Coffee, grinding time and quality

After trying a bunch of coffee grinder brands over the year, we settled on a basic Krups that we found to be durable, reliable and seemingly indestructible. 

Yet, what I’ve never been able to find, was the relation between grinding time in seconds and the taste of coffee. We used a very high quality (should I say costly, which might bear no relation to taste?) medium brown coffee bean, but I’ve always been wondering about the grinding time. 

I finally undertook to conduct some research and it would seem that as I’ve always suspected, grinding time can significantly impact the brewing quality of coffee beans. 

Here's a breakdown of how grinding time affects the taste of coffee: 

1. A fine grind would take between 20 to 30 seconds. It would extract more flavor and oils from the beans, resulting in a stronger, more flavorful cup. It would however lead to over-extraction, resulting in a bitter taste. 

2. A medium grind falls between 15 to 20 seconds and offers a balanced flavor profile, suitable for most brewing methods (pour-over, drip, French press). Its downside however is that it might not extract as much flavor as a fine grind. 

3. Finally, a coarse grind that lasts only 10 to 15 seconds allows for faster brewing time, with less chance of over-extraction. The argument against it would be a weaker, less flavorful coffee. 

As for the kind of coffee machine used in relation to the grinding qualities, espresso would require a very fine grind for optimal extraction, a pour-over would work best with a medium to fine grind, a slightly coarser grind would be perfect for a French press and for drip coffee (the one we personally use), a slightly coarser grind should work fine. 

It’s certainly a good idea to experiment by trying different grind settings in order to select one’s preferred flavor. Sure, water temperature, brewing time, and bean freshness also influence coffee quality. A good quality coffee grinder is also essential for consistent results. Now you finally deserve your own cup of coffee!