Show Notes
Do bigger burrs make better coffee? Are flat burrs cleaner than conical burrs? And why can two grinds that look the same brew completely differently?
Astrophysicist and Coffee Ad Astra author Jonathan Gagné joins Rohan and Ben to unpack what grinders actually do to coffee. They get into particle size distributions, fines, burr seasoning, freezing beans and espresso flow, then tackle the coffee claims that sound certain even when the science isn’t.
If you’re new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we’ll always remind ourselves that at the end of the day, it’s just coffee!
CHAPTERS!00:00 Why grinders became coffee’s big obsession02:04 Meet Jonathan Gagné03:11 APAX LAB03:53 From astrophysics to Coffee Ad Astra07:22 Are bigger burrs actually better?12:08 Burr heat, extraction and grinder myths16:24 Flat, conical and burr seasoning17:45 Static, freezing beans and keeping coffee fresh23:20 What particle size distribution really means32:04 Why some coffees produce more fines37:00 Should you grind coarser for filter coffee?43:11 What the 300 grind tests revealed48:49 How water moves through an espresso puck58:34 Filter coffee claims that don’t hold up1:01:58 Tamp pressure and puck preparation1:06:53 Does “high clarity” mean better flavour?1:13:23 What we still don’t know about coffee and water1:18:43 How to question confident coffee claims1:21:49 Where to find Jonathan
Explore Jonathan’s work: https://coffeeadastra.com/Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jgagneastrocoffee/
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Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.
Proudly sponsored by:APAX LAB: https://apaxlab.com/
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