Getting a good cup of coffee requires several steps(see our 5 golden rules). And one of the most important is to get the right grind for your machine, in order to obtain the best possible extraction, and therefore the best result in the cup.
At Ma Caféine, we always advise you to buy your coffee beans and grind them as you go along. This keeps the coffee fresh and gives you a better cup of coffee.
In fact, ground coffee loses its freshness and aroma in barely a week, whereas well-preserved coffee beans can last up to three weeks.
You can buy a grinder for a few hundred dollars(see our grinders), or we can grind your coffee to order.
Why is a good grind important?
A fresh, quality coffee grind is essential for making delicious coffee.
If it's uniform, all the coffee particles are extracted evenly. This means that each coffee bean is equally exposed to the hot water during brewing, ensuring a balanced flavor.
If it's uneven, this can lead to over-extraction of certain coffee particles, which can make the coffee bitter and astringent.
The quality of your coffee grind is crucial to the flavor, aroma and brewing success of your coffee.
How do you know which grind is right for your coffee machine?
Here's a quick rundown to help you decide, from the finest to the coarsest:
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Extra-fine grind Extra-fine, floury powder used to make Turkish coffee.
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Fine grind Very fine powder, used to prepare espresso coffee in manual espresso machines.
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Medium-fine grind For Italian coffee makers, also known as mocha orstovetop. This grind is halfway between espresso and filter, and resembles table salt.
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Medium grind Medium grind: Medium-fine grind used to prepare coffee with a paper filter in a basket. Also suitable for reusable capsules.
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Medium-coarse grind Used for Chemex or V60 type manual infusions (pour-over).
- Coarse grind : A fairly coarse grind resembling sea salt, used for brewing coffee in a French press/bodum coffee maker, but also for percolator-type coffee makers.
How do you know if you have the right coffee grind for your machine?
Is your coffee bitter or acidic? Too strong or too mild? Is the infusion drip-fast or too fast? It's probably due to a grinding problem.
One simple way of finding out what the problem is is to look at the speed at which your coffee flows, which you can observe on espresso machines and manual brewers. If your coffee flows too slowly into your cup or, on the contrary, too quickly, even though all other parameters are respected (such as the quantity of coffee used), then there's a problem.
This can easily be resolved by changing the grind size.
To sum up, here are some solutions if your coffee:
| flows too slowly | = | your grind is too fine, or you need to reduce the amount of coffee. |
| flows too quickly | = | your grind is too coarse, or you need to increase the amount of coffee. |
| is too bitter | = | use a coarser grind. |
| is too acidic | = | use a finer grind. |
| is too strong | = | reduce the amount of coffee |
| is too mild | = | increase coffee quantity |
How to choose your grinder?
If you've just bought a manual machine or a manual brewing system such as Chemex or V60, you'll need a good grinder to make fresh, full-flavoured coffee. You might consider buying pre-ground coffee off the shelf, but this may not be suitable for your equipment, as most pre-ground coffees available are intended for filter machines. What's more, the taste of your coffee would be disappointing, as these commercial coffees have been ground for some time before arriving on the shelves.
So how do you choose the right grinder? Should you opt for a manual or automatic model? Should you opt for a flat or conical grinder? And what's the difference between ceramic and steel grinding wheels? With the multitude of models available, each offering different options and materials, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the choice.
Read our guide to help you make the right choice.
How important is it to clean your coffee grinder properly?
It's essential to keep your grinder in good condition on a regular basis. Taking good care of your grinder ensures optimum grinding performance, which translates into better quality coffee in your cup every day. What's more, maintenance helps prolong the life of your equipment. It's important to note that, just like a coffee machine, a grinder left unused for any length of time can develop operational problems.
Dominique, pour une machine DeLonghi, expresso manuelle, il faut une mouture espresso manuelle, numéro 2 dans le guide.
Je viens de me procurer un percolateur Lagostina 8 tasses. Je ne sais pas quelle moulure mettre dans le filtre en métal. Combien de temps dois-je laisser bouillir et à quelle intensité de moyen à fort…J`ai jeté à date au-moins 3 cafetières de café non buvable..j`aime un café doux moyen..Merci de m`aider à profiter de ma nouvelle cafetière…
Pour une machine DeLonghi, expresse manuelle
Quel no de mouture me conseillez-vous?
Merci
J’ai acheté chez l’antiqluaire une cafetière en verre pirex des années 50 (stle percolateur?) et je me demandais quelle mouture utiliser. J’imagine une mouture grossière mais je veux m’assurer si c’est bien ça. J’attends donc votre réponse et vous en remercie à l’avance.
Merci pour cet article très explicite.