Coffee Grind Size Explained: How to Match Your Grind to Your Brew Method

Grinding coffee is more than a technical step — it’s the foundation of every brew. The grind size you choose determines how water interacts with the coffee, affecting everything from extraction time to flavor clarity and balance.

Whether you're using a moka pot, French press, or V60, matching your grind size to your brew method is critical. Here's how to get it right.

Why Grind Size Matters

Grind size controls the surface area of the coffee particles, which directly affects:

Extraction speed (how fast flavors dissolve)
Flavor profile (under vs. over-extracted)
Brewing time (fast methods need finer grinds, slow ones need coarser)

Too fine = bitter and over-extracted
Too coarse = sour and under-extracted

Coffee Grind Size Chart

Grind Size	Texture	Best For	Brew Time
Extra Coarse	Peppercorn-like	Cold brew	12–24 hours steep
Coarse	Sea salt	French press, percolator	4–6 minutes
Medium-Coarse	Kosher salt	Chemex, Clever dripper	3.5–5 minutes
Medium	Sand	Drip machines, pour-over (Hario V60)	2.5–4 minutes
Medium-Fine	Table salt	AeroPress (with short steep), siphon	2–3 minutes
Fine	Powdered sugar	Espresso, AeroPress (with pressure)	20–30 seconds
Extra Fine (Turkish)	Flour	Turkish coffee	45–60 seconds boil

Lebanese Context: Grind Size for Local Methods

Moka pot (common in Lebanese households): Use a fine grind, just slightly coarser than espresso.
Turkish coffee: Requires an extra fine grind, almost flour-like — often done with a dedicated grinder.
Pour-over (for newer home brewers): Start with a medium grind and adjust based on taste.

Signs Your Grind Size Is Off

Sour, weak, watery: Grind is too coarse → coffee under-extracted
Bitter, harsh, dry aftertaste: Grind is too fine → coffee over-extracted
Muddy texture in French press: Grind is too fine → switch to coarse
Espresso pulls too fast or too slow: Adjust grind one notch at a time and time your shot

Always grind fresh just before brewing. Pre-ground coffee loses aroma and oxidizes faster.

How to Adjust Grind Size

If your coffee tastes flat: try grinding finer to increase extraction
If it’s bitter or dry: try grinding coarser
Use a burr grinder for consistent particle size — blade grinders produce uneven grinds, which leads to inconsistent brews