A coffee grinder is a kitchen tool. That is used to grind or grind whole coffee beans and give them the right texture to later be used in an electric or manual coffee maker. It is a basic element to taste artisan coffee of any kind.
The history of the coffee mill begins in the 16th century with the introduction of coffee in Europe. However, their impracticality led to a search for alternatives. Curiously, those from the latter country are the ones that had the most and lasted the longest.
The espresso grind influences the quality of the coffee. How to detect if it is very fine or coarse, and which is the right coffee grinder.
The grain size of the coffee determines its flavor and aroma, due to the greater or lesser extraction of substances, for that reason, it is important to know the grind for espresso.
If it is slightly ground, (coarse or very coarse ground) it will not be extracted sufficiently. The water will pass through quickly, only superficially, and leave the interior of the grain almost unharmed.
On the contrary, an excessive grinding (fine to very fine, like flour) the water slowly passes through the grinding, allowing it to dissolve even the less aromatic and more bitter components.
Ideally, grind the coffee just before preparing the infusion.
However the form of preparation, there are two basic principles that must always be respected:
- The quality of the water must be neutral, without chlorine taste, or calcareous heaviness.
- The temperature of the water; never to boiling point, burns and destroys the aromatic components we will work between 85 and 95 degrees.
Grinding For Espresso
Ground For Fine Espresso:
- Coffee falling speed: it comes out slowly and irregularly. Fill a well in more than 22 seconds.
- Coffee foam or cream on the surface: very dark and open in some areas.
- Erase that remains in the filter holder: a puddle forms on the surface.
- Solution: turn the upper disc to the left
Suitable Ground For Espresso:
- Coffee falling speed: it comes out with medium and constant speed. Fill well in 20 seconds.
- Coffee foam or cream on the surface: even light color and thick. It remains more than 45 seconds without open sectors.
- Erase that remains in the filter holder: It remains compact and when tipped, it preserves the shape of the filter.
Grind For Coarse Espresso:
- Coffee falling speed: it comes out very quickly in a constant way. Fill the well in less than 18 seconds.
- Coffee falling speed: the foams open very quickly.
- Erase that remains in the filter holder: when it is overturned from the filter holder, it is undone.
- Solution: turn the upper disc to the right.
What is the Degree of Grinding?
However, talking about the degree of grinding is the same as the degree of grinding. Each method of coffee extraction requires a different degree of grinding.
How To Use a Coffee Grinder Correctly
Very Easy:
- Select the type of coffee we want to taste and fill the hopper with whole beans.
- Adjust the dispenser to regulate the thickness of the ground grain.
- We close the lid and start turning the crank. If it is an automatic coffee grinder, we will only have to press the power button.
- When we have enough ground coffee, we stop turning the crank.
- However, we collect the ground coffee from the tank and place it in the filter of the coffee machine to make the drink.
How to Choose Coffee Beans Correctly?
Similarly, preparing the best artisan coffee at home is only possible if we buy quality coffee beans. Here we explain how to recognize them:
1. Varieties: Firstly, we must always avoid buying roasted coffee since it is a type of coffee that is highly processed and of low quality. Instead, it is advisable to choose between these two natural varieties depending on our tastes:
- Arabica: mild flavor, slightly fruity, and with a lot of aromas.
- Robusta: with a powerful bitter aftertaste, a fairly strong flavor, and a higher dose of caffeine.
2. Grain size: Secondly, the bigger it is, the better. It will mean that it was more mature at the time of harvest and that, therefore, it will have better qualities.
3. Washing: It is done to remove the husk from the grain before being roasted. It can be of three types:
- Natural drying: carried out in the sun. It allows you to enjoy a coffee with a lot of flavors but that cannot be subjected to a fine grind.
- Wash: produces a smooth, clean flavor.
- Semi-washed: ideal for sour and fruity coffees.
4. The origin of the bean: Why do the best coffees usually come from countries like Colombia or Ethiopia? Well, because for the cultivation of good coffee it is necessary that certain conditions are met, such as, for example, the presence of volcanic soils. Which are very rich in nutrients, and high altitudes, which enhance and give complexity to the aromas.
5. Roasting: Lastly, we must look at two factors:
- Roast date: roasted coffee loses flavor and aroma qualities over time. The less time you’ve been through this process, the better.
- The color: it must be uniform and dark without reaching black. This allows you to easily differentiate roast from Arabica and Robusta.
