A Tip For Perfect Taste: Grinding

Before coffee becomes our favorite drink, it must first go through one very important stage: grinding. Whole coffee beans cannot be extracted properly, which is why they need to be broken down into thousands of small particles, allowing water to come into contact with a much larger surface area. The larger this surface area, the more easily and quickly water can extract aromas, oils, and soluble compounds that define the flavor of our coffee.

Grind size directly affects extraction time and, as a result, the final outcome in the cup. If the coffee is ground too coarsely, water passes through the particles too quickly, without enough time to extract all the desirable elements. The result is a weak coffee, with light-colored crema, low body, and limited flavor intensity. On the other hand, when the grind is too fine, water struggles to pass through, extraction slows down, and this often leads to bitter, heavy, and over-extracted flavors.

The balance lies somewhere in the middle. The ideal grind size is the one that allows water to flow at the right pace, extracting the proper amount of soluble solids without excess or deficiency. This is why grinding is never a fixed setting, but a process of constant adjustment depending on the coffee, humidity, temperature, and equipment. A skilled barista observes the cup, the crema, the flow, and of course the taste, in order to make the necessary corrections.

For this exact reason, we choose to grind coffee beans at the very moment we are about to prepare the coffee, rather than much earlier. Ground coffee loses its aromas and gases very quickly, resulting in a flatter, less aromatic, and noticeably poorer cup. Storing pre-ground coffee can never compare to the freshness of grinding on demand. For truly high-quality and proper extraction, investing in a good grinder, even a manual one, is not a luxury but an essential step in enjoying coffee the way it truly deserves.