A simple guide to choosing the best grind for your brew method
Choosing Your
Coffee Grind
How do i know what grind size i need?
Look no further! from wholebean to espresso, we have got you covered. Take a look at our handy guide on selecting the best grind size for your brew method, ensuring the perfect cup every time.
Choosing your grinder
There are two main types of coffee grinder: blade grinders and burr grinders.
Blade grinders work like a blender, using spinning blades to slice the beans into smaller particles. The longer the grinder is on, the more coffee particles come into contact with the blades and the smaller they get.
Burr grinders are basically two interlocked discs (they can be conical or flat) that have sharp burrs on them made from hard wearing materials. While grind size on a blade grinder is determined by time, in a burr grinder, the space between the burrs determines how big your coffee grounds end up. Coffee is amorphous, which means it doesn’t break into even particles. In a blade grinder, there is going to be significantly more variety in the size of the particles in that batch of ground coffee, rather than if you used a burr grinder.
Grind Types
Wholebean
In our opinion, this is the best option coupled with a burr grinder. Choosing whole bean comes with a myriad of benefits; Beans stay fresher over a longer period of time, which is essential if you like to try new coffees, You can grind your beans for different brew methods rather than sticking to a single process, and, Most importantly, choosing wholebean allows you to make micro-adjustments to the grind to fine tune your extraction exactly how you like it.
French Press / cafetière
Brewing with a french press, also known as a cafetière, cafetière à piston, caffettiera a stantuffo, press pot, coffee press, or coffee plunger, is one of the easiest ways to make one or multiple cups of coffee, and you can easily adjust your technique and other variables according to your individual tastes.
A French press works best with coffee of a coarser grind.
paper filter
Paper filters are the most common and best way to brew coffee utilising the drip method. Paper filters do the most thorough job in removing particles and thus effectively trap bitter sediments for a smoother, less bitter cup of coffee.
coffee ground to a Paper filter grind can be used for a plethora of different equipment such as Chemex, Hario V60, Kalita wave and the Clever Dripper. The grind is medium, which allows enough water to pass through without creating channelling or blockages.
Aeropress
This grind is very similar to if not slightly finer than our Paper filter grind; this is a guide size for the standard Aeropress, which is a brilliant single-cup brewer for anyone who likes a strong cup of coffee. The grind is medium which allows enough water to pass through without creating channelling or blockages.
Espresso
Using an espresso machine means you can try coffees from many different origins as well as see how different adjustments (dose, time etc.) change the taste of your coffee. when it comes to learning, there’s no substitute for taking exploration into your own hands.
This is the most common grind size you’ll come across. When you buy pre-ground coffee, it’s usually a fine grind size (unless otherwise stated). In terms of consistency, it's a little finer than table salt. Espresso grind is typically used in an Espresso machine but is also suitable for a Moka Pot.
Moka Pot
As indicated by its name, this grind is suited to the Moka pot. It shares the same grind consistency as espresso but we wanted to make it as easy as possible for our customers to find the perfect grind for their brew method. The benefits of using a moka pot are:
• Makes a rich, thick and strong coffee
• Aluminium body helps to retain heat
• Easy to clean
• Portable
• Cheap