I switched from a blade grinder to a burr grinder after a barista in Austin showed me the difference with a blind taste test

The guy at Third Coast Coffee handed me two cups of the same beans, one ground with a blade and one with a burr grinder, and the muddy, bitter mess from the blade grinder made me realize I'd been ruining my coffee for the last 3 years, has anyone else had a specific moment that completely changed their brewing routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliot_miller221mo ago

Wait, so you're telling me I can't just crank the kettle to max and call it a day? I've been out here basically boiling my beans alive like they owe me money, which honestly explains a lot about those bitter cups I've been blaming on the grinder.

wesley831mo ago

The blade grinder vs burr grinder thing hit me hard too, but my moment was with water temperature. I always used boiling water straight off the stove (figured hotter meant better extraction), then a buddy at a cupping session showed me his digital thermometer and said I was scorching the beans before they even got a chance. Dropped to 195-205 degrees and the difference was night and day (less bitterness, actual flavor notes I could name). I grabbed a cheap probe thermometer off Amazon that same week and it's been the single cheapest upgrade to my whole setup, even more than the grinder switch.