So, you’ve just bought freshly roasted specialty coffee beans to brew at home, but you find that the taste isn’t as good as you expected. Here’s a little pro tip: The secret to great coffee isn’t just in the beans, it’s in the grind. To master your brews at home, it’s important to nail the very first step, which is grinding your coffee beans. Using the correct grind size helps you properly extract your coffee, resulting in a fuller, more flavorful taste. Your grind size will vary depending on your preferred brewing method (Read also: Which Brewing Method Is Right for You?), whether it’s a pour-over, espresso, or cold brew.
In this article, we’ll cover which grind size to use for different brewing methods, types of coffee grinders, and a step-by-step guide on how to grind specialty coffee beans at home.
Overview:
- When Should You Grind Coffee?
- Different Grind Sizes
- Types of Coffee Grinders
- How To Grind Specialty Coffee Beans at Home
- Helpful Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid
When Should You Grind Coffee?
As with anything worth consuming, fresh is always best. Coffee releases its aroma and flavor compounds as soon as it’s ground due to oxidation, and you definitely want to preserve all the good stuff! So if you want to keep the flavor intact all the way to your cup, we recommend grinding your coffee beans right before brewing.
If you’re really pressed for time and need to pre-grind your coffee beans, make sure to store it in an airtight container away from direct sunlight, and brew within a week so you won’t lose the coffee’s optimal taste and aroma.
Understanding Grind Size
How fine should you grind coffee beans? It all depends on what you’re brewing. The finer the grind, the more surface area for water to pass through and extract flavors from the coffee. A cold brew calls for an extra coarse grind, while an espresso requires a fine grind. Here’s a cheat sheet to help you figure out which grind size to choose:
Grind size |
Texture |
Ideal For |
| Extra coarse | Peppercorn | Cold brew |
| Coarse | Sea salt | French press |
| Medium-coarse | Rough sand | Chemex |
| Medium | Fine sand | Drip coffee |
| Medium-fine | Table salt | AeroPress, Pour-over |
| Fine | Flour | Espresso |
| Extra-fine | Powdered sugar | Turkish coffee |
Types of Coffee Grinders
Just as important as the coffee beans itself is the type of coffee grinder you use. You want a grind that can create even-sized particles of ground coffee, ensuring an even extraction. There are two main types of grinder mechanisms: blade and burr.
Blade Grinders
Blade grinders are generally less expensive, making it a budget-friendly option for those who want to grind their own specialty coffee at home.
This type of grinder has two metal blades on opposite sides and grinds coffee by spinning, which chops beans into smaller pieces. The longer you grind, the finer the beans become. Because of this mechanism, the grind size tends to be inconsistent, often resulting in a mix of coarse chunks and fine powder. To troubleshoot this, we recommend grinding in small batches using short, quick pulses, shaking in between to distribute the coffee beans more evenly as it grinds. If you're brewing an espresso, a blade grinder may not be ideal since it struggles to produce the precise, fine, and consistent grind required for proper extraction.
Burr Grinders
Those who want more consistent brews will want to go for a burr grinder, which tends to produce more uniform-sized coffee grounds. Instead of chopping coffee like a blade grinder, a burr grinder uses pressure to pulverize beans into even-sized particles, perfect for brewing recipes that require utmost precision.
There are two main types of burr grinders: conical and flat.
Conical burrs have a cone-shaped inner burr that sits inside a ring-shaped outer burr. They're quieter, produce less heat, and are easier to clean. Conical burr grinders are especially well-suited for manual brewing methods like pour-over, AeroPress, and French press.
Flat burrs, on the other hand, use two horizontal, toothed discs to grind coffee. They deliver extremely consistent results, especially at finer grind settings, making them ideal for espresso as well as manual brewing. However, they can be louder, generate more heat, and often require more regular cleaning due to retained grounds.
Another important factor to consider is burr size. Larger burrs can grind coffee faster, more consistently, and with less heat buildup while smaller burrs are typically found in compact or entry-level models and can still perform well, but may not offer the same consistency at scale.
How to Grind Coffee Beans
- Weigh out your coffee for brewing. We recommend grinding as needed for peak freshness.
- Dial in your grinder. If you are using a burr grinder, you can select your desired grind size by turning the dial. Generally, the higher the number, the coarser the grind (for both manual and electric grinders). Choose which grind size fits best for your preferred brewing method. For blade grinders, you will have to keep a sharp eye while grinding, as the longer you grind, the finer it becomes.
- Refine according to taste. You can make small adjustments on your next brews so you can have your coffee just the way you like it. If your coffee is too bitter for your taste, adjust to a coarser grind. If it is too sour, go a bit finer.
Tips and Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Clean your grinder regularly. Coffee grounds can build up inside your grinder over time. Regular cleaning helps maintain consistent grinds and keeps your coffee tasting fresh.
- Don’t grind too much at once. Overloading your grinder can lead to uneven grinds. It's better to work in smaller batches for better results.
- Calibrate your grinder regularly. If you're switching between beans or brew methods, take time to adjust your settings to maintain consistent brews.
- Take time to experiment! Different grind sizes bring out different flavors. Don’t be afraid to tweak your settings to find what tastes best to you.
Think you’re ready to test out your new coffee-grinding knowledge? Take the next step in brewing your specialty coffee to its full potential with our Brewing Guides! If you want a hands-on learning experience, you can also take our Coffee Brewing Workshop led by our expert baristas.
