Mondo Knows Facts
Coffee grind size sets how fast flavour is extracted
Finer grounds give more surface area and a faster, harsher extraction
Water dissolves flavour compounds from the surface of the grounds inward, so a fine grind extracts quickly and can turn bitter if it is left too long. A coarse grind for a French press needs several minutes to reach the same point. Espresso uses a very fine grind and a short, pressurised shot to balance the two.
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Tags: coffee, grinding, extraction
Coffee grind size sets how fast flavour is extracted: the short answers
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- Finer grounds give more surface area and a faster, harsher extraction. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
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