Grinding Basics
So today, we'll be
talking about a step in brewing that's the same irrespective of the brewing
method. So we have the beans roasted and now it's time to brew it. There are
two ways to get your beans into powder. You could either use an electric
grinder which requires no hard work or settings to get the beans ground. You
just insert the beans, rotate the dial to match the size you need and you are
good to go. Or you could use a manual hand grinder to do all the work by
yourself. Now the most amazing part about the hand grinders is that it helps
you in appreciating the cup that you are Brewing. Grinding your own coffee does
become a really good part of your morning routine once you get used to it. But
if you are someone who has a hectic schedule, manual grinders may not be the
right choice for you. Grinding beans for two cups can easily take more than a
minute and requires continuous hand movement. So if you are brewing for a group
of people or are already running late, this isn't the right choice for you. You
should go for an electric grinder or simply get pre-ground coffee.
From here, I'll be
talking about some grinders from both categories that are worth checking out if
you are looking for a grinder. But before that, here's a quick fresher on the
grind size you'll be required for manual brewing machines.
1) Coarse
This grind size is for coffee makers that
require filtration like a French press. Coarse grind size is also great for a
cupping session. In case you don’t know about cupping, it’s the method using
which one can accurately determine the actual notes of the beans. This grind is
also great for a percolator machine. If you are new to grinding, chances are
you might find it difficult to determine the coarseness. For this, you can
compare the grind size to that of sea salt.
2) Medium Coarse
A lesser coarse
grind would be helpful in brewing methods that include a separate type of
filters like a Chemex or a clever dripper. To get an idea about the grind size,
keep in mind that the grinds should resemble sand.
3) Medium Fine
. A medium fine
grind is used to brew coffee on a syphon and an Aeropress (if you are using the
inverted Aeropress method). The size here should be comparable to finer sand
found on beaches.
4) Fine
Fine grind size is required for coffee brewing
methods that involve using the generated by water steam on the ground coffee.
The resultant is a small concoction of a dark cup filled with flavours. And the
best part is that this espresso shot can be used to go with any taste you fancy.
Add some milk and froth for a flat white or pour it over some vanilla ice cream
to make affogato for your dessert cravings.
Now that we know
about the grind size well be needing to make some coffee it’s time to take an
important decision here. Are you okay with using pre-ground coffee or do you
want to spend some extra bucks and get a fancy grinder? Now if your answer is
yes for the latter, decide the amount you want to spend on a grinder. A manual
hand grinder while being pocket-friendly can be difficult to deal with as it
requires a lot of trial and error before you get the right size.
So if you are up for a hand grinder, that’s
great! Obviously, it won’t be as it would have been with an electric grinder,
but it definitely helps in making your cup a more wholesome experience.
Just ensure that you don’t fall for the blade grinder crap. Hundreds of
people would say that you can get a proper consistency with a blade grinder
with some tricks. Don’t fall for it, simple. Search for a burr grinder on
Amazon and you’ll find plenty of options that will suit your budget. What’s a
burr? It’s a ceramic piece with cut-outs that helps in getting a consistent
grinder. Just be sure to check out the reviews regarding the build quality.
Chances are that the burr or the plastic encasing the grinder might give up way
too early.
But if you don’t have the time to manually
grind the beans and are ready to shell out at least 10,000 bucks, go for the
electric grinder. The concept here still remains the same. A ceramic burr grinds
the beans, it’s just that here you have to simply set the dial for grind size
and turn on the switch. Now to be honest I don’t have a lot of experience with
electric grinders but the Barraza Encore is a product that you can blindly
follow. It’s one of the most popular electric grinders for home brewing and is
also the top choice for a lot of cafes. After talking so much about these
machines I just want to make it clear with you that it’s really your choice on
getting a grinder. You really don’t have to spend money on the grinder if
pre-ground works perfectly with you. The only difference would be the freshness
and the experience that comes with grinding your own beans.
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