Our cup of coffee stimulates our palate, activates our heart, and connects our senses. But for all this to happen, coffee must go through many processes, from planting, harvesting, and roasting the beans to final preparation. Among these steps, we find one as influential in our cup as each of the previous ones: grinding . This is a process we must plan and understand which is the proper grind for our preparation. Therefore, We will explain the different types of grinding and how and when to use them depending on our preparation.
The first thing we must understand is that grind size is a factor that is reflected in the flavor of our coffee . Knowing how to control this variable will allow us to make the most of the quality of our beans. Due to poor management of this factor, we are often disappointed with high-quality coffees that were not processed correctly. Many factors influence this error, whether it be a lack of knowledge of the method to be used and applying the wrong grind size or an inconsistent grind, which can be reflected in a sour and bitter brew, or in some cases, a more flavorless brew with little coffee flavor.
The factors of grinding
The flavor of our coffee, its sensations, and the pleasure we experience with every sip depend on controlled extraction. What this simply translates to is being able to extract the right amount and components of coffee at the time of preparation. The final flavor comes from a balance between the amount of coffee, the water temperature, and, of course, the right grind size for the preparation. The goal of grinding coffee is to increase the area that will be in contact with the water during preparation. Therefore, the finer or coarser the grind, the better the water will flow through it, and this is where the factors of preparation time come into play during extraction.
A coarser grind will have looser particles, allowing the water to move through more easily. This type of coarse grind creates a smaller surface area, and if the brewing time is short, the extraction will be less. On the other hand, a fine or smaller grind has more tightly packed particles, creating a larger surface area where the water will take longer to pass through, resulting in a greater extraction.
What is the ideal coffee grind size?
It's clear that coffee is a world of taste and experimentation, but it's also important to understand that preparations have their ideal measurements depending on the functioning of the process. For a good preparation we take into account the variety, its origin and the roasting profiles , all of this depending on the characteristics we prefer and want to see reflected in our cup. To give an idea of ββthe relationship, a dark roast is more soluble and therefore requires a slightly coarse grind, except for the Chemex, and for traditional espresso, a fine grind is required. There are also methods like the Aeropress that can be adjusted to any grind type.
Another important factor when deciding on the type of grind to use is the age of the coffee. We always expect fresh beans, but as time passes after roasting, the recipe must be modified. Remember that the coffee's flavor diminishes over time, so we must use finer grinds to achieve the desired extraction.
What do we mean by consistency?
At the beginning of this article, we talked about how grind consistency also affects brew extraction. Regardless of the grind coarseness or brewing method you choose, if your ground coffee contains a mix of sizesβsome particles are very fine and others are the size of the original beanβthe extraction will still be uneven and unpredictable, as brewing time won't be accurately calculated.
Grinding coffee
When we fall in love with coffee and want to experience it beyond the cup, we begin to explore preparation methods, and the next step is to switch to whole bean coffee and start grinding our own coffee. This becomes another moment of connection with the preparation, of seeking the best moment in our cup, and that's why it's important to discover that Coffee is a drink of details, and learning to understand each of them will allow us to experience its sensations from the grind to the cup.