A great cup of coffee always begins with fine roasted coffee beans. But to achieve the best flavors when brewing at home, you’ve got to get that grind right.
Whether you prefer drip coffee or French press, espresso or pour overs, there’s an ideal texture for each style. Nail the grind to ensure optimal extraction, and you’ll notice the difference in your morning mug.
Using a French press? Crush those coffee beans to the texture of coarse sea salt. Cone shaped pour-over brewing works well with medium-fine grounds, resembling regular beach sand, while the grind for your espresso machine should be fine and powdery.
The goal is consistency, whether you’re making grainy grounds or floury ones. A uniform texture allows water to evenly penetrate while you brew. If your coffee tastes acidic, it’s likely under-extracted. Try using finer grounds and increase the brewing time. Bitter or tasteless over-extracted coffee can be remedied with coarser grounds and a shorter brew time.
Take it a step further by examining the grinder itself. Most baristas and caffeine fanatics will tell you to ditch the blade-style device—with its friction-causing, inconsistent and choppy grinding—in favor of a conical burr grinder’s uniform pressure and multiple settings.
Also, does your machine look clean? Because coffee oils and powder can build up in the nooks and crannies over time, and this will tarnish the taste of your favorite drinks. It might be time to unplug. Pull out any removable blade parts and give the grinder a good clean-out with a soft brush and some wooden toothpicks. You’ll be surprised what a difference the purge makes.
These pointers will improve your home-brewing game, but if grinding your own beans is simply not an option, we’ve got you covered. Each one of our Kahwa coffees can be shipped to you perfectly pre-ground in one of four textures—shop online to find the one you need.
