The many different coffee flavors are only released when the coffee beans are ground. The degree of grinding is crucial - depending on the preparation method, the coffee powder must be ground finer or coarser.
The subtle difference
Depending on whether a coffee has long or short contact with the water during preparation, a coarse, medium or fine grind must be selected.
Why is this the case? Quite simply, finely ground coffee offers the water more surface area and therefore develops its aromas more quickly than coarse powder. A fine grind is therefore suitable for short brewing times, while a coarse grind is more suitable for long brewing times, such as in a percolator.
Which grind for which preparation?
You can see how fine or coarse you need to grind your coffee to achieve the best result for the different preparation methods in our overview of the ideal grind sizes for the different preparation methods.
Depending on whether you prepare your favorite coffee in a portafilter jug or swear by the good old coffee machine, the grind must be coarser or finer.
Coarse grind
The coffee powder should steep for 3 to 4 minutes in the sieve plunger jug before the plunger is pressed down. A coarse grind is selected for this preparation. The ideal grind is achieved when the powder has the consistency of coarse sea salt.
Medium grind
When preparing filter coffee, the hot water should not run through the coffee powder too quickly, but also not too slowly. A medium-fine grind is therefore important, so that the coffee powder has the consistency of fine sand.
Fine grind
In the portafilter, the water is pressed through the coffee powder at high pressure and with a short contact time. A very fine grind is recommended so that all the aromas develop quickly. This gives the coffee powder the consistency of flour or dextrose.
Did you know?
If the grind does not match the preparation method, the aromas and ingredients are not optimally extracted. For example, if the coffee powder in the portafilter is too coarse, the water flows through it too quickly - the coffee tastes thin or sour. Conversely, if the powder in the portafilter is too fine, the water absorbs too many bitter substances and the coffee tastes too strong and bitter. Of course, the perfect grind is also a matter of taste and can vary depending on your personal preferences. If the coffee was too bitter for you, you should grind it coarser next time; if you found it too weak or sour, grind it a little finer.
It tastes even better this way: Grind your own coffee
Did you know that ground coffee loses its aroma after just a few minutes in contact with air? That's why we recommend buying your favorite coffee as a whole bean and only freshly grinding it before brewing.
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