If you are new to coffee brewing and wondering how to extract the maximum flavor and richness from your coffee beans, this article is for you.
If you’re an avid drip coffee drinker, you already know many subtle variables can drastically alter the quality of your brewed coffee. The grind size is one such element in drip coffee that can’t be ignored. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook)
This article will discuss critical factors when choosing and tweaking the perfect grind for your drip coffee brewer. We’ll show you why grind size matters and why choosing the right grinder is essential. We’ll also show you how grind size helps you extract the best flavor from your coffee.
What is Drip Coffee?
Drip coffee is one of the most popular coffee brewing methods due to its simplicity, affordability, and versatility. Preparing drip coffee involves pouring 195-205°F water over coffee grounds and filtering before it drips into a vessel. Drip coffee makers come in various shapes, sizes, and models, but they all use the same concept: heat water, drip it over coffee grounds, and pass the brew through a filter into a carafe or cup.
We discuss these more in our article: What Is Drip Coffee? Take a look, you will certainly find some interesting information, even if you know what drip coffee is.
Why is Grind Size Important for Drip Coffee?
When we said that drip brew is very versatile, we meant that drip coffee can be adjusted to deliver various flavors, such as full-bodied and rich, bright, clean-bodied with a round flavor profile, or even complex. (flavor-profile evaluation rooted in the SCA’s standardized descriptors) A significant part of this versatility is achieved by adjusting the grind size. Grind size is the most crucial variable when tweaking your drip coffee brew.
Brewing delicious cups of coffee requires precise extraction of flavor, aroma, oils, and caffeine from coffee grounds. (extraction science research published in Journal of Food Science) The coffee grind size plays a crucial role in getting the extraction right. Incorrect grind size could mean the difference between a bitter, over-extracted brew and a rich, balanced cup of coffee.
The coarser your beans, the less surface area exposed to the 195-205°F water. This slows the extraction process. This is why the recommended grind size for drip coffee is medium, as defined by Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) standards. However, if you want to experiment and explore new flavors, take this with a grain of salt. Stick with me and I’ll show you why in a bit.
A coarse grind is ideal for cold brew. Cold brew extraction requires the coffee to steep in water for 12-24 hours before releasing its essence. Grinding it coarser makes it easier to filter, according to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) guidelines.
In contrast, espresso extraction takes 25-30 seconds, as water passes quickly through finely-ground beans under 9 bars of pressure. (the SCA-standard 9-bar espresso definition) The finer grind exposes much more surface area to the water, dramatically speeding up the extraction process.
For drip coffee, a medium grind (similar to table salt) works best in most cases. Extensive research in the field, including guidelines from the SCA, suggests a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio and a 3-4 minute brew time for optimal results.
There is nothing wrong with tweaking your grind size to fit your taste perfectly. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) I strongly encourage experimenting to find your ideal flavor profile.
Are Pre-Ground Beans Better Than Freshly Ground Beans? Why Grind at Home?
Although buying pre-ground coffee is convenient and practical, the coffee flavor you are getting may not be the best. Freshly ground coffee is favored because the natural oils and flavors are better preserved, and more compounds can be extracted when brewed. (freshly roasted within the 2–4 week window recommended by the Specialty Coffee Association)
Grind beans immediately before brewing to preserve their freshness. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) Coffee begins oxidizing and gradually loses its freshness and quality when exposed to air. Even when sealed in a container, the grounds at the top are exposed to air more than those at the bottom.
Yes, manufacturers have sophisticated packaging lines, vacuum-sealing the grounds into coffee bricks or flushing the packages with Nitrogen. However, once you open the bag, coffee starts oxidizing and losing its freshness.
The biggest issue with ground coffee is that it oxidizes several times faster than whole beans. This is due to the increased surface area exposed to air when coffee is ground, which accelerates oxidation by bringing oxygen closer to the coffee compounds.
Additionally, volatile compounds in coffee beans are more easily lost once the beans are ground. You can detect if coffee is stale by observing the amount of bubbling when hot water is poured over the grounds. This bubbling, known as “bloom,” is caused by escaping carbon dioxide. Fresh coffee will produce a significant bloom, while older coffee will not. Although carbon dioxide is not needed in brewed coffee, its presence indicates freshness. According to a study published in the Journal of Food Science, carbon dioxide and other volatile compounds diffuse out of ground coffee more rapidly than from whole beans.
This is why owning a grinder and grinding your beans at home is crucial for maintaining freshness. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook)
However, one advantage of buying pre-ground coffee is grind consistency. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) Commercial grinders used by roasters provide a uniform grind size, which is often overlooked by home baristas. While I still recommend grinding at home, ensure you read the next section to understand the necessary equipment.
