Getting Back To The Basics Of Brewing Coffee - Exploring Freshness, Grind Size, Brewing Methods, And More

Wake up…drink coffee…do all the things.

That pretty much sums up any coffee lover’s day, right?
Well, almost.

If you’ve been drinking coffee for a long time, then you know there can be a bit of a learning curve when it comes to making the perfect cup of joe.

Brewing a fabulously delicious cup of coffee is kind of like an art.

For a truly great cup, one must consider pre-ground coffee or whole beans, how much water per scoop of coffee, French press or drip, pour over or cold brew, what type of grind works best with each method, which method produces the smoothest cup, and on and on.

And, before you know it, something so simple, like brewing a tasty morning cup of magic, has turned into this complicated, head-scratcher of a task.

Thankfully, coffee doesn’t have to be complicated!

There’s no need for trial and error, and you certainly don’t have to settle for a less than perfect brew.

While there are some tricks to this trade - we’re here for you - which is why we’re going back to the basics today, covering everything from grind sizes, water to coffee scoop ratios, brewing method basics, and more!

So, sit back, relax, and let’s get back to the basics of brewing!

Freshness And Grind Size

When you brew a cup of coffee at home, what’s in your scoop?

In other words, do you start with pre-ground coffee or whole beans?

As you may know, we sell both pre-ground and whole bean coffee here at Lifeboost.

And, don’t get me wrong, both are clean, healthy, and absolutely delicious!

However, we must say that brewing the freshest, and even the most flavorful, cup of coffee begins with whole beans.

When you consider the journey these beloved beans must travel, this makes sense…

• The coffee cherries slowly grow to maturity.
• Then, the plump, ripe cherries are hand selected or harvested.
• The freshly plucked cherries are spring water washed, processed, and dried.
• The dried, green coffee beans are roasted to perfection.

…then, your freshly roasted Lifeboost whole coffee beans are either vacuum sealed and prepared for shipment, or they are ground to a medium consistency, then vacuum sealed and prepared for shipment.

Notice, I didn’t generically state that we package our coffee, instead I listed that we vacuum seal the java.

Why?

Because oxygen is an enemy of both flavor and freshness when it comes to coffee.

In the case of pre-ground coffee, consider how much surface area of the bean is exposed to the air (oxygen) once ground into tiny pieces.

Now, think of whole bean coffee. Prior to grinding there’s still so much fresh, bold flavor locked inside that bean, protected from the open air.

So, while we absolutely love the convenience of our pre-ground selections, using whole bean coffee and patiently waiting to grind the beans only when you’re ready to brew ensures you’re getting the freshest, and tastiest, cup possible!

Of course, you can take that component of freshness one step further and protect your coffee (pre-ground or whole bean) between brewing sessions by storing it in a dark, vacuum sealed, airtight canister, like our Airscape Coffee Container.

Locking out both light and air is the best way to keep these enemies from robbing you of the best flavors in your coffee beans until you’re ready to brew and enjoy those tremendous tastes!

Ah, but now we’ve added another step in your coffee making process, because when you begin with whole beans, this now requires that you grind those beans prior to brewing.

And grind size, well, this is where things can get a little tricky.

We all know there are many brewing methods to choose from when making a delicious cup of coffee.

But, did you know that each brewing method requires a specific grind size to ensure a tasty, balanced cup?

We’ll get to the brewing methods in a moment, but first, let’s take some time to explore the whats, whys, and hows of grinding coffee.

There are many types and styles of coffee grinders available, but we’ve found the best, most consistent grind is achieved with a burr grinder.

Conical burr grinders are able to both crush and grind whole coffee beans, and because they are somewhat gentler than flat burr grinders, this results in a sweeter, more flavorful cup of coffee.

However, even the best, most smooth, and consistent grind won’t help you if the grind size doesn’t match your brewing method.
But, why?

When brewing coffee, no matter the method, water is used to extract flavor from the ground beans.

Some brewing methods allow the water to rest on and over the grinds for longer periods of time, slowing extracting these flavors, while other methods quickly push the water through the grinds, extracting those flavors at a much faster rate.

To avoid these fabulous flavors becoming too bitter to enjoy, larger grind sizes are required for those brewing methods which allow the water to extract these flavors more slowly, and smaller, more fine grinds are required for faster brewing methods.

So then, let’s break this down, beginning with the largest grind size…

*As a reminder, we’ll go into further detail, pairing grind sizes with their respective brewing methods in the next section. *

Extra Coarse Grind

This is the largest grind size of coffee.

An extra coarse grind may look similar to slightly ground peppercorns, and the large pieces of ground coffee beans are perfect for brewing methods which require or allow the water to slowly extract the flavors in the beans.

If you were to use an extra coarse grind in a drip coffee maker or an espresso machine, both of which allow the water to pass through the grinds fairly quickly, you’d likely find your brew to taste sour, salty, or even acidic.

However, this same extra coarse grind, accurately paired with a brewing method which incorporates a greater amount of time for flavor extraction, immersing the grounds in water, will yield a cup boasting the rich, varied, even slightly sweet and smooth flavors in your brew.

