How the Grind Affects Flavor

The flavor of coffee depends on a variety of factors, including the quality, freshness, and roast of the beans, the purity of the brew water, the cleanliness of the brewing equipment, and the brewing temperature. The fineness and consistency of the grind is also critical.

Coffee that is ground too fine for a particular brewing process

–using a fine espresso grind in a drip coffee maker, for example – will result in the brew water

over-extracting the oils and aromatic compounds in the coffee, yielding a brew that is extremely pungent and bitter. Conversely,

coffee that is too coarsely ground for a particular process will result in the under-extraction of the oils and essences, resulting in a very thin and weak flavor. If the correct grind is used, adding more coffee simply makes a brew stronger without making it excessively bitter.

The consistency of the grind is also an important factor in the flavor of coffee – and absolutely critical when making great espresso. If the grounds are uniform, equal amounts

of soluble compounds will be extracted from each. If the grounds vary in size, some will be over- extracted and some will be under- extracted, leading to extremely poor quality. It’s not surprising that a precision grind is mandatory for good espresso, which is brewed with near-boiling water under 9 bars of

pressure.

Coffee grind quality is directly related to the type of grinder used. High speed grinders with small burr sets are usually not

able to produce the fineness or consistency required for the best espresso. They also excessively heat the beans

while grinding, resulting in lost flavor and aroma.

The Artisan™ Burr Grinder uses a pair of large, commercial-style cutting burrs to grind coffee with precision. Frictional heating is minimized with a gear reduction system that slows burr rotation, and uniformity is enhanced with a helical-gear that transports beans to the burrs at a controlled rate. The result is a superb grind that makes your coffee and espresso the best it can be.

English