New Baratza Virtuoso + owner question

[ovfitbob]

I just bought the Baratza Virtuoso + burr grinder. I've never owned a burr grinder, so it's a learning experience for me.
I do have one question. I set the grinder on 18 as per recommendations for my Bonavita 5 cup. and reduced the amount of beans for my friend because she likes the coffee weaker. But the coffee was just as strong as mine, even though i used less beans. Water amount was the same. Should i make the grind coarser?

Thanks ;-)

 

[MntnMan62]

The fun of a burr grinder is playing with the settings and experimenting with what works for you. It's really all about trial and error. A courser grind would certainly have the potential for a weaker brew all other things equal.

 

[ovfitbob]

Thanks for the reply. I’ve only used it two days so I realize I can tweak.
I was just confused as to why the coffee was just a strong as the first brew with the same setting, but less beans.

But what a superior grind to my blade grinder!

 

[Musicphan]

weaker = grind bigger or more water. stronger = grind smaller or less water. The only real way to determine the 'strength' of coffee is with a TDS meter - it measures the amount of coffee within the water. It probably tastes a lot alike but the numbers would probably show differently on a technical level. What beans you are using and their freshness also have an impact on taste.

 

[ovfitbob]

The beans I’m currently using are trader Joe’s French coffee blend. I keep all my beans in an airtight plastic container in the pantry out of the light. But I’m thinking maybe I should put the beans in a ceramic airtight container instead.
I’ll increase the grinder one step higher and add a little extra water.

 

[MntnMan62]

Musicphan is correct. The beans you are using is important. Quality beans that have been properly roasted and roasted fairly recently to the date of purchase. Say within a day or three. You say "French Coffee Blend". Maybe you're talking about French Roast. Trader Joe's is known for roasting the crap out of their beans. And their French Roast is fairly low down on the list of their coffees. Looking into the Trader Joe's coffees got me interested in trying some of theirs. And the one that seems to be highly regarded is their Kenya AA. I'm going to grab a bag of these beans and see how they taste in my french press. Experiment with different beans, different roasters. If there is a local roaster near you who is regularly roasting beans, try some of their beans. Eventually you will learn what you like best. Brew method makes a difference. There are light, medium and dark roasts to try. Before you go jumping into the espresso game, play around with other brew methods and learn about coffee. Espresso is extremely expensive to do properly. Experiment with pour over, french press, moka pot and anything else that seems to interest you. Watch videos on how to properly brew using the different methods. I found that I like the James Hoffmann videos on Youtube. His French Press method is largely what I follow and it made a huge difference in the taste of my coffee. It's a fun hobby and your morning coffee will only get better and better as you tweak things towards your own preferred flavor profile.

 

[ovfitbob]

Yes its French Roast. My bad. I'll try their Kenya AA next time i go to TJ's. I did find a local roaster who will give me samples of his coffee to try.
I'll check out the James Hofman videos.