¿Cómo cambia la molienda la extracción del espresso?

Chocolate, Coffee & Drinks

For espresso, a finer grind generally increases extraction, but it also slows the shot and can make the coffee bed harder for water to pass through. Research suggests that grind size works together with flow rate, temperature, pressure, and the amount of fines, so changing grind size alone does not guarantee a better-tasting cup.

Studies of espresso report that smaller particles can increase extraction of dissolved material and some measured compounds. However, finer grounds—especially when they contain more fines—can reduce water flow and lengthen extraction. One espresso study found that flow rate had the strongest effect on the amount of several compounds in the cup, with its influence more noticeable at finer grinds. In practical terms, grind finer when extraction seems too low, but watch for a slow, restricted shot; grind coarser when the shot is running too slowly. The research measures chemistry and extraction behavior more directly than taste, so it does not establish one ideal grind size for every espresso setup.

What this answer does not cover

• This synthesis uses titles and abstracts, not a full-text systematic review.
• Bibliographic index coverage and metadata can be incomplete or delayed.
• Retraction and publication-status metadata can be incomplete across connected indexes.
• Paper quality and risk of bias were not independently assessed.
• This synthesis uses supplied titles and abstracts rather than full papers, so experimental details and context could not be checked.
• The studies use different machines, coffee samples, grind-size measures, temperatures, pressures, and brewing methods, so their results are not directly interchangeable.
• Several studies focus on chemical extraction or flow rather than sensory quality; the evidence does not establish a universal best grind size.
• One included study concerns filtered fermented coffee rather than espresso, so it is only indirectly relevant.

Papers used (8)

1. The role of fines in espresso extraction dynamics — Scientific Reports, 2024
2. The effect of temperature, pressure, and grind size on Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and extraction yield of semi-automatic espresso machines — Jurnal Polimesin, 2024
3. Optimization of Espresso Coffee extraction with different particle size distribution and analysis through GC-MS and HPLC-VWD. — Unicam Scientific Publications (University of Camerino), 2018
4. Enhancing variables for Espresso Coffee extraction. — Unicam Scientific Publications (University of Camerino), 2018
5. Effects of Total Dissolved Solids, Extraction Yield, Grinding, and Method of Preparation on Antioxidant Activity in Fermented Specialty Coffee — Fermentation, 2022
6. Influence of Flow Rate, Particle Size, and Temperature on Espresso Extraction Kinetics — Foods, 2023
7. How the variance of some extraction variables may affect the quality of espresso coffees served in coffee shops — Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2015
8. Modeling study of coffee extraction at different temperature and grind size conditions to better understand the cold and hot brewing process — Journal of Food Process Engineering, 2021

Answer last checked 2026-11-03T06:38:12.058Z. Answerlog reads titles and abstracts, not full papers, and does not assess study quality or claim consensus.

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