| Use
the right grind of coffee for your coffeemaker. Different brewing
methods require different grinds, because how finely or coarsely your
coffee is ground determines how quickly water will pass through it.
The taste of the coffee is dependent upon extraction. Extraction is
determined by the grind of the coffee and the amount of time it is
in contact with the water. A grind that is too coarse for the method
you use allows the water to pass through too quickly, yielding under-extracted,
watery coffee. A grind that is too fine for your method allows the
water too much contact with the ground beans, over-extracting flavors
and producing a bitter cup of coffee. Keep in mind that the best flavor
is always extracted at the beginning of the process, and that a fine
grind is only for espresso or one-cup coffee makers. A blade grinder, whose twin stainless-steel cutting surfaces whirl and chop coffee beans, makes the beans finer the longer you process them. These grinders do a good job, though you have to pay careful attention to get the right grind. If you're going to use a blade grinder, be sure to shake it while grinding to even out the grind. We recommend a burr-type grinder which uniformly grinds the beans to your desired consistency. See our Gifts & Accessories section for Aroma's recommendation on quality grinders. |