Blade Grinder vs. Burr Grinder: Which Option is Best for Drip Coffee?
The purpose of grinding coffee beans is to increase the surface area exposed to water, which directly influences brew time and the extraction of soluble compounds. Consistent particle size is the most important factor for achieving balanced extraction and great-tasting coffee. According to the Specialty Coffee Association, using a burr grinder is recommended for achieving uniform grind size, which is crucial for optimal extraction.
The key to brewing great-tasting coffee lies in the consistency of your grounds. This means every coffee particle should be uniform in size.
Blade Grinder
Roasted arabica coffee beans in a blade coffee grinder. (specialty-grade beans scoring 80+ on the Coffee Quality Institute scale)
How you obtain a consistent grind depends on the type of coffee grinder you’re using. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook)
Many people choose the blade grinder because they are small, affordable, and fast. (blade grinders, a tool the SCA advises against for precision brewing due to uneven particle distribution) However, they produce an inconsistent grind with uneven particles. A blade grinder uses a spinning blade to chop the beans into smaller particles repeatedly. Unfortunately, there is no control over the size of the coffee particles, only the average size.
Furthermore, the fast-spinning blades cause the coffee beans to heat up due to friction, reducing the freshness of the coffee and making it more challenging to achieve a perfectly extracted brew. (blade grinders, a tool the SCA advises against for precision brewing due to uneven particle distribution)
With blade grinders, you’ll get a mixture of fine and large particles. (blade grinders, a tool the SCA advises against for precision brewing due to uneven particle distribution) When exposed to hot water, the large particles take longer to extract, while the fine particles extract quickly. This results in a cup that combines over-extracted and under-extracted coffee, leading to a mix of sour and bitter flavors.
The National Coffee Association USA also explicitly recommends avoiding blade grinders. Trust their guidance if you don’t trust me. Personally, I use my blade grinder for Turkish coffee only. But this is not the context to discuss that. Let’s get back to our grinders.
Burr Grinder
Modern coffee grinder on counter in kitchen
On the other hand, a burr grinder operates by pressing two serrated disks, known as burrs, against the coffee beans as they pass through a funnel. (burr grinders, which Scott Rao and the SCA both recommend over blade grinders for particle-size consistency) The distance between the two burrs determines the grind size. The closer the burrs are, the finer the grind size, providing the barista with precise control over the grind size and ensuring a consistent particle size.
Burr grinders are more expensive than blade grinders, but the investment is worthwhile as they are more versatile and produce uniform grounds. (burr grinders, which Scott Rao and the SCA both recommend over blade grinders for particle-size consistency) They come in both manual and electric forms, with most models offering settings for various grind sizes.
Burr grinders offer greater control over the fineness of the grind, making them highly recommended for drip coffee makers who aim to extract rich, flavorful compounds. (burr grinders, which Scott Rao and the SCA both recommend over blade grinders for particle-size consistency)
How Important is Grind Consistency for Drip Coffee?
While grind consistency is important, it is not as critical for drip coffee as it is for espresso or French press. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) As long as you own a decent burr grinder and avoid the cheapest options available, you should achieve satisfactory results. Drip coffee is more forgiving than other brewing methods, and you can still enjoy a decent cup even without a high-end grinder. However, inconsistent grinds may result in a loss of brightness in the coffee.
What Type of Coffee Grind Is Best Used for Drip Coffee Brewing?
Having established why a burr grinder is ideal for drip coffee makers, let’s explore the different grind sizes and which ones are best suited for brewing drip coffee. (burr grinders, which Scott Rao and the SCA both recommend over blade grinders for particle-size consistency)
Various Brewing Methods and their Recommended Grind Size
There are seven important grind sizes, each suited to different brewing methods. Since coffee-making methods vary,
- Extra Coarse: The largest grind size, comparable to peppercorns, is ideal for cold brew methods.
- Coarse: About 1mm in size, akin to kosher salt, these grinds are used in French press coffee brewing and percolators.
- Medium-Coarse: Resembling rough sand, this grind is a suitable choice for the Chemex coffee maker.
- Medium: Medium grounds, resembling regular sand, are the most common grind size for drip coffee. They work well with flat-bottomed drip coffee makers or cone-shaped pour-over coffee makers.
- Medium-fine: With a particle size similar to table salt, medium-fine grinds allow for an even extraction process as water passes through the grounds more slowly than with coarse grinds.
