A DIY'er Guide to Adjusting the Grind Size on Your Coffee Grinder

Let's start our day in the best way possible, by channeling our inner barista! One thing that differentiates a mediocre cup of Joe and a delightful brew that gives the local coffee shop a run for its money, is the GRIND. How coarse or fine your coffee beans are will drastically affect the flavour of your morning fuel. And as trusted handyman and coffee junkie, I've tinkered with my fair share of coffee grinders, learning a thing or two along the way. So buckle up and get your DIY fingers ready as we dive into the fascinating world of coffee grind adjustments!

Understanding Coffee Grind Sizes

Before we play with grind size settings, it's crucial to understand the difference between grind size and the impact on your bold, bright, or balanced beverage.

• Coarse grind: Think sea salt. It’s perfect for a French press or percolator.• Medium grind: This one resembles table salt and is the best fit for drip machines.• Fine grind: A little like granulated sugar, and tailor-made for Espresso and AeroPress.• Extra-fine grind: This one's as soft and powdery as flour is ideal for Turkish coffee.

Remember, everything in coffee brewing is interrelated. If you're extracting too slowly, it might suggest your grind is too fine, whereas a quick extraction chain typically means a coarse grind.

Let's Get to Adjusting!

In most grinders, you'll find either a notched dial, a hopper you turn, or a collar around the grinder's mouth to adjust your grind size.

1. Understanding Your Machine:

First things first, you need to familiarize yourself with your coffee grinder. All machines differ - some have marks (numbers/lines) for different grind sizes, others provide a 'coarse' to 'fine' scale, and some don't have anything at all! Remember, the smaller the number, the finer the grind.

2. Adjust While Empty:

Always alter coffee grinder settings while it's empty. Trying to make changes while there are still beans inside can do more harm than good. The burrs can be damaged if they're adjusted closer and there are still coffee particles between the blades.

3. Trial and Taste:

Now tinker around with your grinder and see the effect each setting has on your beans. This is the best way to understand how your grinder works and how your adjustments impact the grind size. It's trial and error at its best, plus you get to taste a lot of coffee!

Tips for Aiming the Perfect Grind

1. Match Your Brewing Method:

Whether it's a French Press, which needs a coarse grind, or an espresso maker demanding a fine grind, always match your grind size to your brewing apparatus.

2. Monitor Your Coffee:

A good extraction yields a balance of sweet, sour, and bitter notes. If a cup tastes excessively bitter, the grind may be too fine, leading to over-extraction. An overly sour cup might result from a coarse grind and under-extraction.

3. Grinders will Differ:

Don’t expect uniform results if you switch grinders. Every model behaves differently, but the principle remains the same: The finer the grind, the quicker the water will extract the flavor from the beans.

Coffee Perfection-Accomplished!

And voila!, you're all set to play around with your coffee grinder like a pro. Remember, satisfaction lies in the journey and not just the final result. Plus, who can deny the pleasure of treating yourself to a delicious, tailor-made cup of coffee after successfully tweaking your grinder?

Until next time, keep brewing, keep experimenting, success is just around the corner of that coffee grinder.