Reference
Brew methods, fine to coarse
Every method wants a different grind, and “medium-coarse” is a different number on every grinder. Each page below gives the parameters and then the actual setting for yours.
| Method | Grind | Ratio | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Very fine | 1:2 | 200°F | 0:28 |
| AeroPress | Fine to medium-fine | 1:14 | 185°F | 1:30 |
| Pour Over | Medium-fine | 1:16.7 | 205°F | 3 min |
| Drip | Medium | 1:16 | 200°F | 5 min |
| Batch Brew | Medium | 1:16.5 | 200°F | 6 min |
| Immersion | Medium-coarse | 1:15.5 | 205°F | 4 min |
| French Press | Coarse | 1:15 | 200°F | 4 min |
| Cold Brew | Very coarse | 1:8 | 68°F | 12 hours |
Espresso
Very fine · 1:2
Roughly nine bars of pressure through a compacted puck of very finely ground coffee. The least forgiving method and the one where grinder quality matters most.
AeroPress
Fine to medium-fine · 1:14
Immersion plus gentle pressure through a paper filter. The most forgiving brewer there is, and the one with the widest usable grind range.
Pour Over
Medium-fine · 1:16.7
Water poured by hand over a cone of coffee, drawn through paper by gravity. The method that rewards attention and punishes inconsistency.
Drip
Medium · 1:16
An automatic brewer doing the pouring for you. Consistent by design, and limited by whatever the machine decides about temperature and flow.
Batch Brew
Medium · 1:16.5
Drip brewing at volume — a litre or more at once. The method cafés use for filter coffee, and the one most sensitive to bed depth.
Immersion
Medium-coarse · 1:15.5
Steep-and-release brewers — Clever Dripper, Hario Switch and similar. Immersion consistency with a paper filter for clarity.
French Press
Coarse · 1:15
Full immersion with a metal mesh filter. Heavier, rounder and more forgiving than pour over, at the cost of some clarity.
Cold Brew
Very coarse · 1:8
A long steep at room temperature or in the fridge. Low acidity, heavy sweetness, and almost impossible to get badly wrong.
Your grinder, your number
Turn any of these into a real setting
Dial-in charts for 78 grinders, and a converter that translates between any two.