There is nothing fresher than grinding coffee beans yourself and savoring that hot, fresh cup of coffee. Buying pre-ground coffee beans may lead to a disappointing coffee experience. Pre-ground beans are, obviously, more convenient, but can lack the fresh taste and superior aroma of grinding your own coffee beans. Coffee beans, in and of themselves, can vary in moisture content and oiliness. You may have to experiment with a few brands before you find one perfect for you.
Picking the Best Coffee Beans
Today there are more options than ever for finding just the right brew for your tastes. Consumers have more choices now than in the past years, where grocery stores were the only place in town to get coffee beans. Knowing your coffee will help you pick the best coffee beans. There are four types of coffee beans available, and they include Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. Experiment with local coffee roasters, they have different types of roasts and have the expertise to help you find just the right bean for you.
Choosing Your Brewing Method
Before you can grind a single bean, you have to know what type of brewer you want. This will also determine the type of grind you will need. For example, percolators and French-presses require a coarse grind, espresso machines require a very fine grind, while a drip brewer needs a fine grind. Once you determine what type of bean and what type of grind you need, the next step is to find the perfect grinder.
Finding the Perfect Grinder
Coffee grinders start at as low as $7 and can go into the hundreds. Most are electric, but there are manual grinders on the market. There are many YouTube videos on how to crush the beans by hand with rolling pins or using a blender to grind your beans. It all depends on how serious you are about your coffee as to how much you want to spend on what kind of grinder. In order to get a really good cup of coffee every time, you do not have to spend a small fortune.
Grinding Tips
- Never pre-grind beans because they can go stale and leave you with a bitter and flat taste. A good rule of thumb is to grind only the amount you need for the serving of coffee for that time.
- Measure your beans and grind until you find just the right grind for you. Once you have established the exact amount to grind, keep using that amount. That will give you consistency with every cup.
- Once you start grinding, also note your timing. The best way to grind coffee is in short bursts. Pulsing gives you an even end product. After you get used to doing this, you will be able to look at the grind to verify the consistency. The consistency refers to the grind you will need for the type of brewer you own.
Few things in life are more satisfying as a really good cup of coffee. According to howstuffworks.com, more than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year. Another statistic states more than 450 million cups of coffee are consumed in the United States every day. That is a lot of coffee and a lot of coffee drinkers. Many coffee consumers think they can only get a really good cup of coffee. If you have the right equipment, the right beans, and a little bit of patience, you can become an expert coffee grinder and coffee aficionado right in the comfort of your own home.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
