How Should I Grind Coffee Blends For Drip Coffee?

Owning a coffee blend does not require a special grind. For drip brewing, use a medium grind, a little finer than French press and much coarser than espresso.

That’s the setting Starbucks and the National Coffee Association both list as the standard for drip coffee. Aim for a texture like coarse sand or gritty table salt.

Taste makes the final call. Brew a test pot, then grind slightly finer if the cup is weak or sour, or slightly coarser if it turns bitter.

Getting Specific About “Medium”

“Medium” is a texture, but it also has a number behind it. Standards published by the Specialty Coffee Association describe drip filter brewing as a medium grind of roughly 750 to 850 microns for both flat-bottom and cone systems.

Six Sigma…flavor success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an espresso blend need the espresso grind setting?

No, and this is a classic trap. Espresso needs a fine grind, but an espresso-roasted coffee pushed to espresso fineness in a drip machine extracts quickly and muddies the cup.

A melange behaves more reliably around medium-table-salt territory. For pour-over brewing, ease finer one click at a time, only if your sip is bright and sharp.

Why is my brew stalling and spilling over?

A rising bed with visible mud and hollow craters indicates nonuniform grinds or fines overload. Enforce a burr grind and shift slightly coarser until the flow returns to normal.

You made it this far, so here’s a final exam on ratios: dose heavier, brew longer, push finer.