Using the Correct Grind for your Coffee-making Method
If you’re really into the coffee drinking experience, chances are you like to grind your coffee at home. Grinding your beans just before brewing is the best way to assure that your coffee will have a truly fresh flavor. It’s sometimes hard to know, however, how fine or coarse a grind you need for the brewing method of your choice. Here’s a simple guide to help you visualize the right grind.
For a French press or a percolator, you need to use a coarse grind. A grind finer than this will go through the holes is the press screen or percolator basket. Coarse grind resembles the texture of coarse kosher salt.
Automatic drip coffeemakers with flat-bottomed baskets need medium grind. This grind resembles coarse sand. A finer grind will produce bitter, over-brewed coffee while a larger grind will result in a watery brew.
For a manual drip coffee pot that uses a cone or an espresso moka pot, you’ll need the fine grind. This allows more surface contact between the grounds and the water and produces more coffee flavor faster. This grind is slightly finer than granulated sugar.
The finest grind is Turkish. This is literally like powder, but most coffee grinders you could buy can’t produce this grind. The good news is that you’ll only need this grind if you plan to make authentic Turkish coffee with an ibrik.
Hey, we all love the flavor of coffee, but there is no denying that it can stain your teeth if you don’t take measures to prevent it. Regardless of the staining on your teeth, use this advice and you can turn back the clock a little bit and after a few months you just may see those pearly whites smiling after each sip of hot coffee that you take!
The right grind for the brewing method you use is critical. It affects the flavor and body of the finished coffee. If you still can’t visualize it, buy some coffee at the local coffee merchant and have it ground to the right grind for your coffee maker. Save it to use as a reference when you grind your own beans.
brewed on Jan 27th, 2010
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