Grinding
The Recipe: Precision in Every PourThe Ultimate Coffee Grinding Guide: How to Dial in Your Perfect Brew
If you have ever followed a recipe perfectly but the coffee still tasted "off," the culprit is likely your grind size. Grinding is the most important variable you can control at home; it determines how quickly water extracts flavors from the bean.
At SO Coffee Roasters, we believe that understanding your grinder is the "secret sauce" to moving from a good cup to a truly exceptional one.
Why Grind Size Changes Everything
Coffee extraction happens in stages: first come the acids, then the sweets, and finally the bitters.
If you grind too coarse: Water flows through too fast, leaving the flavors behind.
If you grind too fine: Water gets trapped and over-cooks the coffee, pulling out harsh flavors.
The Troubleshooting Cheat Sheet
The best way to know if your grind is correct is to trust your palate. Use this guide to adjust your grinder based on how your coffee tastes:
1. If your coffee tastes SOUR or SALTY...
The Problem: Your coffee is under-extracted. The water didn't have enough time or surface area to pull out the sweetness.
The Fix: Grind FINER.
Why? A finer grind creates more surface area and slows down the water flow, allowing the sweetness to develop.
2. If your coffee tastes BITTER or DRY...
The Problem: Your coffee is over-extracted. The water stayed in contact with the coffee for too long, pulling out woodier, ashy flavors.
The Fix: Grind COARSER.
Why? A coarser grind allows water to pass through more quickly and gently, stopping the extraction before the bitter compounds take over.
3. If your coffee tastes HOLLOW or WEAK...
The Problem: There wasn't enough "stuff" taken out of the beans.
The Fix: Grind FINER or check your coffee-to-water ratio.
Pro Tips for Grinding at Home
Grind on Demand: Coffee begins to oxidize and lose its aroma within 15 minutes of being ground. For the best flavor, grind right before you brew.
Invest in a Burr Grinder: Unlike blade grinders (which "chop" coffee into uneven shards), burr grinders crush beans into uniform sizes. Uniformity is the key to a consistent cup.
Small Adjustments: If you are "dialing in" espresso or a pour-over, make small changes. One "click" on a professional grinder can drastically change the flavor.