Coarse Grind

Coarsely ground coffee is only slightly finer than an extra coarse grind.

Most liken the appearance of a coarsely ground coffee to that of coarse sea salt. Here, as with an extra coarse grind, you may still notice large, yet even, pieces of the beans.

This large grind, as with extra coarse, is best suited only for brewing methods which utilize time and immersion for extracting the full flavors in the coffee beans.

Medium-Coarse Grind

If you were to look at coffee grinds in the same way your stove top burner knobs are labeled, you could liken a medium coarse grind to a medium high heat on the stove top knob.

A medium coarse coffee grind falls directly between medium and extra coarse - it’s not exactly a medium grind, and it’s not exactly a coarse (or extra coarse) grind.

Medium coarse coffee resembles rough sand.

This grind is perfect for those brewing methods which don’t allow water to run though the grinds as fast as a typical drip coffee maker but also don’t allow the water to rest amidst the grinds as long as a French press or cold brewing methods.

Medium Grind

Similar to the consistency of regular sand, a medium grind size is likely the most common, as it is typically what you’ll receive when purchasing pre-ground coffee.

Most pre-ground coffees are ground to this size as it is best suited for a drip coffee maker.

A medium grind is also a bit more versatile than other grind sizes as the flavors of the coffee can still be accurately extracted by adjusting brewing times (on methods other than traditional drip brewing).

Medium-Fine Grind

A medium-fine grind, using our stove top burner knob analogy once again, could be likened to selecting a medium-low heat setting.

This selection rests on the grind spectrum directly between medium and extra-fine, resembling the appearance and texture of table salt.

As we’ve progressed past a medium grind here, such a consistency pairs well with brewing methods which allow water to pass quickly through the grinds but in short, slow bursts.

If you would use such a grind in a brewing method which allows the water to rest on the grinds for long periods of time, this would over extract the flavors in your brew, resulting in a very bitter taste.

Fine Grind

A fine grind is another popular pre-ground type of coffee, as this is most commonly used for espresso makers/machines.

A finely ground coffee has a smooth consistency that is finer than table salt.

This consistency and texture pairs well with espresso preparations only because these makers and machines use pressure and very hot water which passes through the fine grounds rapidly.

As with the medium-fine grind size, using a fine grind in a slow brewing method would result in a very bitter cup of coffee.

Extra Fine Grind

Many coffee grinders do not have an extra fine grind setting.

This unique grind size has a powder-like texture and is only used in Turkish coffee, necessitating a Turkish grinder to achieve such a consistency.

And, now that you know the ins and outs of each coffee grind size, let’s put that knowledge to good use, pairing each grind with the appropriate brewing method and coffee to water ratio.

Brewing Methods & Water To Coffee Ratios

Brewing coffee is a lot like baking, with the perfect tastes evidenced in proper measurements.

When mixing the ingredients for a cake, you wouldn’t expect the finished product to boast sweet perfection if you used too much flour, would you? And, you wouldn’t expect the cake to bake evenly if you used an incorrect amount of liquid either.

The same is true when brewing coffee.

We now know that the perfect cup of joe begins with fresh, whole coffee beans, ground to a precise consistency, and those grinds are pretty particular about the amount of time they spend in or under a stream of water to extract just the right amount of their exquisite flavor.

So, we’ll proceed from here as we did with each grind of coffee, examining brewing methods one by one, detailing appropriate grinds and ratios for each.

Cold Brew & Cowboy Coffee

Cold brewing takes time, 12-24 hours to be exact.

And, because the water will be extracting the flavors of your ground coffee over the course of several hours, using an extra coarse grind is needed with this method.

Unlike most brewing methods, you won’t use a scoop to ounce ratio when preparing cold brew, as this is generally made in larger quantities (greater than a single cup or two). Instead, the recommended ratio for cold brew is one part extra coarse ground coffee to four parts water.

For example, 1 cup of extra coarse coffee grounds to 4 cups of filtered water.
This ratio, with a brew time of 18-24 hours will yield a cold brew concentrate that you can choose to dilute when ready to use. (When refrigerated, I typically do 24 hours. If left on my countertop, I often only allow for a brew time of 12-18 hours.)

I personally recommend using a cold brew maker when making cold brew for simplicity and ease when straining out the grinds.

Then, an extra coarse grind is also appropriate when making Cowboy Coffee, a brewing method commonly used when making coffee over a campfire.

Here, since the water and grounds are heated together, an extra coarse grind is necessary to avoid over extraction.

Most cowboy coffee pros use a ratio of 1 scoop of extra coarse ground coffee per 8 ounces of water when making this brew.

French Press & Percolator

Using a French press will arguably yield one of the richest, most full-bodied cups of coffee you can enjoy.

This is due to the fact that this brewing method utilizes both heat and time, allowing the coffee grounds to essentially rest in a hot water bath long enough to allow the oils and flavor compounds of the coffee to fully be evidenced in each bold cup.

