Espresso Grind Size Visual Guide Tool

Visual guide to espresso grind size based on your machine, beans, and taste issues to avoid channeling or over/under extraction.

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Visual aid for grind calibration.

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We ask for machine type, bean roast, current taste issue, grinder type, current grind setting, and dose because these determine ideal texture. These inputs ensure proper grind adjustment. Limitation: the tool uses analogies and may not match exact grinder calibration marks.

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Ideal Espresso Grind Texture

To achieve the perfect espresso shot, the grind size is crucial. For your setup, we aim for a fine grind texture, akin to granulated sugar. This texture allows for optimal water flow and extraction during brewing, especially with a super automatic machine.

Visual Analogy

• Table Salt: Too coarse, leading to fast flow and under-extraction.
• Granulated Sugar: Ideal for your setup, providing a balanced flow and rich flavor.
• Powdered Sugar: Too fine, causing clogging and over-extraction.

Adjustment Steps

1. Start with the Base Grind: Begin with a fine grind similar to granulated sugar.
2. Check Extraction: Brew a shot and observe the flow and taste.
3. Adjust Grind Size:
   • If the shot is sour and flows too quickly, go finer (like powdered sugar).
   • If the shot is bitter or flows too slowly, go coarser (like table salt).

How Roast Level and Machine Affect Grind

Roast Level

• Dark Roast: Typically, dark roasts require a slightly coarser grind due to their oil content and lower acidity. This helps avoid over-extraction, which can accentuate bitterness.

Machine Type

• Super Automatic Machines: These machines often have built-in grinders that may not allow for precise adjustments. They tend to grind finer than manual grinders. Therefore, you may need to adjust the grind size more cautiously to achieve the desired taste profile.

Adjustment Paths

1. Path 1: Sour / Fast Flow
   • Current Texture: Fine (like granulated sugar)
   • Adjustment:
     • Make the grind finer (towards powdered sugar).
     • Decrease brew time slightly to avoid excessive extraction.
2. Path 2: Balanced Flavor
   • Current Texture: Fine (like granulated sugar)
   • Adjustment:
     • Maintain the grind size but adjust the coffee dose.
     • Increase to 19g for a richer extraction while maintaining the grind texture.

By following these guidelines, you’ll be on the right track to achieving a balanced and flavorful espresso shot.

Brought to you by TheToolCollective.com

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Built by The Tool Collective team. As you may know, we are a group of diverse multi-hobby individuals with loads of unique interests. Coffee/Espresso, quite literally, keeps us all going everyday and allows us to make these tools and produce fast, efficient, quality, content for our users. With age, our overall tastes for coffee have changed significantly and we all truly appreciate it for it's variations and palatable beauty. We truly LOVE coffee, and we want to bring a huge batch of highly useful and helpful tools for those that share this enthusiasm for this delicious and impactful beverage. You'll find product decision engines, and highly intelligent advisory tools to help level up your brewing skill. Enjoy!

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Made with The Tool Collective's signature model. We combine an AI engine which process the user's input choices and runs it through our specifically designed logic and reasoning parameters for that tool to curate a precise and organized output. An enthusiast knowledgeable in the tool category designs the tools inputs and input choices, writes custom logic parameters, and defines the output format and requirements. The AI engine powers the system and creates a lightning fast, highly intelligent decision tool, which is always up-to-date with current pricing and publicly available information on whatever the tool is designed for. Combines all of the internets resources into one.

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