One of the conditions for preparing delicious coffee is the correct grinding of the beans. It can be coarse, medium, fine (fine), extremely fine. It is selected individually for the brewing method: in our case, it is a coffee machine. Provides your favorite espresso with good density, rich taste, and adds a crema structure to delicate cappuccino and latte. It is prepared in small quantities in order to preserve the aroma and taste characteristics.
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Types of grinding
The essence of preparing an aromatic drink is that the roasted grains saturate the water as much as possible with acids, trace elements, and tannins. They imparted the necessary sweetness, piquant bitterness, and special taste characteristics to the brewed coffee.
To fully reveal the flavor and aroma bouquet of the coffee blend, the beans are pre-ground to the following fractions:
- coarse (coarse grinding) – particle sizes are up to 1 mm in diameter and are very similar to coarse salt; feel good with fingers; It is better to brew this type of coffee in a French press and leave for at least 3-4 minutes;
- medium (universal) – particles up to 0.5 mm in diameter resemble granulated sugar; the extraction (brewing) time does not exceed 3 minutes, and the fraction itself is more suitable for coffee makers (geyser, with filter); if you don’t have a coffee maker, you can brew directly in a cup or French press, pour boiling water over it and leave for 4-5 minutes;
- fine (fine) – “extra” salt grinding; used for coffee machines, provides a dense body to the drink, making the taste as rich as possible; allows you to prepare espresso, latte, Americano with a creamy texture, as well as brew delicious Turkish coffee;
- extremely fine - the grains are practically ground into dust, which is ideal for making “oriental” coffee (with a small amount of grounds in the cup).
Manual or electric coffee grinders are used for grinding. The degree of grinding is chosen depending on what kind of drink and in what you are going to prepare it (in a coffee machine, coffee maker, Turk, brew in a cup). The beans are ground in small quantities for 3-4 days - this is how long the ground coffee retains its rich aroma and taste. Store the preparations in glass or tin jars with tight lids.
Note! Incorrect grinding can ruin the taste of even the highest quality properly roasted beans. After all, too large particles will make the drink watery, and small ones will give it excessive bitterness.
Kinds
There is a basic classification of coffee bean grinding:
- Coarse or rough (Coarse grind). The grains are ground into grains the size of sea salt, approximately 0.8 mm. This is not difficult to do even with a simple coffee grinder.
- Medium grind. This type is universal and most common, and most importantly, it can be done with ordinary devices. After grinding, the particles resemble fine sand. This gives them the opportunity to be retained by the filters, and gives the coffee a pleasant taste.
- Fine grind. The grains resemble fine sand or powder. The drink made from them will be slightly bitter.
In addition to the basic ones, there are 3 more types:
- Fine espresso grind. Specialized, not for general use. It cannot be done with simple equipment; for this you will need a coffee grinder, which is equipped with espresso machines. Actually, it is only needed for making espresso. The grains resemble iodized salt.
- Medium fine grind or medium coarse grind. This is an intermediate grinding option. It is medium in size and ranges between fine and coarse.
- Powdery, “dust” or ultra-fine (Pulverized). The most difficult to grind, not every multifunctional coffee grinder is capable of crushing grains to the consistency of powder, flour or ground cinnamon. A drink made from such grains does not require much time to brew. From the first seconds it is ready to delight connoisseurs with its pleasant smell and rich taste.
Errors in grinding can lead to changes in the taste of a drink made even from selected varieties. The grinding should be uniform. If it is uneven with small and large particles in the composition, then one part of them will be overcooked, while the other will not have time to share its properties.
Which grind to choose for a coffee machine
The aromatic characteristics and rich body of the drink depend not only on proper roasting, but also on grinding. These two factors are directly related:
| Light roast | The degree of grinding should be medium or fine |
| Deep roast | Coarse grind |
To prepare espresso in a coffee machine, a fine grind is used. It is divided into 2 types: large and small. In cafes, bars, restaurants they grind with professional coffee grinders, achieving uniformity. Households use household electric or hand mills. The grinding is selected according to the characteristics of the machine so as to achieve optimal acidity of the drink, remove excess bitterness, and make the espresso rich.
Interesting! With optimal machine settings, you get a double drink yield ratio (1:2). For example, from 18 g of ground beans you can prepare 36 g of espresso. The spill time is 25 seconds. at a water temperature of 93 °C.
