We all want to get the most out of our beans – waking up to a weak, flavourless brew is enough to ruin your day before it’s even begun.
So how do you make sure you’re extracting all that goodness out of your favourite beans? Well, the flavour and strength of coffee depend on several factors: coarseness or fineness of the grind, steeping time, the ratio of water to coffee, and so on. There’s a lot more that goes into a great cup of Joe than you might have originally thought - for more information on this, check out our blog on the best extraction techniques and water-to-coffee ratio.
But simply put, the finer the grind, the more surface area is in contact with the water, and the stronger your coffee will taste. However, strength is also defined by caffeine content so it’s important to factor that in as well.
Does your grind affect the flavour extraction in coffee?
The coarseness or fineness of a grind determines the flavour extraction of the coffee. Coarsely-ground beans are in larger pieces while finer ground beans have a smaller particle size. The finer the grind, the higher the level of flavour extraction. The best grind size will ultimately depend on your method of brewing and what style of coffee you’re looking for.
Coffee too coarse or too fine?
Beans that are ground too coarsely for your chosen coffee style will make under-extracted coffee, lacking flavour and depth, because the water will not have enough surface area to work on.
Conversely, grinding coffee too finely will give you over-extracted coffee, which will taste strong and bitter, and can have a gritty texture.
Adjusting the grind size according to your preparation method means that you never have to suffer under or over-extracted coffee and can always enjoy your precious beans at their best.
How to grind your coffee to release more caffeine
So, while you can get a stronger taste from a coarser grind by steeping for longer, when it comes to a punchy caffeine hit, finely ground is the only way to go!
The more finely ground the beans, the more caffeine is released into the water. So it’s safe to say that when it comes to caffeination, a finer grind does result in stronger coffee, while a coarser grind will always brew a weaker cup.
Invest in a high-quality coffee grinder
When it comes to grinding your coffee beans you’ll want the best kit in your arsenal. At Coffee Hit, we stock a wide range of equipment for coffee including manual and electric coffee grinders which cater for all tastes when it comes to the perfect grind.
For hand grinders, the Comandante C40 and Rhino tall hand grinder deliver exceptional grind quality to unlock the full flavour extraction of your coffee.
For electric grinders, the Baratza Encore Grinder and Fellow Ode Brew Grinder are lauded by coffee experts for consistently producing fantastic grind consistency. The Baratza Encore is a great option for those at the beginning of their home brewing journey, as it's considered the go-to entry level electric grinder.
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