Making whole bean coffee is a lot of work—but it's worth it. Compared to pre-ground coffee, coffee brewed from freshly-ground beans has a fresher taste and fuller aroma. Also, grinding the beans yourself gives you more control of the overall taste of the coffee you produce.
Select Your Favorite Bean Variety and Roast
A cup of coffee's flavor largely depends on the bean variety and roast profile you select. You can opt for one of the following roast options:
- Light Roasts– The beans are roasted for about seven to eight minutes until the beans' internal reach reaches 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. They are pale brown and have a very dry surface. The flavor is generally very mild.
- Medium Roasts– The beans must roast for about nine to ten minutes up to a temperature of 428 degrees Fahrenheit. They are full-bodied with an oil-free surface.
- Medium-dark Roasts– Oils are more present in these beans than in the previous two, and their roast time is between 11 and 12 minutes. By then, the internal temperature of these beans should reach 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Dark Roasts– These beans are dark in color and shiny on the surface because of the oil content. The flavor is very strong, and the roast time is about 14 minutes. Exceptionally well-roasted, the beans often reach a temperature of 510 degrees Fahrenheit.
The flavor and aroma of your coffee depend a lot on the brewing method that you use, and each method requires a different size grind. Here is a list of brewing methods with their ideal grinds:
- French press brewing: coarse grind
- AeroPress brewing: medium grind
- Pour-over coffee: medium-fine grind
- Chemex brewing: medium-coarse grind
- Automatic drip machine: medium grind
- Cold-brew: extra-coarse grind
- Moka Pot brewing: fine grind
- Espresso machine: fine grind
- Percolator method: coarse grind
- Turkish Coffee: extra-fine grind
- Siphon or vacuum brewing: medium grind
Choose a Grinding Method
Coffee grinding is all about smashing up, chopping up, and slicing up the coffee beans into fine particles that can be used to brew coffee. It is done best with a hand-powered or electric grinder. However, you can also grind coffee beans even if you don’t have a traditional coffee bean grinder. You can use any of the following options:
- Blender– You can grind your coffee beans in your normal home blender. Make sure you use the grinder setting and grind in small quantities.
- Food Processor– A regular food processor also should be good enough to grind coffee beans. Make use of the pulse technique and tilt the food processor slightly while grinding.
- Mortar and Pestle– Put a small scope of coffee beans into the mortar, press down the pestle, and crush the coffee beans to a powder using the twisting motion until you get the perfect grind.
- Roller– The best part about a rolling pin is that it can crush and grind the coffee beans while giving it an even texture. Wrap the coffee beans in parchment paper or a plastic Ziploc bag to avoid scattering. Make sure you use some elbow grease.
- Meat Tenderizer or Hammer– The grounding technique here is the same as that of the rolling pin. However, you will have to press down the hammer instead of pounding the beans. This type of grinding should be good enough for a coarse or medium grind.
Always grind your coffee beans just before brewing your coffee. It may take a while to get the perfect taste. Feel free to alter the coffee bean quantity and adjust the grind until you get coffee that best suits your palette.
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