# Grind sizes for different brew methods



## Pablo (Mar 19, 2011)

I saw Earlepap's nice picture of Chemex and V60 grind in the V60 grind comparison thread but has anyone produced a picture of ideal grind sizes for all the popular brew methods, ideally in order of size and perhaps with a brew ratio?

I was thinking:

French press

Chemex

V60

Clever Dripper

Syphon

Aeropress

The more the better!!


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

Trouble is I'm not sure there's really such thing as an ideal grind size - more a range. With most brewers you can alter the technique to the grind size or vice versa. Things aren't always obvious and linear either. For instance, yesterday I recalibrated my grinder to give more at the coarse end of the scale. When re-dialling in some beans for an Aeropress I noticed that there's a point where grinding finer actually gets less extraction - with the technique I was using anyway. My guess is that it was a case of the grinds clumping and not all getting a decent soak or just sinking to the bottom, not doing much.

Digression. Back to the OP, maybe a good start would be just thinking of the limits of each brewing device in terms of grind size. Here's what I can think of:

FP - medium drip to super coarse. Change steep time to suit. Limited by how much silt you can live with in the cup.

Chemex - same again. Change dose/pouring technique to suit. Too fine can clog.

V60 - near espresso to fine drip. Dose/technique to suit. Difficult to clog in my experience; too coarse and the water just pisses through.

CCD - fine drip to coarse. Steep time dependent. Can clog if too fine. Draw down time changes a lot depending on grind, don't know how much extraction is going on during this phase compared to steep.

Syphon - I've no idea!

Aeropress - pretty much anything your grinder can produce. God I love the Aeropress.


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## Pablo (Mar 19, 2011)

Thanks Earlepap







That does make a lot of sense.

I was thinking of a medium starting point for each method but of course, as you point out, it depends on the way that you produce the brew.

The idea came from Six Eight Kafé who grind beans for customers using a Vario and have a blackboard with Vario settings for different methods.

I think more brew practise is in order on my part as I've been neglecting everything bar the Aeropress since I got started with the Classic.

As for the syphon, I've always gone for medium drip which seems to produce good results.

Thanks again for your input!


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