Modern coffee machines are equipped with built-in coffee grinders. The latter eliminate inclusions of large fractions and make the ground coffee as homogeneous as possible. The powder is not overheated, thanks to which all the essential oils and lasting aroma are preserved.
If you like to switch up your coffee and are still looking for your favorite blend, use a medium grind instead of a fine grind. To achieve the desired strength/softness of the drink, additionally set the settings on the front panel of the machine: select the optimal amount of water, crushed beans (experiment). Pay attention to the shape of the spent cake - it should be tightly compressed in the form of identical “tablets”.
Types of coffee makers
There are several types of kitchen units designed for brewing coffee. Each of them has its own pros and cons. They differ from each other in many ways
This is extremely important to consider when choosing a particular model.
The following types of coffee makers are distinguished:
- drip. Easy to use. Refers to budget options. The water in it heats up and begins to flow drop by drop into the filter. The liquid passes through the crushed grains, after which it enters the flask;
- geyser It works on the opposite principle to the drip model. Water rises and floods the raw materials. Then it already penetrates the flask;
- carob. The coffee in such a unit is pressed under water pressure;
- capsule To prepare a coffee drink, they resort to using capsules. Under the pressure of steam and water, you can prepare aromatic coffee. The advantage of this variety is its ease of care and use.
Models are also divided into automatic and semi-automatic. In the first case, the unit performs all manipulations, starting from grinding the grains and dosing the pour into the cup. Semi-automatic ones require additional human actions.
What and how to grind coffee beans
The fastest and easiest option is to buy already ground coffee, specifically designed for coffee machines. Of course, it is better to do this at professional points of sale, where you will be confident not only in the quality of the grain and roasting, but also in the correct grinding and the tightness of the packaging.
The second option is to use a machine with a built-in mill. Such devices do not overheat the fraction and provide the necessary homogeneity to the finished powder. You need to fill them with whole grains, select a program and enjoy the drink.
The third is to grind the beans yourself. For this, baristas use professional electric coffee grinders with several modes. They make a fine grind, from which espresso and all drinks prepared on its basis are obtained: Americano, cappuccino, latte, lungo, etc. At home, you can use hand mills or household electric coffee grinders.
| Types of coffee grinders | Performance | Grinding Features | Nuances |
| Electrical | They grind quickly and can have several modes. | Large - obtained in 10-15 seconds. work, small – for 25. | Electric coffee grinders are equipped with metal blades, which can heat the contents during operation. |
| Manual | Requires more time to grind. | The degree of grinding is adjusted manually, the process itself takes more time. | During the processing process, the beans are not heated, which is important for connoisseurs of delicious coffee. |
For grinding, it is recommended to buy coffee beans in small packages of 250-500 g, the contents of which you can quickly consume. It is better to grind in small quantities so that the essential oils do not erode.
Useful tips
There are several recommendations that will help a novice coffee lover diversify his “diet”. 1. It is very important to know what ristretto, espresso and lungo are. Ristretto is a drink that can give an unforgettable aroma and taste, you can get it by pouring the tablets for 15-20 seconds. Lungo is a drink that contains caffeine and flows out within 30-50 seconds. Espresso is the most common type, pouring out within 25 seconds. Every second of spillage is equivalent to 1 ml of coffee. Lungo is considered the strongest.
Lungo is a drink that contains caffeine and flows out within 30-50 seconds.
2. Ristretto is used to prepare light and very tasty drinks that are virtually caffeine-free. It can be either a milk latte or a flavored cappuccino.
Ristretto is used to prepare light and very tasty drinks that are virtually caffeine-free.
Proper grinding can unlock the full potential of the beans. Each cooking technique should be selected individually, otherwise no ristretto or lungo will work.
Proper grinding can unlock the full potential of the beans.
If you purchase ready-made ground coffee, it is advisable to store it in a dark place, pouring it into a zip-lock bag in advance. This is the most successful option to ensure that the future drink does not lose its aroma and richness.
If you purchase ready-made ground coffee, it is advisable to store it in a dark place, pouring it into a zip bag in advance
The highlighted recommendations are for informational purposes only. Only an experienced barista knows how many nuances and secrets are hidden in the preparation of even a simple cup of your favorite drink. You can learn the art of coffee brewing from the highlighted principles shared by professionals.
