Sure there are different types of coffee grinds, but does it really matter that much which one you use? Baristas and coffee enthusiasts know the answer is a resounding yes! Getting the grind right for your brewing method can be just as if not more important than getting high-quality beans. If you don’t grind correctly, even the best beans can taste pretty bad. This deep dive into coffee beans and the types of grinds for coffee will walk you through what they are, how to use them, and exactly how the grind affects your overall brew.
What are the different types of coffee beans?
There’s a lot to learn about coffee beans, but to keep things simple for our purposes let’s just look at the types. There are four main types of coffee bean:
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Arabica: originates from Ethiopia and is believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated; it makes up about 60% of all global production and is known for its smooth, sweet taste and strong aroma
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Robusta: originates from central and sub-Saharan Africa, it’s less acidic with an earthy, bitter flavor which is part of what makes it a common choice for espresso
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Liberica: originates from western and central Africa, the beans are larger than Arabica and Robusta and have a floral, fruity scent and a smoky, nutty flavor
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Excelsa: cultivated mainly in southeast Asia, it’s actually a variety of the liberica species, much less common than any of the other types, it’s known for its tart and fruity profile
Almost 100% of the coffee in the US, however, will be Arabica or Robusta. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of variation in flavor among the beans with roast levels, country of origin, blends, flavors, and more.
Does coffee grind size actually matter?
The different coffee grinds aren’t just to make your life more complicated, but they’re important to your bean type and brewing method.
So what are coffee grounds really?
On a basic level, it’s the best way to extract the most flavor from your coffee. Because different brewing methods have different steep times and water pressure, that means the method affects how long the beans are in contact with the water around them.
Some brew methods keep the grounds steeping for longer with little to no pressure (like French press), which means you can use a larger grind to extract more flavor without resulting in a bitter taste. Alternately, an espresso machine requires a finer grind because the water is being forced through the grounds extremely rapidly. It is very important to make sure you have the right grinder to get the texture you need.
The most common grind types
Extra-coarse grinds
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What do they look like? Chunky, similar to sea salt
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Best for: Cold brew and cowboy coffee
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Extraction tips: For cold brew, long steeping (12+ hours) is necessary to get flavor without overdoing it. That’s why it’s the best type of grind for cold brew, which can steep as long as 48 hours. For cowboy coffee, the larger grounds are because there’s no filter to strain them, you need the grounds to sink to the bottom of the pot quickly.
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Mouthfeel: Smooth, low acidity, low bitterness
Coarse grinds
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What do they look like? Think kosher salt or breadcrumbs.
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Best for: French press or percolators
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Extraction tips: Coarse grinds prevent over-extraction and silty residue in immersion brewers. The grounds need to be large enough to be trapped by the mesh and metal filters so anything too fine will just pass through.
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Mouthfeel: Rich, silky, and a fuller mouthfeel
Medium grind
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What do they look like? Looks and feels like regular sand; it’s the kind you’ll see at grocery stores in preground bags
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Best for: Standard for auto-drip coffee machines
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Extraction tips: This gives a good balance between flow rate and surface area for flat-bottom filters. That’s why if you’re wondering what type of grind is best for drip coffee, this is your best bet. But if the coffee tastes bitter or sour, trying a slightly coarser grind might help.
Medium-fine grind
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What do they look like? Slightly finer than sand, like table salt but not powdery
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Best for: Pour-over brewers like V60 or Kalita Wave as well as the AeroPress
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Extraction tips: Offers good extraction in cone-shaped filters where water flows through quickly and there’s a short extraction time. It helps you pull more flavor, without getting bitterness.
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Mouthfeel: Thinner and juicier than other methods
Fine grind
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What do they look like? Smooth and consistent, like table salt
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Best for: Espresso machines, and some AeroPress methods
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Extraction tips: High pressure and short brew times (25–30 seconds) require maximum surface area for flavor extraction. A finer grind, means more area for the water to touch and more opportunity to pull out flavor. Use high-quality tools like tampers and distribution tools to get the best flavor from your grind for espresso!
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Mouthfeel: Dense and creamy
Extra-fine grind
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What do they look like? Powdery, like flour or talcum powder
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Best for: Turkish coffee
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Extraction tips: Needs a grind so fine that it suspends in the water, not filtered, so you’ll need a specialty, high-end mill to achieve it. Most Western coffee paraphernalia won’t be able to help you here, so do your research before purchasing anything!
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Mouthfeel: Super bold and full-bodied, often described as a real punch by those used to Western-style coffee
Now add professional-quality coffee accessories to the mix
Once you understand the different types of coffee grinds, you can look for ways to take the rest of your coffee setup and elevate it. That’s where Pesado’s professional-quality coffee accessories can help. If you’re an espresso fiend, then distribution tools and tamping stations will be calling your name. If you brew a drip or pour-over, then check out the coffee cellars and ceramic mug sets and more. The whole collection is dedicated to helping home-brewers make the best cup of joe possible.
