Choosing the right coffee grind for your machine

The quality of a coffee bean has a good influence on the final quality of your morning cup. You might be surprised to learn that the grind plays a big role here too!

Why Grind Coffee at Home?

Many agree that coffee freshly ground at home, just before brewing, tastes better than pre-ground coffee bought in a store. It is important to note that coffee, like many other foods, reacts to certain factors, such as the air, for example. Thus, grinding too long in advance exposes more coffee particles to the air. Its oxidation will take place more quickly and its freshness can then be compromised.

It is therefore more than a good idea to decide to grind your own beans at home with a quality grinder if you want the most exquisite cup possible. There are a few kinds of mills on the market, but the most popular is the blade mill and the burr mill.

Blade vs. Burr Grinders: Which to Choose?

The Blade Grinder

The blade grinder “slices” the bean more irregularly, but is considerably cheaper than the other model. The final grind will be non-constant, with small and large particles. These irregularities will be reflected in the coffee by sometimes acid, sometimes bitter notes. This is not quite what you look for in quality coffee!

The Burr Grinder

The burr grinder is a model more appreciated by coffee aficionados. Made up of two facing discs (called burr), this grinder grinds coffee, rather than "slicing" it. It is possible to adjust the distance between these burrs to specify the final grind (fine to coarse), which the blade grinder does not allow. The ground beans will have a more homogeneous texture, and will give a tastier cup!

Which Coffee Grind for Your Brewing Method?

First thing to know: the shorter the brewing time, the finer the grind should be, and vice versa. This is explained by the fact that the finer the grind, the greater the contact zone with water and therefore the faster the dissolution of aromatic molecules. The brewing system you use therefore requires a very specific grind for it. Although there are other factors that affect the taste of coffee (level of roasting, the origin of coffee, quality of water, etc.), grinding is one of the most important criteria!

Fine Grind for Espresso

The espresso machine, with a brewing time of about 30 seconds, requires a fine grind in order to have a sublime, well-balanced espresso.

Medium Grind for Filter & Italian Coffee Makers

A medium grind is suitable for your filter coffee maker, Italian coffee maker, or percolator.

Coarse Grind for French Press

The French press requires a larger grind because its brewing time is rather long (about four minutes).

Café William Recommendations

At Café William, we offer most of our coffees in bean and filter ground format, and the espresso grind for our espresso range. In order to have unparalleled freshness, we recommend that you buy coffee beans, get a good grinder at home and indulge yourself as it should!

To help you in your research, all of our 650g size are whole beans.

Final Tips for Coffee Lovers

Remember, brewing coffee is not an exact science. It’s through trial and error that we find the formula that works for us! Be aware, however, that lower quality beans will never make a good cup, even if the grind is perfect.

Happy tastings!