How To Grind Coffee Beans And Keep Its Freshness

Most individuals prefer going to coffee shops rather than making their own coffee purchases. However, coffee enthusiasts tend to find this type of behaviour bothersome; this is because coffee usually loses its flavor and freshness over an extended period of time.

Moreover, most coffee enthusiasts have an urge to obtain coffee every single time; as a result, they prefer a well-grinned coffee to produce a great cup of coffee. This often leads them to grind their coffee back at home.

In addition to that, most coffee lovers don’t love their coffee exposed to air for an extended period since it downgrades the flavor of their coffee. When coffee is exposed to air for a more extended period, it worsens the situation; this is why most coffee-manufacturers tend to vacuum-seal their products.

Once vacuumed sealed, the flavor and taste of the coffee are preserved for an extended period, unlike when it is opened.

This means that, when you purchase the coffee after an extended period, you will still find it having an excellent taste and flavor. However, once the seal is broken, the flavor of your coffee will start deteriorating.

On the other hand, in an effort to maintain the freshness and flavor of your coffee after purchasing it, most coffee enthusiasts have preferred using coffee beans and grind them.

If you are looking for one of the best ways of preserving your coffee flavor and freshness, then you should consider purchasing your beans and grinding them at home.

This is considered to be the perfect way of maintaining flavor and freshness in a coffee. However, when it comes to grinding coffee beans, a slit problem might arise, which the best technique to use in grinding coffee. In this article, we shall be focusing on how to grind coffee beans and how you can maintain its flavor and freshness.

5 Things You Should Consider On How To Grind Coffee Beans

There are several aspects that you will need to consider when it comes to grinding coffee beans. One of the major factors being the type of coffee beans you are using.

Usually, different types of coffee beans require different types of grinding techniques. When grinding the coffee beans all by yourself, it will be best if you learn how to operate the coffee grinder accordingly.

How you handle the coffee grinder really matters when it comes to preparing coffee; you should note that you will require the right grinder to make a perfect cup coffee. Some factors that you will need to consider when grinding coffee include;

1. Rationing

Rationing involves the amount of fresh coffee beans you are grinding and the amount of water you are required to use. The commonly used ratio is 1:17; this means that one part if coffee equals 17 parts of water when using a coffee percolator. On the other hand, the ratio 1:2 is often used when using an espresso maker.

You should note that rationing has a significant impact on the quality of your coffee; fortunately, it is relatively easy to pin down ahead of time, allowing you to focus on other essentials while brewing.

2. Water

98% of a brewed coffee is made up of water; therefore, it is vital to take it seriously. Having quality water is an essential step to achieve quality coffee; you should, therefore, consider using filtered water.

Household filtered water is relatively affordable, making it the best ingredient for use in brewing quality coffee at home.

In addition to that, the temperature of your water plays a significant role as well. According to the Specialty Coffee Association, the recommended temperature range for your water should be 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit when making your coffee.

3. Turbulence

Turbulence, in this case, refers to how water and coffee grinds interact. When water trickles slowly, it produces low turbulence, and when poured vigorously, it creates high turbulence. Different methods of brewing require different levels of turbulence as well as a physical stirring process.

Generally, maintaining fairly low turbulence is relatively recommended; this allows it to stay repeatable from one brew to the other. Moreover, it aids in preventing kicking up your fine coffee powder, which might settle and create a clogging effect as it goes through your brew bed.

4. Contact time

Extraction is a process involved in creating coffee; during this process, water comes into contact with extract materials and coffee. Contact between water and coffee during this process is vital, and so if time. When the water and coffee come into contact for an extended period, the amount of extraction will increase significantly.

You can, however, control the contact time by either pouring fast or slow. In addition to that, the amount of turbulence you apply during this process will have an impact as well.

5. Grinding

Grinding size has the most significant impact on the taste of your coffee beverage. When grinding your coffee, more surface area becomes exposed to water, which increases the amount of extract.

This means that a finer coffee powder has a more exposed surface area, which later on allows for more extraction.

On the other hand, coarse grinding reduces the size of the exposed surface area significantly, which leads to less extraction. You should keep in mind that different types of brewing methods need a different size of grinds.

Making coffee using a French press coffee maker or a percolator

When brewing coffee using a coffee percolator or a French press coffee maker, you will require a coarser.

Directions

Take your coffee beans and place it in the coffee grinder
Press the grinding button a couple of times. Doing it is relatively easy, just like a pulse feature in a food processor.
Let it grind your coffee beans gradually while controlling your coffee grinder. By doing so, your coffee beans will be grinned into small particles; you should ensure that is has turned into powder.

You should note that; when tapping your coffee grinder’s button and holding it for a short while will not grind your coffee beans into powder.

When grinding your coffee beans, you will observe them as they turn into powder; if not, you will need to start the entire process once again.

