Selecting Coffee Grinds

The objective to gourmet coffee brewing is to get the most flavors out of the coffee bean when infused with hot water. This starts with properly matching the style of coffee maker with the correct coffee grind. There are many types of grinding methods and we are going to discuss them all starting with the most popular. In our experience we have found Catherine Marie's gourmet coffee to be quite delicious and tastes fabulous no matter what grind you use.

Below is a list of the most common coffee makers and the type of coffee grind required to properly brew coffee with them. After reviewing them all you will be able to pick which type of coffee maker you have and the appropriate grinding method. The majority of all coffee grinders on the market have each grind setting that will be covered in this topic.

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Types Of Coffee Grinds

Coarse- Distinct large bulky grounds of coffee, much like heavy grained kosher salt.
Medium - Gritty just like that wonderful beach sand.
Fine - Smooth to the touch and a little finer than granulated sugar and table salt.
Extra Fine - Finer than granulated sugar but not yet powdered.
Turkish - The finest grind yet which looks like flour and feels like powder.


Auto/Manual Drip Coffee Makers Using Paper Filters

This is the most common coffee maker which you pour water into the top of the brewer to start the brewing process, or the auto where you just press the start button and the coffee begins brewing. Some automatic drip coffee makers can pulsate the water to extract the flavor of the bean better. This style coffee maker will have a round filter basket with a flat bottom and flat bottomed filter. This grind we call a Medium Grind, the coffee feels and looks much like beach sand.


Auto/Manual Drip Coffee Makers Using Steel Filters

If you are using a stainless steel filter basket with a bottom wire mesh then this brew funnel will give you optimal flavoring. A traditional paper filter does not let all of the intended oils and flavors to pass through where a steel filter basket will. Also, you can experiment with the coffee grind making it a little coarse or finer for your exact taste. This grind we call a Medium Grind, the coffee feels and looks much like beach sand.


Auto/Manual Drip Coffee Makers Using Cone Paper Filters

This coffee maker is automatic or a pour over and uses a paper or metal coffee filter shaped like a sugar ice cream cone. This brewer is what we call an economy brewer as you use a real fine coffee grind that saturates for a long time to brew the coffee. This coffee maker does not make the best cup of coffee but surely you will get the most out of your coffee beans every time. This grind we call a Fine Grind which is smooth to the touch and a little finer than granulated sugar and table salt.


French Press/Plunger Pot/Percolator Coffee Makers

This brewer actually brews the coffee in hot water opposed to spraying hot water of the coffee grounds. After the grounds have saturated the water a metal filter separates and traps the grounds at the bottom of the carafe. This leaves the fresh brewed coffee ready to drink at the top. This grind we call a Coarse Grind which distinctly looks like large bulky grounds of coffee, much like heavy grained kosher salt.


Vacuum Brewers

This happens to be one of the oldest brewing methods to date among one of the best. It is a toss up between the Vacuum and French Press but this depends on your expertise in brewing. This brewer looks like an hour glass with a small paper or metal filter in between the two halves. Coffee grounds are placed in the upper chamber and water is placed in the lower chamber. As the water heats either by electric or candle the water rises up to the top chamber beginning the brewing process. After cooling the water now coffee in the top chamber seeps back down to the bottom leaving all of the grounds behind in the filter. This now gives you the ultimate cup of specialty coffee. This is accomplished by grinding a few ounces at a time and cleaning your grinder in between grinds. This grind we call a Coarse Vacuum Grind which distinctly looks like large bulky grounds of coffee, much like heavy grained kosher salt without the coffee bean powder. The secret to correct Vacuum grinding is you need to make sure you get no coffee bean dust mixed in with your grounds.


Espresso Machines

Whether you have a home or commercial model espresso machines need the correct grind or they do not operate properly. This grind we call an Extra Fine grind which is finer than granulated sugar but not yet powdered.


Ibrik/Cezve/Jezve/Briki/Mbiki/Toorka Coffee Makers

A small metal pot with a wooden handle that only brews 1-2 cups of strong flavorful coffee. This grind we call a Turkish Grind which is the finest grind yet which looks like flour and feels like powder.