Only an experienced barista knows how many nuances and secrets are hidden in the preparation of even a simple cup of your favorite drink.
See also: Making your own Provence style curtains for the kitchen
Rules for storing ground coffee
Essential oils last the longest in coffee beans and provide the necessary aroma to the finished drink. But they quickly evaporate after grinding the beans. Especially if the grinding was done at home and stored incorrectly. Most often, such a powder loses its richness of taste and smell already on the 3rd day. After 2 weeks, it no longer represents anything valuable from the point of view of gourmets: the aroma disappears, and a minimum of taste sensations remains. As a rule, this negatively affects the quality of espresso, Americano, smooth latte, and other prepared drinks.
To avoid such situations, it is recommended to properly store coffee powder:
- in a glass or tin sealed jar, opaque bag with a zip fastener;
- away from spices, products with a strong smell, rich aroma;
- only in a dry place (the powder absorbs moisture very strongly, which affects its properties and taste characteristics).
Ideally, it is recommended to grind a portion of coffee immediately before loading it into the coffee machine. This is easy if you have an electric coffee grinder on hand. But if you need to prepare for future use, then it is better to do it for 3-7 days in order to preserve the maximum aroma in the powder.
Have you noticed that grains grind differently?
Not all grains are ground equally: some millstones are faster, while others require effort. This is due to two characteristics of the beans:
- hardness (density);
- fragility (brittleness).
Hardness depends on the variety of Arabica/Robusta and the location of the harvest. For example, the hardest grains are obtained from plantations grown in the highlands (about 1.3-1.5 km above sea level). Such fruits are valued for their taste characteristics, pronounced chocolate and nut notes, and vanilla aroma. They are dense, contain more sweetness and complex acids. Valued among consumers.
Brittleness appears after roasting. During heat treatment, moisture evaporates, the porosity of the grain increases, and its strength decreases. When dark roasted, the beans become quite fragile, so they are easily processed by millstones and coffee grinder blades. When light, they don’t break (crumple) so easily.
Size Differences
The smallest is a geyser coffee maker. In essence, it is a roll-up glass that easily fits into a bag. It is convenient to take it with you on a trip, especially if there is an electrical platform for connecting to the network. Among this type there are large, family models for 12 servings, as well as miniature ones for 2 espressos.
Drip and carob ones are larger. It depends on the volume of the flask and the water tank. There are devices with a small capacity of 400 ml of liquid among drip coffee makers. Others can hold 1.5 liters - it depends how many people will drink coffee at the same time.
Pump-action models take up more space in the kitchen, but these are the most productive models. They have additional functions - making cappuccino and lattes, so there is space in the body for a milk or steam unit.
If 2 boilers are built-in, the coffee machine will become even larger. A double boiler allows you to brew espresso and froth milk at the same time: one heats water for coffee, the other pumps out steam for milk.
Capsule coffee makers are small in size and can be placed in any kitchen. The small size is due to the lack of a pump and a miniature compartment for capsules. The design of capsule models is interesting - sometimes they do not look at all like devices for brewing coffee.
How to set up a coffee grinder
Dark roasted beans have increased fragility, so they break easily and finely chalk. For them, you can set the grind to medium, and still get a powder of a fairly fine fraction.
If you are processing light roasted beans, be prepared to put in more effort and time. This applies not only to manual coffee grinders, but also to electric ones. In the latter, it is recommended to choose a finer grind to obtain a powder, for example, a medium fraction for a coffee machine.
Poll: What kind of coffee do you buy most often?
Grinding devices
Manual coffee grinder
Coffee grinders are manual and automatic. The difference between the two is that the manual device is activated by a handle. It is rotated clockwise and the millstones are activated.
The advantage of such coffee grinders is their low cost and autonomous operation. You don't have to look for an outlet or buy batteries.
The disadvantage is that you cannot choose the degree of grinding and obtain powder fractions. Only a medium grind is obtained.
It will not be possible to achieve perfectly ground beans. Some of them will not be completely crushed.
Another disadvantage is that you will have to make an effort to manually grind a large number of grains.
Interesting! What is mocha coffee and how to make it?
Electrical device
This coffee grinder is often equipped with an additional function - you can select the degree of grinding using the switch lever.
Also among the advantages is that the unit works independently and ideally grinds grains.
The downside is that it works on the network and the high price.
