Grinding coffee beans is an essential part of the coffee making process. And, purchasing fresh beans and grinding them immediately before putting them into your coffee pot will provide you with the freshest possible brew. If you didn’t know, the coarseness and uniformity of your grounds need to be perfect to craft a pure-tasting cup of joe. So, before pouring your water, make sure you take the time to achieve a high-quality grind.
Here is a guide on how to grind whole coffee beans, whether you have specialized tools or not – let’s take a quick look!
How To Grind Coffee Beans With A Grinder
A coffee grinder is an essential item to have in your coffee brewing toolbox, and it’s not hard to find them in a variety of styles and sizes. But, with so many choices, it’s hard to know exactly what to look for. Below are two of the best options for grinding coffee beans at home:
Burr coffee grinder
Walk into almost any coffeehouse in the world, and you’ll likely find a burr grinder behind the counter. Also known as a burr mill, this device crushes coffee beans between two revolving abrasive surfaces set at an adjustable size. This allows for a grind that’s completely uniform which leads to a better tasting cup of coffee. It also provides flexibility to play with the coarseness of your grind, so you have better control over the end flavor profile. The only drawback is that they tend to be more expensive than alternatives.
Blade coffee grinder
These are generally the cheaper alternative to the burr grinder, because there’s only a single blade that quickly chops the bean down into smaller and smaller pieces. Because of this, they’re generally not as good at producing evenly sized grounds. Also, expect them to be more noisy and take up more space with their larger footprint.
Electric coffee grinder
Whether you prefer a burr grinder or blade grinder, both of them are available in automated versions. With an electric coffee grinder, you can simplify the entire process by simply putting in your coffee beans, adjust your size and coarseness settings and press start. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a perfectly ground, ready-to-brew batch of coffee.
How To Grind Coffee Beans Without A Grinder
You picked up a fresh bag of coffee beans from the store, only to get home and realize you don’t have the right grinding tools for the job. But, don’t fret. If you don’t have a fancy grinder, you can do without if you have some common kitchen utensils laying around. Although some of these techniques come in handy in a pinch, a regular coffee grinder is always the preferred option, so consider picking one up when you get a chance.
Grind beans by hand
If you don’t mind a little manual effort, grinding by hand can produce some great results. The first and easiest way is to use a rolling pin to crush the beans to your desired consistency. A finer grind may take some time, so be patient.
A second option is to use a mortar and pestle to slowly grind your coffee beans. With this, you can achieve a much finer grind than with a rolling pin, making it a good option for French presses or espresso.
And yet another way, although rather primitive, is to simply use a hammer, slamming down on the beans repeatedly until they’re a coarse consistency.
Use a blender to grind beans
Most people have a blender sitting in their cupboards, and it can be used for more than mixing up fruit smoothies and malts. Simply put your beans into a blender and press the pulse button repeatedly. This approach generally doesn’t produce consistently sized particles that tend to be more coarse than fine.
Remember, don’t overdo it because the blender’s motor creates heat that can burn the beans before they’re even put into the coffee maker. Try not to blend beans for more than half a minute.
Use a food processor to grind beans
A food processor will likely produce the highest quality results out of all three of these grinding methods. While it won’t be as good as a burr grinder, it will still produce usable grounds. With this approach, remember to load double the amount of coffee in your processor, as the machine is generally wider than a blender.
And That’s How You Grind Whole Coffee Beans!
Now that you know how to grind whole coffee beans, you can master the brewing process and become a world-class barista in your own right. When trying to make the freshest drink possible, consider investing in a burr or blade grinder to keep your coffee at the right consistency and expose the many wonderful flavors of your beans. And, even without the proper equipment, you can grind beans to the appropriate size using many common things found around your kitchen – all it takes is a little effort and you’ll be well on your way to crafting a delicious pot of coffee.
Try coffee beans that are designed for a pilot
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