Grinding Gourmet Coffee Beans

The fast rule of thumb is the faster the infusion the finer the grind. The objective is to get the most flavor out of your ground gourmet coffee beans when infused with hot water. The type of coffee grind that you use is important in order to properly match the type of brewing method you will be using.

The espresso brewing method need the least amount of time and requires the grind to be very fine. The various grind categories are "fine," "medium" and "coarse." The finer grinds don't need to be in contact with water for as long as the coarser grinds.

If you would like to make a stronger or weaker brew it is easier to just add or reduce the amount of ground coffee than to vary the grind. If you tried using an espresso grind in your drip filter machine, the water will take much longer to filter through and the flavor will not improve.

After deterioration expect to taste stale and coffee with a reduction of flavor. Oxygen and moister in the air quickly deteriorates ground coffee as it oxidizes and looses its flavor. The effective life of ground coffee is only a few days after grinding. It cannot be emphasized more that grinding coffee immediately before brewing makes a huge different in the freshness of your coffee.

There are a larger variety of bean grinders available on the market that can either look as a nice appliance in your kitchen or can be quickly put away. Grinding beans at home is very easy to do.

The oldest bean grinders are the mortar and pestle. This takes a while to use and the grind is not consistent. But since we are in living in the electronic age there are simpler and faster methods.

Electric motor grinders can either have blades or two crushing burr plates. The blade grinders are the least expensive and can be found at places such as Wal-Mart for under $15. The burr grinders are little more expensive. An attractive burr grinder can be found at finer food or kitchen appliance stores for $50 and above. Check out place such as Williams-Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond or Linens and Things.

Burr vs. Blades

Burr vs. Blades

The extra expense of a burr grinder will translate into a better grind. A blade does not really grind but slashes the beans into smaller and smaller particles. The blade particles are inconsistent; around the edges are fine powder and larger chunks in the center.

Blade Grinder

Blade Grinder

The blade grinder is the best option as someone's first grinder. It is the least expensive and can be quickly put away after use. The two major draw backs are that they are messy as the grounds spill from the container when you open it and the inconsistent grind mentioned above. Still, having a blade grinder will cause a major difference in the flavor your experience from your gourmet coffee beans if you are currently buying ground coffee.

How to Use a Blade Grinder

How to Use a Blade Grinder

When you use a blade grinder do not hold your finger on the button the entire time but push it in intervals. Grind in quick bursts of 2-5 seconds so that it prevents the beans from heating up too much. Also hold it with two hands with one over the top container and shake it up and down as you grind to mix up the contents and to give it a better consistency.

For a course grind spin your blade grinder for 7-10 seconds, a medium grind will take 10-14 seconds and a finer grind will take 15-20 seconds. If you drink espresso you will need one of the more expensive burr grinders, a blade version will not produce the consistently fine grind that is required for espresso.

One of the latest developments is a drip coffee machine with a built-in blade grinder. It has a timer you can set so in the morning the beans are automatically ground then pushed into the coffee filter and the brewing will start automatically. All you have to do is add the beans and water in the morning. This is perfect for people on the go. One of the most popular models is the Cuisinart Stainless Steel Grind & Brew, which retails for around $120. The only drawback is that a burr grinder is not available but we have hope for the future.

Burr Grinders

Burr Grinders

If you are looking for the best method for grinding your gourmet coffee beans go straight for a Burr grinder. The grind is consistent and most of the machines have various grind settings. Many include a bean hopper on top where you can store your beans with an airtight lid. Some have a setting to set how many cups you want to grind and include a receptacle where your coffee grounds are deposited. After grinding you simply pour your coffee grounds from the receptacle into your coffee maker. This type of burr grinder not only produces a great and consistent grind, it also keeps your ground coffee well contained with little spillage.

For the professional users you will find bean grinders that will grind directly into your coffee filter which is ideal for restaurants. Check out versions from Gaggia and Bunn for these types of burr grinders.

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

Stop settling for lower quality pre-ground store bought coffee. If you have not already done so, make the jump and get a quality grinder and buy whole bean coffee to grind just before you brew. If you are on a budget or are not ready for a larger commitment, get an inexpensive blade grinder. If you are a lover of coffee and want the best for your beans, buy a quality burr grinder. A good burr grinder will eliminate some of the hassles and spillage of a blade grinder and will produce a more consistent grind.

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2005 Volcanica Coffee Company.

The Best Cup of Drip Coffee Possible

With a "good" cup of coffee costing almost as much as a good sandwich these days, more and more people are taking to making their coffee at home from an "old fashioned" drip coffee machine. With the influence of Starbucks and the others out there, people are demanding a better cup of coffee all of the time. This article should help you make the best cup of drip coffee possible.

Coffee from a can just doesn't work for the general public anymore. You know what I'm talking about and it sounds as lousy to you as it does to me. The good news is that great coffee beans can be obtained at pretty much any grocery store. If you use coupons (and if you don't, shame on you), you should do quite well if you aren't too worried about the brand name. My tip for you - worry about quality more than anything else. The big stores like Sams Club and Costco offer big bags of coffee beans at some very good prices. Your author's favorite, in case you're interested, is Kirkland brand (two pound) of Espresso Roast (Starbucks) that you can find at Costco.

