In the second of two episodes about coffee grinders, Kenneth and Starved Rock Coffee Co's Matt McLaughlin go even deeper into this very important subject. Today, they dive into the blade vs grinder debate and share which one is best.  They talk through the pros and cons of burr grinders, explaining the difference between conical and flat, and covering the subject of grind speed.

They also look at dosing vs non-dosing grinders, step vs stepless, and Puqpress vs tamping of espresso shots by a barista.  They round discussion out by talking all things hand grinders.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Blade grinders do not produce a consistent grind size.
• Burrs are perfectly spaced to produce a far more consistent grind.
• Matt explains how to maintain your burr grinder.
• If you start to get an odd taste, try cleaning your burrs.
• Step grinders tend to be more precisely engineered.
• Each individual grinder has its own characteristics.
• A puqpress is the best way to ensure consistency for espresso.
• Hand grinders work well and are significantly quieter than electric grinders.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Think about burrs as being two plates with the perfect spacing in between them.´

‘The low-speed grinder produces less heat, less noise and less static.’

‘As you use a grinder more, the burrs get worn down a bit, so you´re going to have to make adjustments.’

GUEST RESOURCES

Matt McLaughlin, Starved Rock Coffee Co

https://starvedrockcoffeecompany.com/

@starvedrockcoffeecompany on social

Baratza Encore Grinder - https://baratza.com/grinder/encore/

Urnex grindz burr grinder cleaner - https://urnex.com/grindz-grinder-cleaning-tablets

Hario hand grinder - https://www.hario-usa.com/collections/grinders

Extraction Coffee 101 episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-extraction-a-key-to-making-the-perfect-cup/id1616624229?i=100060644252

Earlier Coffee101 episode with Matt - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-is-good-coffee-so-expensive/id1616624229?i=1000586376243

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Award-winning single-origin specialty coffee: https://umblecoffee.com/

At Umble Coffee, we only roast specialty-grade arabica coffee from around the world with cupping scores 84 and above. Don’t sabotage yourself in pursuing your goals - drink coffee that tastes better and is better for you. No crash, great taste, and better long-term health benefits. That’s Umble Coffee.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umblecoffee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umblecoffee/

Twitter:  https://mobile.twitter.com/umblecoffee

ABOUT THE HOST

As a coffee lover, physician, chemical engineer, serial entrepreneur, competitive runner, writer, and family man, Kenneth knows what it’s like to push yourself to achieve goals very few accomplish. He’s one of the best specialty coffee roasters in the United States as he’s a multi-year US Coffee Roasters’ Competition Finalist. He created Umble Coffee Co with the belief that, if sourced and roasted right, coffee can taste phenomenal and be good for you.

“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

CONTACT METHOD

Want to reach Kenneth? Have questions, show ideas, or want to just let us know you’re enjoying the show? The best way is to leave us a great review and put your thoughts in the comment section - Kenneth reads all of them! The second-best way is through DM on social media.

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com