Why is coffee ground to different particle size for different brewing methods?
Each brewing method such as drip, perk, french press, espresso etc. involves different times of contact between water and ground coffee. Espresso takes only 30 seconds; the grounds are very fine to give maximum surface contact with the water for full extraction. In a french press, the granules stay in contact with water and are well immersed for about 4-5 minutes. The coffee is ground coarse for french press, both to prevent over- extraction by reducing the surface area of contact between coffee and water and to make it easier to filter through the metal filter. • Are there differences in coffees from different parts of producing countries? The quality of coffee and its characteristic taste and aroma differ not only from one region to another but also from year to year depending on rainfall and other weather conditions. Coffee from countries like Guatemala with different altitudes, rainfall and many microclimates can vary vastly from one region to the next, and also within a region. •
