A Barista's Guide : Coffee Bean Grind Size

Brewing 101: Grind Size

The idea of grinding coffee is to break down the coffee into smaller particles so the coffee has more surface area for the extraction of flavours. The size and shape of your coffee grounds greatly affect extraction during brewing and therefore the taste of your coffee. The finer the grind, the bigger the surface area which makes the job of transferring the flavour from coffee beans to water a lot easier. 

In terms of flavours, a good guide to follow;
If the coffee is too bitter = grind courser
If the coffee is too sour = grind finer

When deciding on grind size, it's important to relate it to the brew time. This is important as it can cause the coffee to taste too sour or bitter if you get it wrong. For example, an espresso takes about 30-40 seconds to brew, so a fine grind is needed as opposed to a drip coffee that requires about 3-4 mins to brew and can use a coarse grind size. 

In short; 
Longer brew =  coarser grind size
Shorter brew =  finer grind size

Not sure what grind size to go for? Worry not.
We've created a guide based on the brewing equipments and methods that are most commonly used.

Whole Bean
Great if you have a coffee grinder.

Espresso (Fine)

Aeropress (Medium Fine)
Aeropress

Drip coffee (Medium)
Hario V60, Metal Dripper, Drip coffee machine

French Press (Coarse)
Coldbrew, French Press

How do you brew your coffee at home? Share with us by tagging us on social media @forestcloudbev. Also, if you have any questions in regards to brewing, please do not hesitate to reach out to us for assistance!