Coffee is amongst the most consumed beverages in the world. The making of any great cup of coffee is an art that has been passed down from generations. However, new practices of making the cup even tastier and better have been discovered and have evolved with time. There are so many recipes that are geared to delivering that perfect cup of coffee for maximum satisfaction. To get the ultimate cup of coffee, it’s all about the beans, grind and brew.
In this post, our main focus is the grind. With the advancement of technology, there are so many coffee grinders on the market today; all vary in the way they grind. Any coffee enthusiast – light drinker or connoisseur – will tell you that the size of the grind matters a huge amount. It goes a long way in determining the quality, flavour and strength of your brew. Here are 4 tips to choosing the right coffee grind size.
Skip pre-ground coffee
For the best result, it’s always advisable to buy whole coffee beans and do the grinding yourself. This is because pre-ground coffee tends to go stale more quickly when compared to whole beans. To ensure your coffee beans last and retain the aromas, flavours and brew colour, always store them in an airtight container in the cool and the dark. Avoid pre-grinding your coffee until you’re ready to make your brew.
Know the basics
It’s important to understand that the finer the grind, the slower the flow of water through your coffee grounds. This means that it might take longer to make an extra fine grind coffee brew, which may also be more flavourful in the end. It may take some coffee grinding, brewing and tasting trials to discover your ultimate coffee grind size.
Check the grind consistency
When it comes to brewing your coffee, the consistency of the grind plays a key role in ensuring that you end up with the best results. Depending on the brewing methods, you’ll need a certain grind consistency for that perfect hot or cold brew cup of coffee. Below are some of the options with which you can choose to go.
Coarse grind – As a comparison, course ground coffee particles are roughly the same size as coarse sea salt. This is the type of grind commonly used in French press coffee. This grind is further subdivided into coarse and extra coarse grinds. As you may have guessed, the extra coarse grind contains particles a bit larger than coarse particles. This is the extra coarse grind is mostly ideal for cold brewing.
Medium grind – If you want drip coffee, you’ll need this range of grind. It’s made using a filter drip that’s cone shaped. If you want to adjust the taste, use different grind sizes. For instance, you can use the fine medium grind with the cone-shaped filter for a more bitter taste.
Fine grind – People who love espresso are quite particular with how they choose their grinders. This is because any tiny change in the grind size affects the brewing of espresso coffee. Fine grind is also considered best for making Moka, a brew made using hot, steam-pressurized water in a Moka pot. The size of the fine grind particle is a bit finer than that of a granulated sugar particle.
Extra fine grind – This grind is as fine as the baby powder. It’s recommended for making Turkish coffee. The finer the grind, the better your coffee tastes, since smaller particles dissolve better in water.
Choose the right grinder
Your grind-size choice will be affected by the coffee grinder you choose. Some of the best grinders come with settings for the grind or grind size and consistency so remember to choose a good unit with the settings you need. There are two main types of grinders, namely:
Burr grinder: This type of grinder consists of two cutting discs and is highly recommended for grinding coffee beans. The grind consistency is determined by how far the discs are from each other. For a finer grind, the discs must set be closer. These discs are known as burrs and are mostly seen on manual coffee grinders.
Blade grinder: This has the mechanism of a blender, with spinning blades at the bottom. It is, however, not recommended because it produces an inconsistent grind.
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