Be willing to experiment with different bean types to find the kind of coffee you like best. For what it is worth, more times than not, I've found that a good espresso roast makes a great cup of drip coffee as well. Do experiment though, you just might be surprised at what you find.

Good beans deserve a good grind. You'd be surprised at the difference between a good grind and a bad one. If you don't have a good grinder at home, consider grinding the beans at the store where they were purchased as the grinders there often do a great job. Burr grinders are the best, and the most expensive.

It is probably obvious but good water makes a difference as well. The more things you take out of the water, the better your coffee will taste.

A good drip machine is also a must. More than anything else, the warming element is what you need to worry about. If you find that your coffee often has that scalded burned taste, the warmer might be too hot. And, of course, there is seldom a way to change that so, … you'll need a new machine.

Consider the French Press alternative. French presses are dirt cheap, make an incredible cup of coffee, and never leave you worrying about overactive warmers, water tube build-up and the like. Remember that the grind for French Press is different than normal drip coffee so grind accordingly.

What about people stuck in a bad coffee situation in the office or somewhere else? Here's a trick that can help with some issues: Bring in a cinnamon shaker and dash a little on the grinds before starting the machine. This will give the coffee a bit more taste, hide some of the bad taste and help with the aroma. Grab the coffee as soon as is brewed and, most of all, lobby for better coffee.

You're worth it.

About The Author

Chiacchia Del is the webmaster of Yo! Coffee, the Internet's hot spot for all things coffee. You can read more of her work at http://www.yocoffee.com .

http://www.yocoffee.com

The French Press Coffee Maker: Connoisseur Equipment

Coffee lovers all over the world mostly agree that the French Press Coffee Maker coffee is the answer you'll get, in nine cases Coffee lovers all over the world mostly agree that the French Press Coffee Maker coffee is the answer you'll get, in nine cases out of ten. Coffee lovers all over the world mostly agree that the French Press Coffee Maker coffee is the answer you'll get, in nine cases out of ten. Coffee lovers all over the world mostly agree that the French Press Coffee Maker coffee is the answer you'll get, in nine cases out of ten. Coffee lovers all over the world mostly agree that the French Press Coffee Maker coffee is the answer you'll get, in nine cases out of ten. Coffee lovers all over the world mostly agree that the French Press Coffee Maker coffee is the answer you'll get, in nine cases out of ten. Coffee lovers all over the world mostly agree that the French Press Coffee Maker coffee is the answer you'll get, in nine cases out of ten. French Press Coffee Maker coffee is the answer you'll get, in nine cases out of ten. Ask any connoisseur how he likes his coffee.

A French Press Coffee Maker, you can manually control the water temperature and exposure time that results in a steaming and tantalizing rich cup of coffee.

The French press is an example of this last technology, and is said to preserve most of the natural aroma and flavor of the coffee beans. There are several methods of brewing coffee - boiling (think Turkish coffee), pressure brewing (espresso being an example), drip brewing (as in the electric percolator), and steeping.

Other methods that use faster grinding techniques stand the risk of heating the ground coffee too much, making the delicate flavoring oils to evaporate. This prevents the grinding from generating too much heat. High-quality French presses most often use conical burr grinders as their source of ground coffee, because these grinders rotate at low speeds (usually not more than five hundred revolutions per minute).

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

coffee grinders are the choice of people who are truly in love with coffee

Preparing fresh coffee can mean lots of things for different people: you can either buy it ground or prepare it at home just as fine or as coarse as it pleases you. Coffee grinders are very often the choice of people who are truly in love with coffee and want to make sure that flavor and the aroma are unique, authentic and the most intense one they can get. The problem with pre-ground coffee is that it loses the flavor within days after the manufacturing process, not that it would become tasteless, but you don't discover the same intensity of the original in it.

On the other hand, those who choose to buy whole coffee beans and prepare them with the help of coffee grinders at home know that the freshness and the strength of the taste will remain present for weeks on end. However, there is one other advantage of using coffee grinders beside that of flavor preservation: I'm talking about the possibility to control the strength of the coffee depending on the way you choose to grind it. For instance, largely ground coffee works excellent for after dinner occasions when you don't need to make the coffee drinks too strong; on the other hand, in the morning, one may definitely need a super fine grind to prepare an espresso and get the maximum of caffeine out of it.

There are many types of coffee grinders on the market, how can one know which to choose? Some of these special machines are created to grind large amounts of coffee that are used in cafés for instance; but this is not the case for a regular person who needs a lower capacity to use at home. When buying coffee grinders, people should ask themselves several question to make sure that it is worth making the investment. First of all, what is your budget? How often do you need to grind coffee? Who else drinks coffee in your house?

Usually, there are two types of coffee grinders to choose from: blade grinders and burr grinders. Blade coffee grinders are less expensive and fit very well in any kitchen due to their reduced dimensions; yet they cannot grind coffee the super fine way that is necessary for a Turkish coffee for example. Furthermore, they are quite difficult to clean, but that is not an operation you'll do too often. On the other hand, burr coffee grinders are the choice for true coffee lovers; the aroma of the coffee is thoroughly preserved, and though they are more expensive, users claim they are definitely worth the money.