This process is relatively easy, and it only takes a few minutes for you to process enough coffee that will last you the whole day.

Furthermore, you should always make enough coffee and not more than enough to prevent storing for later use; this will affect its flavor and freshness significantly.

Making coffee with an Automatic Drip Coffee maker

An automatic drip coffee maker is ideal for use with medium grinds; these are types of grinds that are often found in the supermarket shelves.

According to most coffee enthusiasts, medium grinds look like brown sand particles; they resemble sands at a beach. Furthermore, they feature the same texture.

Directions

Take your coffee beans and place them in a coffee grinder
Tap on the coffee grinder button; ensure that you are not carried away during this process since you will require your coffee to be medium grinned.
Let it gradually grind while you control your coffee grinder. This will allow your coffee beans to be grinned into small particles.

Ensure that your coffee beans are not grinned into a fine powder since the automatic coffee maker works best with a medium grind. Moreover, make enough coffee to prevent it from exposure to air for an extended period.

The primary goal is to grind your coffee beans in order to obtain great flavor and freshness.

Making coffee with an Espresso Maker

Espresso coffee maker works perfectly with fine powder grinds. Usually, the end product features an incredible touch, and separating the particles is relatively hard.

Unlike an automatic drip coffee maker, espresso maker requires very fine powder to produce perfect coffee. You will need to achieve a fine powder grind for you to enjoy your coffee beverage.

Directions

Take your coffee beans and place them in a coffee grinder
Tap your coffee grinder’s button; you should hurry up to let go of the switch since you need to achieve a fine powder.
Continue with the grinding process until you become satisfied. Ensure that the end product is your preference. Your coffee particles should be as fine as glucose particles or finer.

It is highly recommended that you process enough coffee to use within a precise time. While grinding away, make sure that other essential ingredients are ready for use. Once that is done, all you have to do is to drop your coffee straight into the mug and enjoy great flavor along with great freshness.

How to Perfectly Store your Ground Coffee

By now, you probably know that coffee is best stored in a dry and an airtight container. It is best to store your coffee in a place with less heat, light, moisture, and air to maintain the utmost freshness and flavor. In addition to that, some of the vital things you need when storing your ground coffee include;

1. Storage location

Always store your coffee in a convenient location. Furthermore, ensure that your storage location is cool, dark, and dry. You should avoid storing it in the refrigerator and warm places as well. Storing your coffee in an opaque container is highly recommended and ensures that it is airtight.

2. The type of container

As previously mentioned, an opaque and airtight container is highly recommended when it comes to storing and maintaining the freshness as well as the taste of your coffee. However, when using a clear glass or a plastic container, it will be best to place it in a dark corner.

3. Time

Once roasted, the freshness of coffee starts deteriorating significantly. However, the peak of the coffee flavor is often obtained after a few days. Therefore, the best time to consume grounded coffee is after one to two weeks after roasting. On the other hand, the whole bean has incredible taste when used after one month after roasting.

You should as well consider purchasing the right amount of coffee to avoid it losing freshness after an extended period. To achieve this, you will need to purchase small batches that will last for approximately one to two weeks.

What are the advantages of grinding your own coffee?

Grinding your coffee is not only relatively easy to do, but also it has several advantages. When compared to processed coffee available on supermarket shelves, home grinned coffee is full of flavor, which makes it stand out from the rest. Some of the advantages associated with grinding your coffee include;

It has an incredibly strong natural scent that is produced when grinding; this scent is loved by most coffee enthusiasts out there.
It is rich in flavor at all times, unlike the processed coffee available on the supermarket shelves.
Guaranteed freshness.
Grinding your own coffee minimizes exposure to air hence retaining its freshness and flavor.
You determine the size of the coffee particle; this ensures you always have the right texture in accordance with your preference.

What are the disadvantages of grinding your own coffee?

Despite it being a great way to enjoy your coffee beverage with utmost freshness and flavor, grinding your own coffee has some downfalls that are worth mentioning.

When not properly grinned, the coffee becomes a bit bitter. This often occurs as a result of using the wrong grind with the wrong machine.
On the other hand, if the coffee beans are weak, it will offer a weak taste rather than being flavorful, making it taste out of place.

As we come into conclusion, you can clearly see the advantages of grinding your own coffee out-weigh disadvantages. When you learn ways in which you can properly grind your coffee, you will be enjoying not only freshness but also a strong flavor that is outstanding.

For you to enjoy these benefits significantly, you will have to learn the best ways of grinding your coffee beans. You should always keep in mind that this is the most effective method of making a flavorful and delicious coffee beverage.

Grinding your coffee is not only relatively easy to do, but also it has several advantages. We are going to discuss how to grind coffee beans and its freshness and flavor.

How To Grind Coffee Beans And Keep Up Coffees Freshness