Why is a good bean grinder so important?
First of all, because you can't buy standard ground coffee from us! Read the reason why here.
But the grinding degree (how coarse or fine the coffee is ground) is really very important. A barista will adjust the grinding degree of his bean grinder(s) every morning, or every time a new type of beans is used. The grinding degree determines the throughput time of an espresso machine, and an ideal adjustment is required.
If the throughput time is too short, you will get under-extraction and a sour taste. If it takes too long, you will get a bitter taste due to over-extraction.
But not only baristas play with this, with a Hario V60 filter setup there is almost no resistance due to the design of the dripper with the large hole, just a little of the filter paper. So if you want to influence the throughput time, you will have to grind coarser or finer. This means you have a major impact on the final taste.
The difference between a manual or electric grinder is clear, but where do the price differences come from? Apart from extra options (auto-dosing, zero-retention, etc.), an important difference between cheap and expensive options is the consistency of the result.
Many ultrafine particles can clog the (porta)filter or block the water for too long, while larger chunks (the so-called 'boulders') cause under-extraction (sour taste). Ideally, all coffee particles are exposed to water for an equal amount of time, without the sour and bitter effects that are unavoidable with under- and over-extraction due to inconsistent grinding.
Click here for our range of bean grinders, or contact us for your personal advice.