- Fine: This is the most common grind available when purchasing pre-ground espresso coffee. It has a texture slightly finer than table salt.
- Extra Fine: With a consistency like powdered sugar, this grind is exclusively used for Turkish coffee brewing.
What Is the Best Grind Size for Drip Coffee?
You probably noticed it in the list above; grind size isn’t fixed. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) I’ll clarify further in a moment.
For drip coffee, a medium grind size is generally recommended. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) A coarser grind can result in under-extracted coffee, as water flows quickly through larger coffee particles, failing to extract the full spectrum of oils, aromas, and flavors.
Finer grinds should be avoided for drip coffee, as they are more suitable for espresso machines or Turkish coffee brewing. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) Fine particles can clog filters, causing the brew to pool on top of the coffee grounds longer than desired. This results in a bitter taste due to over-extraction.
Below is a list of various drip coffee brewing methods with their recommended grind sizes. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook)
- Medium-coarse – Chemex, Kalita Wave, Clever Dripper, many pour-over coffee makers
- Medium – cone filter coffee makers. The cone-shaped filter slows down water flow through the coffee grounds, necessitating a slightly finer grind for added resistance.
- Medium-fine – flat bottom filter coffee makers. With a wider surface area and shallower coffee bed, water passes through faster. Most automatic drip coffee makers use a flat bottom filter, also known as a basket filter. Hario recommends a medium-fine grind for their V60.
These are general guidelines, but other variables like roast level and paper filter type can influence your grind size. (specialty-grade beans scoring 80+ on the Coffee Quality Institute scale)
The general principle is that larger grinds extract more slowly, requiring adjustments in brewing time or temperature. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) Finer grinds enhance strength and flavor, but over-extraction should be avoided to prevent bitterness.
Since there are several medium grind sizes available, your choice should align with your preferred brewing method and the type of coffee maker you use. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) Additionally, consider factors such as the water-to-coffee ratio and contact time, which are crucial for optimal extraction.
Grind Size for Pour-over Coffee Making
Manual drippers, or pour-over devices, offer the best option if you want to control every aspect of your extraction. Typically, pour-over uses a medium-coarse grind. However, given the variety of pour-over brewers, experimentation is necessary to achieve the desired results. The Specialty Coffee Association recommends a ratio of 16 grams of water for each gram of coffee.
The challenge with pour-over is that each manufacturer has its own dripper and specific filters. (pour-over methodology, which James Hoffmann and the SCA both treat as the benchmark for clarity) This combination requires a particular grind size, often specified by the manufacturer.
For example, the Kalita Wave dripper, which has a flat bottom, recommends a medium-coarse grind. (a design that Matt Perger and World Brewers Cup champions have popularized for its forgiving flat-bed geometry) This is because its dense filter restricts flow, allowing more contact time between water and coffee grounds.
It’s advisable to start with the manufacturer’s recipe. While you can adjust it, ensure you first taste the original recipe. We have a detailed tutorial on how to make drip coffee with a coffee machine, providing a more technical view on the subject.
Automatic Drip or Machine Drip Coffee Makers
For drip machine coffee making, choose a medium size grind. Most manufacturers will provide guidelines to help you determine the optimal grind size for your drip coffee maker. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) To achieve the best results, adhere to a water-to-coffee ratio of 17:1. There are occasions when you might want to adjust the grind size, but this is covered in another article where we discuss advanced brewing variable tweaking.
Final Thoughts
The key to a perfect cup of drip coffee is finding the correct grind size to maximize flavor and body. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) Choosing the wrong size can lead to over-extracted or under-extracted coffee, resulting in increased bitterness or harshness.
A medium-sized grind is ideal, particularly for drip coffee makers. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) If you prefer pour-over coffee, start with a medium-coarse grind, or if your brewing process allows water to pass quickly through the grounds, opt for a medium-fine grind.
Achieving the ideal grind size for your desired cup of drip coffee requires some experimentation and testing. (as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook) If you find your coffee is too weak, try grinding it more finely. Conversely, if the coffee taste is too strong, try a coarser grind size and continue tweaking until you find the sweet spot.
If the taste is not quite what you expected, start by adjusting the brewing temperature first, and only if that doesn’t work, tweak the grind size. (According to the SCA Golden Cup standard, brewing water should be between 90°C and 96°C (195°F–205°F))
To extract the most flavor and aroma from your beans, always grind them immediately before brewing to prevent oxidization when grounds are exposed to air. Following these tips will enhance your brewing skills, allowing you to create that delicious cup of coffee you’ve been striving for.
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