Rinsing to reduce coffee fines

#1: Post by **DavidMLewis** » May 29th, 2015, 2:42 pm

ChefSteps has a class on coffee, featuring Ben Kaminsky and James Hoffman. One of the techniques they mentioned was one I had never heard of before, primarily for brewing. They get a more unimodal particle size distribution by rinsing the ground coffee. First they put the coffee into a coarse kitchen sieve and shake it, retaining and then discarding the large particles that would underextract. Then they take what is left and put it into a fine kitchen sieve. Using cold tap water and the spray nozzle on the faucet, they rinse the coffee until it runs clear. This removes the fines. At this point, the coffee has roughly doubled in weight due to the absorption of water, so the brew ratio has to be adjusted. But it's quite unimodal, and tastes noticeably different and cleaner. It definitely takes more time, and will add a shade to ones already colorful reputation for those of us who do not live alone, but it's also easy and worth a try.

Best,
David

#2: Post by **another_jim** » May 29th, 2015, 2:57 pm

It's an interesting idea.

On the other hand, I find it surprising how much the modern light roasts are like the old triage espresso coffees of 1950s Italy, where you had to let the first few drops of the shot run into the drip tray to avoid the skank. When did fines and boulders start tasting so objectionable? Isn't it time to just say these are terrible roasts, rather than reengineering everything else to make them half way acceptable?

I'll try it, but I'm wondering how much of a difference it will make if the roast isn't some neurasthenic basket case.

#3: Post by **brianl** » May 29th, 2015, 3:06 pm

I always thought boulders and fines added to complexity

I'm more worried about the clean up. I've started sieving fines just to see how it changes otherwise identical parameters. Adding this couldn't be terribly worse.

#4: Post by **aecletec** » May 29th, 2015, 7:59 pm

It's been mentioned here before...
Grind Sifting for Brewed Coffee I can't find where I originally read about it, however.

Having tried it I can say that I found it useful only for particular roasts that were difficult to brew.
+1 to another_jim...

<edit> Cold water pre-wash for French press here we go!

#5: Post by **NoStream** » May 29th, 2015, 8:11 pm

DavidMLewis wrote:First they put the coffee into a coarse kitchen sieve and shake it, retaining and then discarding the large particles that would underextract.

Any suggestions for a sieve? I've tried using a tea strainer, but I can't find the right size. Importantly, this step should remove chaff in addition to boulders.

The fines step seems interesting but perhaps overkill.

And regarding roast criticisms, Heart, Ritual, 49th, etc. do not sieve on bar. There's no need for the harshness. This technique could benefit all roast levels - given how nasty dark roast chaff tastes, perhaps darker roasts more so.

#6: Post by **jyounk** » May 29th, 2015, 9:02 pm

This topic was discussed at length and you can see it her: Grind Sifting for Brewed Coffee

Erin Mcarthy and Matt Perger both used sifting in their brewers cup routine

May 29th, 2015, 10:25 pm

Funny, I used a tea strainer for the fines and then a mesh colander for the boulders last night for the chemex/skerton. I didn't even think about pre-wetting the grounds. I wish I had better sieves, but it did make my skertons grind more bearable

#8: Post by **aecletec** » May 29th, 2015, 10:50 pm

Isn't the topic "rinsing" not merely sifting?

#9: Post by **day** » May 29th, 2015, 10:52 pm

brianl wrote:I always thought boulders and fines added to complexity

I'm more worried about the clean up. I've started sieving fines just to see how it changes otherwise identical parameters. Adding this couldn't be terribly worse.

I imagine that type of complexity would best be achieved by grinding two doses of unimodal grinds seperatly but with different grind settings, brewing them with different parameters to alter the extraction for a desired flavor, and then blending the final product.

#10: Post by **IMAWriter** » May 29th, 2015, 11:46 pm

aecletec wrote:Isn't the topic "rinsing" not merely sifting?

Good point.

OK, sifting/rinsing using a Skerton or similar grinder I could maybe see. But guys like Mr Perger are using $2400 EK43 grinders, purported to put out an extraordinarily uniform grind. If not, and these extraordinary measures are needed, why not then use a K30 Vario, Ditting, or Baratza Forte BG (I love mine) and if so moved, then do their sifting/rinse procedure?