Grinding Coffee Beans: Tips to Grind Coffee Beans Well

When you get your fresh roasted beans, you need to worry about grinding coffee beans somehow. Most people opt to have them ground in store. Others prefer to grind daily or whenever they make a pot to keep the coffee as fresh as possible. That way, storing your coffee beans is less of a problem than storing ground coffee.

If you are buying a small bag, then asking the barista to grind your beans should be a decent solution because the quality of the actual coffee bean grinding machine in the store will be far superior to most coffee bean grinders you can buy for your home. And the beans will be well ground, too.

However, a lot of people prefer grinding coffee beans by themselves for the freshest tasting coffee possible.  As with nearly everything, there are many approaches but some yield much better results than others!

Are you grinding coffee beans, friend?

When you buy coffee beans, you should always check the date on the bag; it should have been prepared no more than seven days old.  If you buy directly from a shop, ask the proprietor when the beans were roasted. 

You'd be surprised how long "freshly" roasted beans have been on the shelf or in the bin.  The older the bean, the less flavorful the coffee will be.

Don't knock yourself out!

If the bag of beans is larger, then grinding coffee beans batch by batch will provide a better way to keep the quality of the coffee bean longer. In general, don't buy coffee beans in large amounts unless you can consume them quickly, usually within two weeks.

You should never grind more than a few days' supply at one time.  When coffee beans are ground, the natural oils that give them their flavor are released.  The longer the oils are free of the bean, the less flavor you'll get in your cup.

Blade or Burr?

There are two basic types of grinder, blade and burr.  Burr grinders tend to be found in coffee shops and restaurants, while blade grinders seem to be more popular in home environments.

The Blade Grinder

Most coffee machines that include grinders use the blade type.  Blade grinders are the least expensive type, working somewhat like a food processor.  They cut up the beans into pieces but inconsistently. 

You'll notice that the ground beans can be very uneven and that makes the flavor of the coffee inconsistent and unpredictable.  Plus, the finer the grind the longer you have to keep the blades churning; this produces heat that can scorch the delicate grounds or beans and make the coffee taste burnt.  They are also very noisy!

The advantage of a blade grinder is that they are inexpensive and affordable for just about everyone. It is also a reliable method for grinding beans, however, you will be hard pressed to see this kind of grinder in any 'real' coffee shop. Go on try!

Why? Well, if you had tasted the coffee made from the beans before you bought them, what comes out of your coffee maker after grinding would probably be a poor imitation of what you wanted.

The Burr Grinder

Burr grinders crush the beans between a rotating wheel and a solid surface.  You can adjust the fineness of the grind by increasing or reducing the space between the wheel and the surface.  Burr grinders are much quieter than blade grinders and aren't as messy. 

Better still are conical burr grinders that operate at a slower speed but are very quiet, cleaner and don't clog easily.  This is the variety that true coffee lovers seem to prefer: the slow grind reduces heat generated by friction, preserving the delicate aromas of the coffee for the coffee drinker, while producing an even grind that gets better extraction!

Which should you buy?

When considering the expense of a coffee grinder you should take into account the quality of the grinder, the frequency of your usage, and the importance of the final result.

Quality Counts

Blade grinders do tend to have a high rate of burnout and usually will last about a year.  They can cost anywhere from $10 to $25, making them very affordable but you will probably replace them frequently, especially if you buy the unbranded models. That said, I have a grinder that I can't throw away because it has worked SO well!

How often (or is that too personal?)

If you are using the grinder on a less frequent interval, you may feel that a cheaper grinder is a better choice; while daily grinding coffee beans may put more wear and tear on the electric motor!

Focus on the Beans

A good burr grinder will cost in the range of $80-200 depending on its manufacturer and quality. But the final cup of coffee will be superior to your blade grinder. So, if you value the importance of having wonderfully fresh coffee, this may be your only choice!

Although burr grinders are harder to clean than blade grinders, they leave much less residue and last a lot longer.  If you can afford to buy a burr grinder or conical burr grinder, you'll be able to get the most flavor and consistency from your favorite coffee beans.

Manual vs. Automatic

You should even consider the purchase of a manual coffee grinder, unless you're always in a hurry in the mornings! The ritual of hand grinding coffee beans may inspire you to a little morning meditation before you rush off!

Don't over grind your coffee!

Also, you need to make sure that you choose the right degree of grinding: coarse, medium, medium-fine or fine. This is largely matched with the method of brewing coffee. If you are grinding the beans in the store, then the attendant will be able to help you choose.

Of course, you could simply buy an affordable coffee bean grinder, and do it in the comfort of your own home! If you are doing this by yourself, you'll need to experiment with the grinder to get the grind the right size.

For afternoon coffee with friends and family, the manual coffee grinders can add a certain allure of tradition to drinking coffee; each member of the group can share in grinding coffee beans!

And Finally...

Wherever you are, remember "Only Coffee Beans Make Great Coffee"! And enjoy that cup of coffee!

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