Grinding your coffee for the best possible cup
![IMG_20110517_122524.jpg](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2011/05/IMG_20110517_122524-thumb-300x224-78222.jpg)
The same coffee, ground on three different settings. From left: coarse, medium, fine.
Matt Roney | Contributor
Welcome to the first entry of The Barista’s Kitchen, a series of posts each focusing on a different technique or piece of equipment accessible to the home-based coffee enthusiast.
It’s my goal not just to help home baristas make the best coffee they can, but to introduce ways in which one may tweak and play with the brewing process, so that each cup can reach its fullest potential.
In general, it’s the brewing methods themselves that get the most attention. An espresso machine is sleek and flashy; a French press, elegantly simple; and a vacuum pot arcane and interesting.
There are, however, a few essential pieces of equipment that often go overlooked. One is the gram scale — any serious coffee hobbyist should have one, as it’s the only way to ensure correct bean dosing. Another is a nice water filter — I’ve yet to find a coffee that goes well with chlorine.
The most important piece of equipment, though, for anyone genuinely trying to brew great coffee, is the grinder.
It’s common sense that coffee ground immediately before brewing will be fresher. Part of the reason is a process called oxidation, which causes it to go stale. When it’s in its whole-bean form, coffee is better protected from oxygen. Also, many of the gasses that give coffee its aromas and flavors dissipate over time, and increasing surface area by grinding speeds up the process.
But it’s not just a question of freshness. How coffee is ground is one of the major factors determining the effectiveness of extraction — basically, how much of your beans’ oils, solids and gasses make it into the cup.
A cup that’s been over extracted is said to taste bitter, while one that’s under extracted tastes sour. A perfect cup of coffee requires that the grind and the dose — as well as other factors, such as water temperature — work together to achieve the right extraction.
The finer the grind, the greater the surface area, so more compounds will end up in your cup with a fine grind than with a coarse one. Plus, water will flow more slowly through a fine grind than a coarse one, picking up still more compounds along the way.
A good grinder will give you a consistent, even grind at any setting ranging from very coarse to very fine. Unfortunately, though, the most common home grinders — the “whirling blade” sort — just aren’t up to the task. The grind tends to be very uneven, which will lead to a very uneven cup of coffee.
Remember, different coarsenesses lead to different extractions, so, if a lot of your grounds are very fine while others are very coarse, you risk a cup with traces of both bitterness and sourness. It’s not appetizing. Plus, the blades often spin fast enough to actually burn your grounds. And after the roaster worked so hard!
There are alternatives, of course. For the home, the most practical coffee grinders both for consistency and affordability are burr grinders. Rather that chopping your coffee with one fast blade, they actually crush the coffee between a hard surface and a rotating wheel covered in sharp "burrs."
Hand-powered ones like this travel burr grinder are quite inexpensive, while electric ones tend to start around $100, like this Capresso Infinity. Either will do the job, and you’ll immediately find your coffee improving.
Matt Roney is a barista at lab cafe and a contributor to Radio Free Chicago. He can be reached by email here.
Comments
Dog Guy
Fri, May 20, 2011 : 12:19 a.m.
A master of the tea ceremony in old Japan once accidentally slighted a soldier. He quickly apologized, but the rather impetuous soldier demanded that the matter be settled in a sword duel. The tea master, who had no experience with swords, asked the advice of a fellow Zen master who did possess such skill. As he was served by his friend, the Zen master could not help but notice how the tea master performed his art with perfect concentration and tranquility. "Tomorrow," the Zen master said, "when you duel the soldier, hold your weapon above your head, as if ready to strike, and face him with the same concentration and tranquility with which you perform the tea ceremony." The next day, at the appointed time and place for the duel, the tea master followed this advice. The soldier, readying himself to strike, stared for a long time into the fully attentive but calm face of the tea master. Finally, the soldier lowered his sword, apologized for his arrogance, and left without a blow being struck. Tea masters have y'all on tranquility.
Gordon
Thu, May 19, 2011 : 1:56 p.m.
Again, a great article. From the proper grind for the type of coffee drink to the water used and all in between we strive for the taste of perfection. Think how nice it would be if we could have an establishment that provided different coffees from around the world and ground each properly. But, this is America and who has time? Water is another variable that has a major influence on taste. Water from different parts of the World influence the growing of the coffee tree and the flavor of the bean and maybe better used with that coffee? I enjoy the Arab coffees occansionlly and the process of making it. It's like a food dish; but time consuming. Very complex subject.
Hmm
Thu, May 19, 2011 : 1:11 p.m.
Please do an article for us tea drinkers as well, thanks!
Phil Dokas
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 11:10 p.m.
Great article Matt! Additionally, those looking to buy a grinder and support local businesses can pick up the recommended Capresso Infinity grinder at Comet Coffee. The folks at lab cafe and Comet Coffee really know their stuff and I've always found them to be very helpful with any questions so not only can you stop in to get a great cup or buy beans, but you can also get advice and learn something too!
CynicA2
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 8:15 p.m.
I agree with Alfa - the Cuisinart burr grinder has worked fine for me for at least a half dozen years and cost less than 50 bucks on sale at Marshall Field's/Macy's - not sure which it was then. Everything, save the motor, goes right in the dishwasher. It is loud, though.
Mr. Tibbs
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 6:40 p.m.
Can someone tell what the difference is between making your own cigarettes at a tobacco store, and grinding your own coffee, at a coffee store? let me guess. none owns a lifetime patent on a little paper tube..... I do apologize for this cryptic comment but the truly educated will get this one, and maybe explain it to the rest of you! if nothing else it will create debate!
mrblond
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 3:31 p.m.
I'm wondering if you can say something about matching the brewing style with the grind of the coffee. Specifically, I've heard that it's better to use coarse ground beans with a french press. True? If so, are there other rules of thumb like that? excited for future posts
mrblond
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 7:46 p.m.
Thanks for the reply. As I said earlier, looking forward to future posts. Probably like many here, I wouldn't think to start my day without a cup (or four) of coffee, but I'm surprisingly (given how important it is) largely uneducated on how to best go about doing that. Hoping that you can bring some refinement to my daily habit.
Matt Roney
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 3:52 p.m.
You're absolutely right! I considered touching on that here, but decided to wait until the posts on those methods. They're coming. :) In general, French press grinds are coarser, drip is somewhere in the middle, and espresso is very fine--though in the case of espresso, there's really a whole lot more going on. I grind French press a notch or two coarser than drip. Of course, the best way to get that right is to experiment. With French press, coarseness and steep time can vary depending on the coffee. Also, props on the screen name. I hope you're not offended, though, if I try to never wind up Stuck in the Middle With You.
gallery69
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 3:16 p.m.
I have the Capresso Burr Grinder and it works great and is easy to clean.
Matt Roney
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 3:55 p.m.
Ha! I definitely appreciate the thought, but really, gallery69 is right--you should clean your grinder regularly. First of all, If you're brewing distinct single origin coffees, you won't want to mix flavors, or what's the point? Plus, oil buildup isn't good for the burrs. They dull eventually anyway, but why not keep them clean and slow the process?
dading dont delete me bro
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 3:23 p.m.
clean? why clean it? let all that flavorness combine....mmmmm...coffee goodness...
AlfaElan
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 1:02 p.m.
We have a Cuisnart burr grinder which is much less money than the Capresso and does about as good a job. The problem is it is terribly noisy.