When brewing the perfect cup of coffee, grind size matters. Just like you wouldn’t use the same oil for frying and salad dressing, you shouldn’t use the same grind for a French press and an espresso machine. The grind affects everything from flavor to extraction time. The wrong grind will produce a bitter, sour, or weak cup.
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Grind Size and Extraction
Grind size refers to how coarse or fine you grind your coffee beans.
During brewing, water pulls the flavor compounds from the coffee grounds as part of the extraction process. Grind size influences how quickly water flows through the grounds and how much flavor is extracted.
Different brewing methods require different grind sizes to optimize extraction. If the grind is too fine for your brew method, water flows too slowly, and over-extracts the coffee, resulting in bitterness. If your grinds are too coarse, the water passes through too quickly, leading to under-extraction, leaving you with a sour or flat-tasting cup.
Matching Grind Size to Brew Method
Whenever we grind whole beans at Miller Coffee Roasters for you, we’ll always ask you what kind of coffee maker you use. We’re not being nosy (although we may ask how you like a particular model if we’ve not used it yet). We want to ensure we provide you with the appropriate grind size for your maker.
Here’s a breakdown of common brewing methods and the grind sizes they need:
Cold Brew – Extra-Coarse Grind
Since cold brew steeps for 12 to 24 hours, an extra-coarse grind slows extraction for a smooth, chocolatey cold brew. The extra-course grind prevents over-extraction, which can lead to harsh or woody flavors.
French Press – Coarse Grind
This method uses full immersion, meaning the coffee grounds steep in hot water for 4-5 minutes. Coarse grounds allow for a slower extraction, which brings out the rich, full-bodied flavors without over-extracting. Finer grinds can lead to a sludgy, over-extracted mess.
Drip Makers (like Mr. Coffee or Breville) – Medium Grind
A medium grind offers the right balance of extraction time and water flow. Too fine a grind can clog the paper filter and slow the brew, while too coarse a grind won’t extract enough flavor. But we like to get extra particular and will ask whether you have a cone-shaped or flat-bottom drip maker… because that matters too.
Pour-Over (like Chemex or Hario V60) – Medium-Coarse to Medium-Fine Grind
This method gives you more control over brew time and water flow. Adjusting grind size allows you to fine-tune the balance of acidity and sweetness in your cup.
Espresso – Fine Grind
Espresso machines push hot water through coffee at high pressure in 25-30 seconds. A fine grind increases resistance and ensures proper extraction under pressure. Even small changes in grind size can dramatically affect espresso taste and texture.
The Right Grinder Matters, Too
Using the right grinder is as important as choosing the correct grind size.
Blade grinders, like most of the models sold for home use, chop inconsistently, leading to uneven extraction. Take a quick look at a blade grinder after use. You’ll find everything from extra-coarse to super-fine grinds in the container.
It’s no wonder your coffee tastes schizophrenic. It has no idea who it’s supposed to be after that abuse!
Burr grinders, on the other hand, produce uniform particles and allow for precise control. Most coffee experts, including us, advocate for burr grinders for consistent, quality results.
Final Brew Thoughts
We work too hard to bring you the highest-quality beans for your morning coffee. Some people like to grind their beans at home because they want the freshest flavor. But using the wrong grinder or coarseness for your coffee maker can produce sub-standard results.
We’re happy to grind your beans using our industrial grinder. We’ll take notes on your personal registry to ensure we dial in the grind for your particular maker. Dialing in the right grind size for your coffee maker is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to improve your brew.
If you have questions about grinding your own coffee, stop in! We love Coffee Talk. 😉