Grinding degree is the first factor to adjust the flavor of coffee! What is the most appropriate grinding scale?

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Coffee drinkers are constantly pursuing a goal: how to make good coffee? Although taste perception depends on personal preference, there is a set of standards among aficionados to judge whether coffee tastes right. Instead of talking about coffee sources and treatments today, let's talk about another factor that coffee brewers can control: coffee grind size.

Xiaobian often comes into contact with some coffee novices, who already have high requirements for taste, but have no concept of how to make that taste. Ask them,"What's your abrasive setting?" The answer is usually,"Same as last time." The "last time" could have been a year ago. Xiaobian often contacts espresso, so the next explanation will enter from the perspective of espresso. The concept of abrasiveness is nothing new to veterans, but there are still many people who don't understand it.

Grind is the first factor in adjusting coffee flavor, more important than machine performance.

Allow me to repeat:

Grindness is the first factor in modifying coffee flavor.

For espresso, for example, we typically calibrate in the following order:

Bean grinder (grinding degree) grind size

powder dosage

extraction time

Grinding degree> Powder amount> Extraction time

The first question to ask yourself when coffee flavor is out of whack is,"Is this under-extraction or over-extraction?" After realizing the lack of flavor, the next question is:

Is the grinding right? Should it be thinner or thicker?

If the taste is sour, the tail is insufficient, and the taste is thin, it is a typical insufficient extraction. At this time, the coffee should be ground to a finer degree, and the coffee surface area should be increased to improve the extraction rate.

If the taste is bitter, the tail is too long, and the taste is heavy, it is typical of over-extraction. At this time, the coffee should be ground coarsely to reduce the surface area of the coffee to avoid extracting bitter substances.

When adjusting the grinding degree, keep other parameters fixed, especially the powder amount. Some people think coffee is not strong enough, so increase the powder. This idea is not completely wrong, but as long as the grinding degree can be adjusted to solve the problem does not need to waste more coffee powder, and powder bowls also have powder limit: a single powder bowl can hold about 8-10 grams; double powder bowl is 18-20 grams.

So how fine/coarse is the most appropriate grinding degree? Visually, when coffee is ground properly, the coffee will flow out about 4-5 seconds after extraction begins. The texture is sticky like honey, but it does not drip slowly (over extraction) or pour out (under extraction), and extracts 30ml of coffee solution in 20-30 seconds.

To learn to brew delicious coffee, grinding is the first basic skill that must be practiced. And it's not just espresso. The same principle applies to hand-brewed coffee, or even tea.

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