Whole Coffee Beans: The Perfect Choice

Nowadays I usually choose fresh coffee beans, and end up grinding the whole coffee beans myself each time I make coffee. It's just, for me, part of the ritual that accompanies coffee making.

But there are good reasons that I choose to buy real coffee beans not ground coffee (unless I can't get the particular coffee brand or blend I'm looking for).

What advantages do whole coffee beans bring you?

So what are these reasons? There are only three:

1. Freshly ground tastes better;
2. Know your beans; and
3. It really doesn't take long.

But there are good reasons that I choose whole coffee beans over ground (unless I can't get the particular brand or flavor I'm looking for). So what are these reasons? There are only three…

Freshly ground beats pre-ground

As soon as coffee beans are roasted and ground, the flavor starts to dissipate as time goes by. Often beans are roasted, ground and distributed quite near to their markets.

For ground coffees that are exported, there is often quite a time lag between packing and purchase by the end-customer. Even for locally distributed products, there is still quite some time between creation and consumption!

In the end, a pack of freshly roasted beans, ground as you use them will yield a far tastier and fresher brew than almost any pack of coffee ground months ago and distributed locally, nationally or internationally.

And once you open the pack of pre-ground coffee, the flavor will disappear within an even shorter time. Even if you pack it in an airtight pack and store it in the refrigerator!

Know your bean: its origin, its roast

When you buy your freshly roasted whole coffee beans, you will know what kind of beans they are, whether they are single-origin or multi-origin. You will know how they are roasted, and you can choose how they are ground.

In other words, you will have additional information at your fingertips about how the beans are grown (are they organic or FairTrade?), what regions they come from, what kind of flavors they possess, … this gives you a lot of choice over the kind of brew that you end up within your cup.

While it takes a little experience, trial and error, and knowledge to get the best out of your beans, you will be thankful for the extra degrees of choice that you can have by choosing your bean.

It doesn't take a lot of time

I know this is hard to believe, but it doesn't take a lot of additional time to prepare your own ground coffee. Although you have one additional step of spooning the beans into your grinder, it doesn't take long to prepare freshly ground coffee ready for the coffee maker or French press.

And you'll be thankful you did. Each and every time.

What if you don't have a grinder?

But if you don't have a coffee grinder at the moment, you can still enjoy bean coffee. Just ask the market or coffee store owner to grind the beans for you before you take them home.

You will need to tell the counter staff how you want them ground

• finely ground for drip (or filter) coffee makers with filters or moka pots;
• medium ground for drip (or filter) coffee makers;
• coarsely ground for French press type pots, etc.

If you are not sure what grinding type you need, simply tell the staff how you usually make your coffee.

A word of caution

Don't ask for coarsely ground for your French press, then use the coffee in a filter coffee maker… it will taste weak and insipid! Make sure you get the right grind for your coffee making method! It makes a huge difference – BELIEVE ME!

Making Coffee with Whole Coffee Beans

Once you learn a few tricks about how to make good coffee with whole bean coffee, you will soon find that you can't ever go back to drinking instant, sludge, or watery coffee again. I promise you. The Journey Will Be Worth It!

And finally...

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

Return from whole coffee beans to buy coffee beans.

Return from whole coffee beans to coffee beans.