Hand grinder

Cold brew grind setting for the Hario Mini Mill

16–18clicks

That is where to start with a light roast. It should come out looking like coarse sea salt. Medium roasts go to 17–19 and dark roasts to 18–21.

Hario Mini Mill, set for a light roast

The setting, by roast

Lighter roasts are harder to pull flavor out of, so they grind a little finer and steep longer. Darker roasts go the other way. The dial runs from 0 to 25 clicks.

RoastSettingLooks likeSteep in the fridge
Light roast16–18 clickscoarse sea salt18–22 h
Medium roast17–19 clickscoarse kosher salt14–18 h
Dark roast18–21 clicksraw sugar10–14 h

Where the number comes from

People who own one report 16–20 clicks. Our starting point is 18 for a medium roast, and it moves with the roast.

Owner reports: old.reddit.com, old.reddit.com, beanground.com, honestcoffeeguide.com

How to use it

  1. Set it. Set the dial to 16–18 clicks. That is the light roast setting. Use the table above for anything darker.
  2. Grind and look. You want pieces about the size of coarse sea salt. Coarse settings go quickly by hand.
  3. Steep. Give it 18–22 hours in the fridge, or 12–14 on the counter.
  4. Taste and adjust. Too bitter? Go coarser next time. Too sour? Go finer. Move about 3 clicks at a time.

Let the app keep track.

Cold Brew Studio shows the dial created for your Hario Mini Mill with the setting marked, sizes the batch to your brewer, and moves the dial for you when you rate how it tasted.

Free on iPhone and the web. No account needed.

Quick answers

What grind setting should I use for cold brew on the Hario Mini Mill?
Start at 16–18 clicks for a light roast, 17–19 clicks for a medium roast and 18–21 clicks for a dark roast.
How long should I steep cold brew ground on the Hario Mini Mill?
18–22 hours in the fridge for a light roast, 14–18 for medium and 10–14 for dark. On the counter it goes faster: 12–14, 9–12 and 7–9 hours.
What should the grounds look like?
Coarse. About the size of coarse sea salt for a light roast, coarse kosher salt for medium and raw sugar for dark.