What is the Best Grind Size When Brewing Hawaiian Coffee? | 2023 Update

Brewing coffee is an art form, and it all starts with the grinding. Whether working with the best Kona Coffee Hawaii produces or a more generic bag of beans, it's all in the grind.

But if you really are a true specialty coffee aficionado, you'll have noticed a deliberate error in the title of this piece:

There’s no such thing as the ‘best’ overall grind size when brewing Hawaiian coffee, or any other gourmet coffee.

Instead, the type of grind you should go with is determined entirely by the method you are using to brew your coffee.  Be it the best Kona Coffee beans on the market or something entirely less sophisticated, it’s always your preferred brewing method that dictates the appropriate grind size.

The good news is that once you've mastered the art of the grind, you'll be well on your way to producing superior coffee at home. Particularly if you also set yourself up with a bag of premium Hawaiian coffee beans.

With the aim of keeping things as simple as possible, what follows is a brief overview of the kind of grind size you should be aiming for, based on the four most popular coffee brewing methods used by specialty coffee lovers around the planet in 2023:

For French Press

French press is known for its full-bodied flavor, and a coarse grind is the best way to achieve that. Coarse grinds are larger, and it will take longer for the hot water to extract the flavor from the grounds. The result will be a richer cup of coffee.

For Pour Over

Pour over coffee requires a medium-fine grind. A medium-fine grind will allow the hot water to extract the flavor quickly, resulting in a cleaner cup of coffee. The grind should look like coarse beach sand.

For Drip

Drip coffee requires a fine grind. The smaller grind size will allow the hot water to extract the flavor quickly, resulting in a lighter cup of coffee. The grind should look like table salt or sugar.

For Espresso

Espresso coffee requires an extra-fine grind (finer than this only if you're brewing using the Turkish method). The small grind size will allow the hot water to extract the flavor quickly, resulting in a strong cup of coffee. The grind should look like powder.

In all of the above instances, there’s plenty of room for experimentation. Opting for a coarser or finer texture with any coffee brewing method will affect the properties of the coffee you brew, so feel free to indulge in a little trial and error to find your perfect recipe.

On a final note, swapping out a low-quality electric grinder for a good manual coffee grinder comes highly recommended. A good burr grinder will allow you to adjust the grind size with much greater precision, while at the same time ensuring the grounds you produce are more even. Both of which can have a major impact on the quality of the resulting cup.

At Hayman’s online coffee store, you will find the best coffee beans in the world, including Kona coffee from Hawaii (i.e. 100% pure Kona coffee, freshly roasted just before being shipped to you). Click here to order today, we offer free worldwide shipping!