<p>To oversimplify, the components in coffee vary from “heavy” (bitter, oily, low volatility, slowly extracted) to “light” (yummy, high volatility, rapidly extracted).</p>
<p>To extract these varied components, hot water needs to diffuse into the grounds, wait a while, diffuse back out and get washed down into your cup. How long this takes depends on the size of the grounds. Bigger grounds need longer.</p>
<p>The ideal coffee would have all the “light” components and enough of the robust, “heavy” components to satisfy the taste of the individual coffee drinker.</p>
<p>The fineness of the grind (and the tamping pressure) affects the time it takes for the pump to push water through the portafilter. An overly fine grind produces a slow expression, but those fine grounds extract faster than coarse grounds so too fine a grind (or over tamping) will extract “heavy” components and produce a bitter brew.</p>
<p>Conversely, course grounds (or under-tamping) will allow the water through too fast. The big grains will not be penetrated by the water, and the result will be a weak, watery brew with little flavor or character.</p>
<p>As a rule, if your brew is more bitter than you like, use a coarser grind or tamp less. If your brew lacks complex flavor, grind finer and tamp harder. If your brew is tasty but just too strong, use less coffee.</p>
<p>It is worth experimenting with pre-infusion. Wet the grounds by running the pump until the first few drops exit the portafilter. Turn the pump off for a set period of, say, 4 to 15 seconds, then turn the pump back on to finish the extraction. Play with the pre-infusion duration to control the “heavy” components.</p>
<p>I have a manual machine which allows more control over these variables. When it’s time for a new machine, you might consider one. Endless fun, very durable and much quieter.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-12T02:59:57.127Z
2024-12-12T02:59:57.127Z
Woody
<p>I'm experimenting with brewing espresso at home, and I'm curious about the impact of grind size on both the extraction time and the final taste of the espresso.</p>
<p>I understand that finer grinds generally increase the extraction time, but I'm not clear on how this influences the balance of flavors. Specifically, I’d like to know:</p>
<p>How does a finer grind affect the extraction time compared to a coarser grind?
What are the taste differences between an espresso made with a finer grind versus one with a coarser grind?
Are there any specific guidelines or tips for adjusting the grind size to achieve a balanced shot?
I'm using a semi-automatic espresso machine with a conical burr grinder, and I'm aiming to find the ideal grind size for a well-balanced espresso shot. Any advice or explanations would be greatly appreciated!</p>

<ground-coffee><coffee-machines><grinder>
How does grind size affect the extraction time and taste of espresso?
user14892
# How does grind size affect the extraction time and taste of espresso?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-08-19)

I'm experimenting with brewing espresso at home, and I'm curious about the impact of grind size on both the extraction time and the final taste of the espresso.

I understand that finer grinds generally increase the extraction time, but I'm not clear on how this influences the balance of flavors. Specifically, I’d like to know:

How does a finer grind affect the extraction time compared to a coarser grind?
What are the taste differences between an espresso made with a finer grind versus one with a coarser grind?
Are there any specific guidelines or tips for adjusting the grind size to achieve a balanced shot?
I'm using a semi-automatic espresso machine with a conical burr grinder, and I'm aiming to find the ideal grind size for a well-balanced espresso shot. Any advice or explanations would be greatly appreciated!

**Tags:** ground-coffee, coffee-machines, grinder


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-12-12. Score: 1

To oversimplify, the components in coffee vary from “heavy” (bitter, oily, low volatility, slowly extracted) to “light” (yummy, high volatility, rapidly extracted).

To extract these varied components, hot water needs to diffuse into the grounds, wait a while, diffuse back out and get washed down into your cup. How long this takes depends on the size of the grounds. Bigger grounds need longer.

The ideal coffee would have all the “light” components and enough of the robust, “heavy” components to satisfy the taste of the individual coffee drinker.

The fineness of the grind (and the tamping pressure) affects the time it takes for the pump to push water through the portafilter. An overly fine grind produces a slow expression, but those fine grounds extract faster than coarse grounds so too fine a grind (or over tamping) will extract “heavy” components and produce a bitter brew.

Conversely, course grounds (or under-tamping) will allow the water through too fast. The big grains will not be penetrated by the water, and the result will be a weak, watery brew with little flavor or character.

As a rule, if your brew is more bitter than you like, use a coarser grind or tamp less. If your brew lacks complex flavor, grind finer and tamp harder. If your brew is tasty but just too strong, use less coffee.

It is worth experimenting with pre-infusion. Wet the grounds by running the pump until the first few drops exit the portafilter. Turn the pump off for a set period of, say, 4 to 15 seconds, then turn the pump back on to finish the extraction. Play with the pre-infusion duration to control the “heavy” components.

I have a manual machine which allows more control over these variables. When it’s time for a new machine, you might consider one. Endless fun, very durable and much quieter.


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