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Coffee Grind Size for AeroPress
Grind size: medium-fine
Brew time: 1-2 minutes
Quantities: 17g coffee > 220ml water
Best for: Americano, Espresso
So where better to start than the AeroPress itself. The AeroPress gives you a consistently good brew, is easy to clean and can be put in a travel or hand bag and can be easily taken with you wherever you go. Invented in 2005 by Alan Adler, the AeroPress has definitely made a goood name for itself in the coffee world.
What the Experts Say:
“Contemplate the purchase of a metal filter. Paper filters do a great job but you can lose some of the coffees acidity and body. A metal IMS filter will help increase the sweetness, add more acidity and boost up the body” – Dan Harvey, Small Batch Coffee Roasters
How to Grind Coffee for a Stovetop (Percolator)
Grind size: fine
Brew time: varies depending on size
Quantities: as advised on your maker
Best for: Espresso
The stovetop method of brewing coffee, quite often referred to as a percolator has been around since about 1812 and is a great way of making Italian style coffee. It offers a rich coffee aroma, which smells great around your home. One of the best advantages of using a stovetop is that you don’t need electricity to make it, which is ideal if you go camping and don’t want to settle for sub-standard coffee.
What the Experts Say:
“Do not wait until all the brewing water has ascended into the top chamber before you take the brewer off the heat. When a little over half of your water has risen through, turn off the heat, remove the pot & place it in a cold water or ice bath. This stops any over-brewing due to excess heat or long time under temperature.” – Ollie Sears, North Star Coffee Roasters
Coffee Grind Size for Cafetiere
Grind size: coarse
Brew time: 4-6 minutes
Quantities: 1:10 e.g. 40 grams coffee > 400 grams water
Best for: various
Invented by Attilio Calimani in 1929, the cafetiere is one of the most popular ways of brewing coffee all around the world. The great thing about using a cafetiere to brew coffee is the fact that you can make multiple cups at one time and it can be used to make a wide range of coffee types.
What the Experts Say:
“Always heat the cafetiere and your cups in advance – it keeps the coffee that little bit hotter for longer. Boil a kettle and pour in while you prepare your grind. When you give the grinds a stir – preferably use something bamboo or wooden. Let the coffee bloom for 30 seconds. This is when the final gas release takes place; the grinds float to the top.” – Stacia Dwyer, The Roasted Bean Company
Grinding Coffee for a Chemex
Grind size: medium
Brew time: 4:30
Quantities: 52g coffee > 700g water (2 mugs)
Best for: Black coffee
Using a chemex is a great way of making pour over coffee for more than one person. Not only does making coffee with a chemex give you a great coffee, it’s also simple to use and looks great as an addition to your kitchen accessories.
What the Experts Say:
“With Chemex we find it’s all about a steady even pour. Practice pouring in a spiral motion from the centre out – you know your coffee has been evenly extracted when after brewing the grounds in the filter are all moist and level” – Emma Jones, Footprint Coffee
Coffee Grind Size for Hario V60
Grind size: medium
Brew time: 2:15-2:30
Quantities: 26g coffee > 340g water
Best for: various coffee types
The Hario V60 is an awesome little coffee accessory that is a quick and easy way of making high quality pour-over coffee. Hario brought the V60 to the table in 2005, making it easy to use, easy to clean and requiring minimal equipment.
What the Experts Say:
“Try using Volvic bottled water. Tap water can be extremely hard and will make good coffee taste worse. Volvic has just the right amount of TDS (total dissolved solids). These act as flavour carriers, giving you a evenly extracted brew.” – Matt Randal, Climpson & Sons
“Be sure to wet the filter at the start as this prevents any papery bitterness. When pouring with a gooseneck kettle the stream should be vertical but not dripping. Start with a flat bed of coffee and aim to finish with a flat bed of coffee.” – Mike Steele, 200 Degrees