How coarse or fine should you grind the coffee beans?
Whether you're a passionate coffee lover or just looking for ways to improve your coffee experience, the right grind is critical. We give you the grips on how to grind coffee beans and how the grind directly affects the flavour and aromas in your cup. From French press to espresso, we'll guide you through the various brewing methods and reveal what to look out for when grinding your own coffee beans. So you can brew your perfect cup of coffee at home with the right grind!
First, a brief explanation of the term 'microns'
In this knowledge centre article you will often see the term 'microns' come up. Microns is another term for micrometers ( μm) and are a unit of length used to measure the size of particles in coffee grinds. One micrometer is equal to one millionth of a meter, or 0.001 millimeter.
A fine coffee grind has smaller particles, while a coarser grind has larger particles. The size of the particles affects the extraction during the brewing of the coffee. This, in turn, greatly affects the flavour and characteristics of the brewed coffee.
For example, in a coffee grind table, the grind size is often given in microns. Different categories such as “extra-fine,” “fine,” “medium,” “coarse,” and so on, are defined based on the size of the coffee particles in microns.
An overview of grinds by brewing method
Coffee beans come in all shapes and sizes. Three types stand out as the most common and influential in coffee production.
Pour-over
410-930 microns
Pour-over, the oldest form of percolation brewing, originated in ancient Ethiopia and Yemen. Today, it involves pouring hot water over ground coffee in a cone- or funnel-shaped dripper with a filter, usually made of paper or cloth. Modern pour-over cones, such as Chemex, V60 and Kalita Wave, each have their own idiosyncrasies and subtle advantages, with the grind level varying only slightly. A recommended grind for pour-over is between 410-930 microns.
Espresso
180-380 microns
The grind size for espresso lies within a specific and narrow range of 180 to 380 micrometers. This narrow limit is essential because of the extreme pressures and processes involved in espresso, where even a small deviation results in over-extraction or under-extraction. Fine particles facilitate rapid extraction of desired substances, maintaining an ideal brewing time.
Filter coffee machine
300-900 microns
Filter coffee maker and drip coffee maker are general terms for any electric coffee maker that uses a percolating or pour-over mechanism.
The grinding degree varies considerably, depending on the manufacturer and model of the machine. In most cases, the grind size is between medium-fine and fine, roughly between 300 and 900 microns.
Moka pot
360-660 microns
Bialetti, the company that invented the original Moka pot (and still produces the most popular stovetop coffee maker), recommends a medium-fine grind that “feels grainy when you rub it between your fingers, but not powdery.”
The grind for a Moka pot can range between 360-660 microns. Be careful that an espresso grind is too fine and can block your Moka Pot!
French Press
690-1300 microns
The French press, also called a cafetière, uses coarsely ground coffee immersed in hot water. A plunger-type device is used to separate the coffee grounds. Because of its design, which does not block fine particles, a coarse grind of 690-1300 microns is recommended for its characteristic rich and cloudy body.
AeroPress
320-960 microns
The AeroPress offers a wide grinding range between 320 and 960 micrometers, making it suitable for various brewing methods and adjustments. The compact and portable AeroPress has gained immense popularity among coffee enthusiasts. Different brewing techniques, such as the reverse method, may require coarser grinds. Start with a medium grind and adjust based on your routine, equipment and desired brewing method.
Turkish coffee
40-200 microns
Turkish coffee prepared in a “cezve” is an immersion method that leaves the coffee grounds in the cup. Unlike other methods, such as an Aeropress or espresso machine, disadvantages of grinding too finely are not limiting for Turkish coffee. In fact, the grind for Turkish coffee should be lower than that for espresso, between 40 and 220 micrometers, with a powdery consistency for a rich and intense flavour.
Siphon / Siffon
375-800 microns
A siphon, or vacuum coffee brewer, works on the basis of vapor pressure and vacuum, consisting of two chambers: one with water and the other with coffee grounds. The brewing process requires pressurized water that flows up from the lower chamber into the upper chamber and passes through the coffee grounds. A medium to medium-fine (375-800 micrometers) grind ensures a steady flow of water through the coffee bed, preventing clogging and fine particles in the lower chamber.
