If you grind your coffee beans properly, you can have more control over the flavor of your coffee, and make a better cup of coffee.
There are a number of important details that go into creating a quality and consistent cup of coffee, such as using quality coffee beans and a gourmet-type brew method. The grinding of coffee beans is often overlooked as a component of coffee brewing.
If you grind your beans at home, you will have more control over your coffee brew. All coffee lovers dream of having more control over the coffee brewing variables. If you have more control over the brewing process, you will have to guess less, and this will result in better beer.
The following text contains information on the importance of grinding coffee beans as well as the proper techniques for doing so.
Why Grind Coffee Beans when Pre-Ground Coffee is Available?
Pre-ground coffee from the supermarket does not have the same flavor or taste as freshly ground coffee.
The reason why fresh grounds from a Barista tastes better is because it is fresh, while the supermarkets’ coffee grounds are not.
Coffee beans stay fresh longer than pre-ground coffee.
This is because when the coffee bean is whole, it traps in the gases and flavors. Coffee beans typically last for 5-10 weeks after roasting.
Stale coffee is ground coffee that was roasted a while ago and is not fresh.
Why? When exposed to oxygen, oxidation occurs.
When the beans are exposed to air, the oils inside them begin to evaporate.
The food also loses its flavor and smell by the time it gets to you.
Some key factors that affect the freshness of pre-ground coffee beans are:
Oxidation: When pre-ground coffee comes in to contact with air, it enables the process of oxidation.
The process of roasting the coffee beans changes the taste and flavor of the coffee. The ground coffee you get from the supermarket has already been affected by oxygen. The coffee grounds that have been sitting in the grinder for a while will have a milder more subdued taste than when you freshly grind coffee beans.
The oil in coffee beans is soluble in water.
The main ingredient that makes coffee taste and smell good is coffee.
When ground coffee is exposed to moisture, the oils begin to dissolve.
When the coffee grounds are removed, the richness of the coffee is also removed.
The size of the coffee granules will determine the intensity of the coffee’s flavor. If your coffee tastes watery and acidic, this means the beans were ground too coarsely. The coffee will taste bitter if the beans are ground too finely.
How Do You Properly Grind Coffee Beans?
First of all, you need to invest in a burr coffee grinder.
Before you can properly learn the techniques of coffee grinding, you need to buy a burr coffee grinder. Burr grinders are able to produce more consistent,quality, and uniform results when compared to blade grinders. A burr grinder is a coffee grinder that has two revolving burrs. The coffee is ground between the two surfaces of the burrs.
There are two main types of burr grinders: conical burr grinders and flat burr grinders. Both options have their own advantages, so you can’t make a bad choice.
The last thing you’ll need to do is decide whether you want an electric coffee grinder or a manual one. This is a preference thing. Some coffee lovers prefer manual grinders because they believe it creates a better connection with their coffee. This type of grinder is also great for camping trips since you can take it with you wherever you go. Electric grinders are generally larger and more expensive than manual grinders, but they can grind coffee beans much faster and more evenly. You can also usually adjust the grind settings on electric grinders much more easily than on manual grinders.
The manual Porlex Mini Grinder II is a great choice. The biggest selling point of this coffee grinder is that it is both ceramic and portable. If you want an electric coffee bean grinder, Breville’s Smart Pro Coffee Bean Grinder is a great choice. It’s a bit of a splurge, but it’s worth the investment – I own one and use it in my own kitchen!
If you want more coffee grinder recommendations, here are some great lists of the best manual coffee grinders of 2021 and the best electric coffee grinders of 2021.
Only Grind What You Need.
You should never grind more coffee beans than you need for your brewing session. Doing so is a big mistake. You should only grind the coffee you need for that particular brew session. The reason to grind your own coffee beans is because ground coffee starts to get stale faster than whole beans, as mentioned before.
Precisely measuring the amount of beans needed before grinding can be done with a scale. To learn how to use a scale when brewing coffee, read the attached post.
You’ll Need to Dial in the Grind.
You need to find the grind size that is appropriate for the coffee amount you are going to brew. To find the perfect grind setting, or “dialing in,” for a specific coffee roast and brew method, start by tasting the coffee. Make a note of any flavors you taste, then adjust the grind setting until you find a grind that brings out the desired flavors in the coffee. Since all grinders and coffees are different, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Dialing in your coffee thus requires some work. It’s possible that you’ll need to experiment with different grind size settings before you find the one that works best. This is especially true when you’re working with a brand new grinder. You will have to experiment with different grind sizes to determine which one produces the best results for your specific brewing method and coffee.
Fortunately, it gets easier over time. The grind size that works best for your home brewing method can be used as a starting point for future brews, with small adjustments as needed. You may have to experiment with your grinder to get the best results with each new coffee. Since different coffees have different roasting levels, sizes, densities, and moisture levels, you’ll need to adjust your settings for each one.
