Getting the Best Out of Your Commercial Coffee Blend: Brew Recipes and Grinder Dialing

Justin Cornelius
Feb 13
3 min read

Weighing an espresso shot to ensure precision and consistency in brewing.

For any coffee shop, restaurant, or business serving espresso-based drinks, the quality of your coffee depends on more than just using premium beans. Even the best commercial coffee blend can taste subpar if it's not brewed correctly. One of the most effective ways to ensure consistently excellent coffee is by following your roaster’s recommended brew recipe and dialing in your grinder to suit the blend perfectly. This blog will explore why these factors matter and how to implement them for superior results.

Why Your Roaster’s Brew Recipe Matters

Your coffee roaster is an expert on how their blends should be extracted. They have likely spent hours, if not days, testing and refining the optimal parameters for the coffee you serve. By using their recommended brew recipe, you gain insight into:

Optimal Extraction Parameters – Your roaster will provide a guide for espresso or filter coffee, including grind size, dose, yield, and extraction time.
Flavour Balance – Following a set recipe ensures consistency in taste, allowing you to bring out the blend’s intended flavor profile.
Reducing Waste – Instead of wasting coffee through trial and error, a precise recipe helps you dial in quickly and efficiently.

Key Elements of a Brew Recipe

A typical espresso brew recipe from your roaster will include:

Dose: The amount of ground coffee used (e.g., 18g in a double basket)
Yield: The final volume of liquid espresso extracted (e.g., 36g of liquid espresso for a 1:2 ratio)
Time: The extraction time (e.g., 25–30 seconds)
Temperature & Pressure: Ideal brewing conditions (e.g., 93°C water temperature and 9 bars of pressure)

For filter coffee, the recipe may include:

Coffee-to-water ratio (e.g., 1:16)
Brew time (e.g., 3:30 minutes for a pour-over)
Water temperature (e.g., 94°C)

Dialing in Your Grinder for a Perfect Extraction

Your coffee grinder plays a crucial role in ensuring the best extraction. Incorrect grind size can lead to under-extraction (sour, weak coffee) or over-extraction (bitter, harsh coffee). Here’s how to properly dial in your grinder to match your roaster’s brew recipe.

Step 1: Start with the Roaster’s Guidelines

Use the grind size your roaster recommends as a starting point. Every grinder is different, so slight adjustments may be needed, but sticking to their parameters initially will help you get close to the ideal extraction.

Step 2: Pull a Test Shot

If making espresso, weigh out your coffee dose, tamp consistently, and start the extraction. Observe:

Time: Is the shot pulling within the recommended range (e.g., 25–30 seconds)?
Yield: Does the output match the recipe?
Taste: Does it match the expected flavor notes?

Step 3: Adjust Based on the Results

Shot is too fast (under-extracted, sour, weak): Make the grind finer.
Shot is too slow (over-extracted, bitter, dry): Make the grind coarser.

For filter coffee, if your brew is tasting bitter, try a coarser grind; if it tastes sour or weak, make the grind finer.

Step 4: Re-test Until You Get It Right

Continue adjusting and testing until you hit the ideal extraction time and taste profile. Keeping a log of your grind settings, brew ratios, and results can help maintain consistency.

Why Communication with Your Roaster is Key

One of the biggest advantages of working with a high-quality roaster is the ability to get expert advice. If you’re struggling with your extraction, don’t hesitate to reach out. Your roaster can:

Provide additional brewing insights tailored to your equipment
Help troubleshoot common issues like fluctuating grind size or uneven extraction
Suggest adjustments based on seasonal changes in coffee freshness

Conclusion

By using your roaster’s brew recipe and dialing in your grinder correctly, you ensure that you’re getting the best possible flavours out of your commercial coffee blend. This not only improves consistency but also enhances customer satisfaction, reduces waste, and maximizes the quality of every cup you serve.

Make it a habit to communicate with your roaster, follow their guidelines, and refine your grind settings daily. These small but critical steps will elevate your coffee program and set you apart from competitors who rely on guesswork rather than precision.

Happy brewing!