One of the most common questions we hear at White Horse Coffee Roasters is: "What grind should I choose?" The answer depends entirely on your brewing method — and getting it right makes a real difference in your cup. Here's a straightforward guide mapped to our actual grind options.
Our Grind Options at a Glance
- Coarse — French Press & Cold Brew
- Medium — Drip
- Fine — Espresso
- Extra Fine — Turkish
Coarse — French Press & Cold Brew
A coarse grind has chunky, rough particles — think coarse sea salt. It's ideal for French press, where grounds steep directly in hot water for 4 minutes before the plunger separates them. It's also perfect for cold brew, which uses a long, slow steep (12–24 hours) in cold or room-temperature water. The larger particle size prevents over-extraction in both methods, giving you a smooth, full-bodied result.
Avoid a fine grind here — it will over-extract and produce bitter, muddy coffee.
Medium — Drip
A medium grind looks like rough sand and is the sweet spot for automatic drip coffee makers. Water passes through at a controlled rate, so a medium grind allows for balanced extraction — not too fast, not too slow. If you're using a pour-over like a Chemex, a medium-coarse grind works beautifully here too.
Fine — Espresso
A fine grind is silky and powdery — close to table salt in texture. Espresso machines force hot water through tightly packed grounds at high pressure in about 25–30 seconds. A fine grind creates the resistance needed for that rich, concentrated shot. Pour-over methods like a V60 can also use a medium-fine to fine grind for a brighter, more complex cup.
Extra Fine — Turkish
Extra fine is almost as fine as flour. It's used for Turkish coffee, where grounds are simmered directly in water (not filtered out), so the grind must be ultra-fine to brew quickly and settle to the bottom of the cup.
Quick Reference
| Grind | Best For | Brew Time |
|---|---|---|
| Coarse | French Press, Cold Brew | 4 min / 12–24 hrs |
| Medium | Drip, Pour-Over (Chemex) | 5–8 min |
| Fine | Espresso, V60 Pour-Over | 25–30 sec / 2–3 min |
| Extra Fine | Turkish | 2–3 min |
Ready to Brew?
Browse our White Horse Coffee collection and select your grind at checkout. And when you're ready to dial in your technique, check out our Brew Guides for step-by-step instructions on French press, pour-over, espresso, and more.
Have a question about which grind is right for you? Stop by our cafe or reach out — we're always happy to talk coffee.