Due to the amount of time the grounds will spend soaked in water (roughly 4 minutes); a coarse grind is a must when brewing with a French press.

Then, regarding ratios, our Lifeboost coffee scoop, like most traditional coffee scoops, holds approximately 2 tablespoons of ground coffee.

So, following what is known as the golden ratio, you would use 1 scoop of coffee for every 6-8 ounces of water when brewing in a French press.

A coarse grind is required when making coffee in a percolator as well, since this method also allows the coffee grounds to steep in hot water.

When brewing with a percolator, a ratio of 1 scoop of coarsely ground coffee per 6-8 ounces of water is often recommended.

Clever Dripper, Chemex, Automatic Pour Over Coffee Machine

Each of these brewers incorporate the pour over brewing method.

When making a pour over using one of the brewing methods listed here, small amounts of hot water are slowly and evenly poured over medium-coarse coffee grounds.

Since the hot water is slowly poured, a medium coarse grind ensures over extraction doesn’t occur, keeping your coffee from becoming too bitter.

You can find both the Clever Dripper and the Automatic Pour Over Coffee Machine on our site, and with these brewers, as well as a Chemex, a ratio of 1 scoop of medium-coarse ground coffee per 6-8 ounces of water is recommended. (Without a coffee scoop, you would use 1 tablespoon per 4 ounces of water, or 2 rounded tablespoons per 8 ounces of water.

Drip Coffee, Aeropress, Siphon Brewers

Traditional coffee makers or drip brewers are some of the most widely used machines for making coffee. These types of coffee makers as well as siphon brewers, Aeropresses, and even some cone-shaped pour over makers all require a medium grind coffee.

We discussed this in our medium grind description, so we won’t labor it here, but these brewing methods commonly allow hot water to pass through coffee grinds as opposed to immersing the grounds in the water for long periods of time.

As the water passes through the coffee in this way, a less coarse grind (but not too fine) allows the water to more easily extract the flavor of the coffee.

Here, once again a golden ratio for coffee brewing would use 1 rounded coffee scoop per 8 ounces of water.

Note: When using a medium grind with an Aeropress, it is recommended to increase the brewing time to over 3 minutes.

Cone-Shaped Pour-Overs, Aeropress

Another appropriate grind size for cone-shaped pour-overs and the Aeropress is a medium-fine grind, made with a ratio of 1 scoop of ground coffee per 8 ounces of water.

The primary difference here when using an Aeropress is that with a finer grind, you’ll want to utilize less time in brewing (no longer than 2-3 minutes) to avoid over extraction.

When making a pour-over with a medium-fine grind, this is best suited for slowly and evenly pouring hot water over the grinds in smaller increments, allowing the grounds to ‘bloom’ in between pours.

Espresso & Aeropress

Espresso is made using deeply dark roasted coffee beans, ground to a fine consistency.

With an espresso machine, a small amount of intensely hot water, under pressure, is forced through the tightly packed fine grounds to produce a slightly thickened, aromatic, bold flavored brew.

Since the water passes through the grounds quickly, a fine grind is needed for optimal flavor and to avoid any sour or overly acidic flavors.

An espresso machine typically incorporates the use of a portafilter, and ratios can vary depending on the machine, but the most common ratio for use in making espresso is 1:2, one gram of coffee to two grams of water.

And yes, the Aeropress, as you can see, is quite versatile, allowing for the use of finely ground coffee as well. However, if you plan to use a fine grind in an Aeropress, you should shorten the brew time to 1-2 minutes.

Turkish Coffee

As we mentioned in the section above, Turkish coffee is a specific brewing method which requires the use of coffee ground to an extra fine consistency.

5-6 grams of coffee per 50 ml of water is recommended when using an ibrik to make this unique brew.

We covered a lot of ground(s) here today, and while this wasn’t an exhaustive brewing guide, we do hope you’ve enjoyed this in-depth look at how you can enjoy fresh, tasty coffee, when brewing with the appropriate grind!

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Optimist Light Roast.

References:

https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-coffee-grinders/#

https://comisocoffee.com/blogs/blog/flat-vs-conical-burrs#

https://www.homegrounds.co/coffee-grind-chart/#popular_coffee_grind_sizes_and_what_they_are_used_for

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/coffee-grind-size-chart

https://counterculturecoffee.com/blogs/counter-culture-coffee/coffee-basics-brewing-ratios

https://www.northstarroast.com/blogs/brewing/how-to-make-cold-brew-coffee#

https://theroasterie.com/blogs/news/cowboy-coffee-an-american-tradition#

https://www.homegrounds.co/how-to-use-percolator/

https://chamberlaincoffee.com/blogs/inspiration/how-many-scoops-of-coffee-per-cup

https://xbloom.com/blogs/news/what-does-coffee-bloom-mean-and-why-is-it-necessary-pour-over-brewing#

https://methodicalcoffee.com/blogs/coffee-culture/coffee-to-water-ratio-the-ultimate-guide-to-brewing-ratios#

https://www.turntablekitchen.com/recipes/how-to-make-coffee-turkish-coffee/#