TECHNICAL GUIDE
CHOOSE YOUR GRIND
According to your equipment
Practical guide • 6 min read
Grinding is the most neglected variable at home yet the most decisive. Too coarse, water passes too quickly and the coffee lacks body. Too fine, extraction blocks and bitterness dominates. Here’s how to find the right setting for your equipment.
THE PRINCIPLE
SLOWER = FINER
The logic behind the adjustment
Each extraction method has its own contact time between water and coffee. The shorter this time, the finer the grind must be to maximize extraction. The longer it is, the coarser it must be to avoid over-extraction.
Espresso (25–30 sec) = very fine grind. Filter (2–4 min) = medium grind. French Press / Cold Brew (4–12 h) = coarse grind.
BY EQUIPMENT
METHOD-BY-METHOD GUIDE
Each device, its setting
Espresso machine
The grind must offer enough resistance so that water takes 25 to 30 seconds to pass through the puck. If extraction is too fast, grind finer. If too slow or blocked, grind coarser.
GRIND SIZE
Very fine
TIME
25–30 sec
DOSE
17–19g
V60 & pour-over filter
Aim for a full extraction in 2 min 30 to 3 min. Too fine a grind will slow the flow and make the coffee bitter. Too coarse, water passes too quickly and the coffee will be flat.
GRIND SIZE
Medium
TOTAL TIME
2:30 – 3:00
RATIO
1:15 (e.g. 20g/300ml)
French Press
The full 4-minute brew requires a coarse grind. Too fine, particles pass through the filter and the coffee becomes cloudy and bitter.
GRIND SIZE
Coarse
BREWING
4 minutes
RATIO
1:12 (e.g. 25g/300ml)
Moka (Italian coffee maker)
The Moka works at low pressure (1–2 bars). A fine grind like for espresso risks blocking extraction and creating dangerous pressure. Aim for a grind between fine and medium.
GRIND SIZE
Fine–Medium
FILLING
Full basket
HEAT
Medium heat
Cold Brew
Cold brew requires the coarsest grind of all methods. Cold brewing lasts 12 hours: a fine grind would produce over-extracted and bitter coffee, even when cold.
GRIND SIZE
Very coarse
BREWING
12–18 h refrigerated
RATIO
1:8 (e.g. 80g/640ml)
THE TOOL
CHOOSE YOUR GRINDER
The investment that changes everything
Conical burrs
Less heat generated, precise adjustment, ideal for filter and espresso. The baristas' choice.
Flat burrs
Very uniform distribution, excellent for specialty espresso. Trendy in high-end cafes.
LEARN WITH US
BARISTA TRAINING
In training, we cover grinding, grinder adjustment, and extraction in detail. With your favorite coffee, on our professional equipment.
SEE TRAININGS
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