V60
400-700 microns
The V60, a well-known pour-over coffee brewing method from Hario, is characterized by its V-shaped design with a 60-degree angle. Made of various materials such as ceramic, glass, plastic or stainless steel, the dripper has spiral grooves inside for controlled water flow and even extraction. As the most popular pour-over brewer worldwide, with successes in brewing competitions, the V60 requires a finer grind between 400-700 micrometers.
Steep & Release
450-825 microns
Steep-and-release, an emerging brewing method, combines the form of pour-over with immersion rather than percolation. The process involves soaking coffee in water, followed by a one-time release through the filter. Advantages of this method include reduced water bypass, less channeling and increased extraction.
Cold Brew
800-1400 microns
Cold brew is a method of brewing coffee using cold or room temperature water over an extended period of time, ranging from several hours to more than a day.
Because of the long brewing time and cold water temperature, the grind for cold brew must be very coarse. We set the scale at 800-1400 micrometers, but some methods go even higher.
Cold Drip
820-1270 microns
Cold drip is a method in which coffee is brewed slowly drop by drop, usually between 4 and 24 hours, with cold or room temperature water. The result is a smooth, low-acid coffee concentrate that can be diluted or enjoyed over ice. To avoid fine particles, coarsely ground coffee is recommended. A grind of 820-1270 micrometers is recommended, with too coarse a grind potentially speeding up the lengthy brewing process.
Why measuring grind size is so difficult
Of all the variables in the coffee brewing process, the grind level has the greatest impact on the quality of the final cup of coffee. Even a small adjustment can drastically change the flavour.
But for a factor so important, coffee grind size turns out to be the most difficult variable to convey to someone else. In any coffee brewing recipe, each variable has a specific numeric value. For example:
- Water in degrees Celsius
- Quantity of coffee in grams
- Pressure in bars
Grinding degree, on the other hand, cannot be accurately defined with a simple numeric value.
There are several reasons why describing grind size is so difficult:
1. Settings
Coffee grinder settings are not universal. The “2” setting on one coffee grinder is not the same as the “2” setting on another coffee grinder. Nor are these settings necessarily simple numbers; they come in the form of whole numbers, decimals, fractions, number of audible clicks, degrees, rotations, letters, words, symbols, illustrations, distance between grinding discs in micrometers, haptic feedback and just plain old-fashioned guesswork.
2. Calibration
Coffee grinders differ not only between brands, but also between models and even individual units. The same two mills made in the same factory on the same day can differ significantly in grind distribution because most manufacturers do not calibrate or align the grinding discs to such a fine margin.
3. Opinions differ
Language is imprecise. Our “fine” grind may not be the same as your “fine” grind. What is coarse to someone may be considered “medium” to another, and so on. Comparing grinds to objects, such as sand, flour and sugar, can also be misleading. These things can differ in size, shape and availability depending on regions, cultures and practices.
4. No set standards
Measuring grind size is difficult. Not only because the particles are small and numerous, but because each coffee grinder at each setting produces a range of particle sizes and shapes. A single value cannot accurately describe each particle.
Conclusion
Properly grinding your coffee beans for a specific brewing method is a skill in itself. Therefore, the proverbial “practice makes perfect” is certainly applicable to this subject. The grind level indications given are therefore only an indication and not a guarantee of the perfect cup of coffee. Variables such as the heat of water, how much coffee per gram, machine settings and even the brand of grinder all affect how your coffee grinds. We therefore mainly recommend experimenting with your own brewing methods and routines to find the perfect grind!
Not quite getting there or unsure what grind level you need? Then drop in at a Kaldi near you! Our Baristas are ready to help you.
Read our blogs
Besides these interesting articles about the different grinds, there are also blogs you can read on our website. If you would like to take a look at them, please click here.
