Press requires a coarse grind, and you can get a decent manual or blade grinder that works for both French Press and Coffee Drip for something in the $50 to $100 range.
If you are working with Espresso, you probably need a lot of practice and a high quality burr grinder which would cost around $300 to $400.
Most of the expensive burr coffee grinders would also work really well if you are huge fan of Turkish and Greek Coffee both of which use the finest coffee grind of all.
Okay, it will probably take more tries than you initially thought to get you started. Remember, you should not stick to the description. Instead, go for coffee grind that works in your case.
- Extra Coarse Grind – This kind of grind works for cold brewing coffee. It is a fantastic choice if you have a Toddy machine.
- Coarse Grind – This type of grind is most commonly used for the French Press. You can also use coarse coffee grinds for coffee cupping. Coffee cupping basically is a simple technique used to evaluate different characteristics of coffee beans.
- Medium Coarse Grind – Medium coarse grinded coffee is ideal for specialty devices like Chemex brewer.
- Medium Grind – Drip coffee is made using medium grinds.
- Medium Fine Grind – If you love brewing coffee using Siphon brewers and even vacuum pots, this is your right kind of grind.
- Fine Grind – Fine coffee grinds work best for Espresso and Moka pot.
- Extra Fine Grind – Extra fine coffee grind is usually used for Turkish coffee.
5 Coffee Grinding Tricks You Need To Know
Grinding coffee beans like a champ needs a little practice. But here are 5 tricks that will put you on the way to brewing the perfect coffee every day.
1. Buying whole Coffee Beans
Always buy whole coffee beans and keep them stored in an airtight container – Of course coffee beans don’t get bad or stale easily like ground coffee, but you should always store them carefully.
2. Using the same amount of coffee
Always use the same amount of coffee beans for consistent results – Consistency is what you should be looking for when it comes to grinding coffee and even making the perfect cup of your energizing beverage.
A small kitchen weighing scale is a good investment and you can get in the habit of accurately measuring your coffee beans.
3. Experiment with the grind
Experiment with Coffee Grind Consistency – The consistency you need for the perfect cup of coffee depends on the coffee brewing method you choose. You can experiment with various grinds to see what works for you.
4. Choosing coffee beans grinder
Choose your coffee bean grinder carefully – High quality coffee bean grinders are essential for brewing a delicious cup of coffee. Furthermore buying a quality grinder ensures that your coffee beans are never ruined.
Blade coffee grinders are not recommended for the fact that they give inconsistent grinds. Burr coffee grinders on the other hand can be a valuable investment if you cannot live without having a flavorful cup of coffee in the morning.
5. Manual coffee grinders
Both automatic and manual coffee grinders work exceptionally well – Manual coffee grinders are cheaper, but what you choose is up to your personal preference.
Bottom Line
The tips mentioned here are just to give you an idea about what needs to be done. You can definitely experiment with different grinds to get the right kind of coffee flavor you want.
