Coffee beans are ground into different coarse and fine sizes. Do you know why?

For those of us who drink coffee regularly, it is not difficult to know that different coffees require different grinding sizes. But do you know why different grinding sizes are used?

Different coffee grind sizes not only allow you to buy whole bean coffee, but also give you the ability to grind those beans into whatever size you want for a better brew.

When you can adjust the grind size of your coffee beans to work perfectly with whatever coffee brewer you use, that’s a lot of power!

And, your coffee will taste better and you’ll brew with greater confidence that your cup of coffee will be more delicious and rewarding than ever before.

How Coffee Grounds Work

As you know, grinding coffee beans is to make it easier for hot water to extract flavors from the coffee beans, making the coffee we drink more flavorful.

The smaller the coffee grounds , the less time it takes for water to penetrate all the way to the center. Therefore, the water extracts acids, oils, solids and other substances from the surface of the coffee grounds more quickly. The larger the contact surface of the coffee grounds, the more time you have to extract the delicious goodness of coffee from them.

Take French brewing, for example : coarse ground coffee is usually used, it takes about four minutes, and the final coffee flavor is rich and balanced.

Pour-over coffee: Using a medium-fine grind might only take a little over two minutes because the coffee grounds have less contact surface, so it won’t take as long to produce a balanced flavor.

Espresso: Using super-fine grinds, it only takes 25-35 seconds to brew. Because the finer the coffee is ground, the faster the water extracts from the contact surface, and the less time it takes.

Coffee Ground Size and Flavor

Coffee extraction flavor process: The first thing to be extracted during the coffee brewing process is various acids, and even a little saltiness, followed by aromatic oils, dissolved solids and sugars, and finally bitter compounds are the last things extracted from the coffee powder. Bitter compounds can add flavor depth and help eliminate the taste of acid, but avoid over-extraction.

When they are all extracted, they produce a richer, fuller flavor with rich acids, sweet sugars, vibrant aromatics, and a light layer of bitterness that gives the coffee a life.

If you don’t extract enough: the sweet flavors in the coffee won’t hit the mark, and your coffee will be slightly overpowered by those bright acids, making the coffee too strong, too sour, or too salty.

If you extract too much: beyond the optimal ideal, your coffee will be too bitter, and these bitter compounds will overwhelm the pleasant sugars and flavors, causing it to become dull.

Therefore, changing the coffee grind size appropriately is a great way to maintain the flavor of your coffee. If you have a great understanding and knowledge of the coffee grind size, it means that your daily brewed coffee will not only taste delicious, but you will also be more confident in your coffee skills.

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