Grinding Coffee Beans -- for brewing good coffee it's the way to go!

Grinding your own coffee beans just before brewing helps ensure the freshest, best-tasting coffee. Finding the grind that produces the flavor you want can be a subjective process, but there's no mystery involved.

The rule of thumb: The faster the brew method, the finer the grind. For example, use very finely ground coffee for espresso (which brews in seconds) and coarsely ground coffee for a French Press (the coffee needs to steep for 3 to 4 minutes).

The Grind Types:

Fine (Espresso grind):
Very fine particles. Feels almost like confectioner's sugar in your hand. The resulting brew is heavily extracted and tastes rich and heavy. Fine is the right grind for espresso and Turkish brewing.

Medium (Auto-Drip grind):
Medium particles. Looks and feels like beach sand. This is the right grind for brewing in an automatic drip brewer with a paper filter.

Medium (Manual drip grind):
A little coarser than Fine Grind. Looks and feels grittier. Use this grind for a manual drip brew method (a pour-over) or in an automatic drip brewer if you use a gold filter. (This slightly coarse grind will result in less sediment in your cup when using a gold filter.)

Coarse grind (Infusion/Perc grind):
Very coarse particles, like kosher salt. Grind this way for a French Press or a percolator.

If your coffee tastes weak you may want to try grinding it a little finer.

If you detect bitterness, try grinding a bit more coarsely next time.

The proper grind is very important to the success of your brewing method and the final taste of your coffee.

All About Grinders:

There are two types of grinders -- blade grinders and burr grinders. Blade grinders use a propeller-like blade to grind the coffee. Burr grinders crush the coffee beans between two burrs or discs.

Here are some approximate grinding times for blade grinders:

Extra Fine Grind: 20 seconds

Fine Grind: 15 seconds

Medium Grind: 12 seconds

Coarse Grind: 9 seconds:

Finer = Stronger. A finer grind of the same amount of coffee will result in more extraction, hence a stronger coffee taste. If this tastes too bitter, you can use a coarser grind. At the same time, you might want to add more coffee to provide enough extraction for the strength you want.