Here are the most popular specialty coffee brewing methods, with grind size recommendations.
How can the size of ground coffee beans affect your coffee taste?
We grind coffee beans to create more surface area for the water to come in contact with.
A grind that is coarse will allow water to pass through it more easily than a grind that is fine. The grind size affects the brew time and extraction efficiency.
To make a stronger coffee, you will need to use finer grounds, and for a weaker coffee, you can use a coarser consistency.
The density of the bean is determined by the origin of the coffee. Altitude and roast level are two of the many factors that can affect coffee. Coffee ground sizes are used in different brewing methods.
When you grind your own coffee beans at home, you can control the coarseness, texture, and flavor to suit your preferences.
Grind Size Recommendations by Brew Method:
Espresso
For espresso, the grounds need to be fairly fine. If you grind the coffee beans too finely, the coffee will be too strong and bitter. If the grind is too fine, it will be over-extracted and taste bitter. Alternatively, if it is too coarse, it will be under-extracted and taste watery and sour. A general guideline is to choose a grind size that is similar to the consistency of granulated sugar. A consistent grind will result in an overall even tone.
Moka pot
To brew coffee using a moka pot, you should use a medium-fine to fine grind. The coffee grinds should look like Sand Grains If you grind the beans too finely, some of the grounds may end up in your final cup of coffee.
Pour over
The grind you should aim for with pour over instruments is medium-coarse. The texture of the grinds will be similar to that of coarse or rough sand. If you grind your beans too finely or too coarsely, it will change the taste of your coffee.
AeroPress
Aeropress grind size becomes slightly more complicated because there are several brewing methods. You should use a fine grind no matter which method you’re using: the basic method, the inverted method, or the cold brew method. The grounds should resemble table salt. Use a medium-coarse grind size for the AeroPress pour over method.
Cold Brew
For cold brew coffee, it’s best to use coarsely ground coffee beans. This will be much larger than the size recommendations for the previous grind. A coarse grind on your coffee beans will produce a more varied mixture in terms of both color and texture, with some larger pieces of beans amongst the grinds.
Ways to Grind Coffee Without a Grinder
You can grind coffee without a grinder if you have a blender or food processor at home. However, we only sell high-quality coffee at Balance.
A quality grinder is the key to making great coffee. It will help ensure that the coffee beans are evenly ground, resulting in a better flavor in the cup.
These are the ways to get the perfect ground coffee beans at home without a grinder.
Use a Blender to Grind Coffee Beans:
A blender can help you grind your coffee beans quickly.
If you use a blender to grind coffee beans, the blade will do it much in the same way an electric coffee grinder would. However, you will not have the same level of control over how coarse the beans become.
A blender with a grind setting can be used to grind coffee beans. If a blender does not have a grind setting, the beans can be pulsed or blended manually.
Do not put too many coffee beans in the blender at one time as this could damage the appliance and result in unevenly chopped beans.
Use an on and off grinding technique for your coffee beans, pulsing in short bursts to get the perfect grind texture.
How to Grind Coffee Beans with a Blender:
- If your blender has a ‘grind’ setting, select it. Otherwise, blend the coffee beans on medium-high.
- Make sure not to overload the blender with too many coffee beans. Put in about ¼ cup to ½ cup of coffee beans in the blender and close the lid firmly.
- Set the blender on pulse setting and blend in a short sharp bursts. Blending for a longer duration can overheat the blender and damage it. Overheated blenders can also burn the coffee beans, leading to bitter-tasting coffee grounds.
- Check in between to see if the coffee beans have reached the level of coarseness you want, and voila, your coffee beans are ready to be savored!
Pro Tip:
Remember to shake and stir the coffee beans while they are grinding to make sure they blend evenly. Also, make sure to keep the lid firmly shut while blending to avoid the coffee beans from flying off and causing a kitchen mishap.
Use a Food-Processor to Grind Coffee Beans:
You can make espresso-style coffee by grinding your coffee beans in a food processor. A food processor can be used in a similar way as a blender. You’ll need to add more coffee beans when using a coffee grinder, as it has a wider circumference than a blender and needs more to blend correctly.
How to Grind Coffee Beans in a Food Processor
- Pour about 1 to 1.5 cups of coffee beans into your food processor and shut the lid firmly. You have to pour a little more than while using the blender as the food processor is wider and would require more beans to get that perfect ground texture.
- Use the ‘Pulse’ setting on your processor in a short burst to get the perfect grind. Don’t forget to shake the processor in between to ensure you get a uniform texture of the coffee grind.
- You can get a coarse grind or a medium-fine grind, depending on how long you run the processor.
Conclusion:
It all comes down to what you like and what you prefer. The team at Balance Coffee provides tips and tricks for grinding coffee beans at home to enjoy a cup of coffee that rivals those made by a professional barista. You can make barista-style coffee at home with the right equipment.