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.

Coffee and Lowering Cholesterol

It's another $64M question: Is Coffee Good or Bad for Our Cholesterol Levels?

The Claims: Some say that coffee is bad for our health because it can supposedly lead to heart diseases and hypertension. Coffee, for them, is an unhealthy addiction. Others however are adamant about the health benefits of coffee. For them, coffee saves the day because it supposedly lowers cholesterol levels in our bodies.

The Truth about Coffee and Cholesterol

Never mind about the bad stuff regarding coffee. Enough has been written about it; right now, let's concentrate on the controversial link between coffee and cholesterol.

Why We Should Worry About Our Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol levels have a significant impact on our health, and more specifically, on our hearts. High cholesterol levels make us increasing vulnerable to having a heart attack. And none of us, surely, would want to suffer a heart attack because it can often lead to life threatening consequences.

When the cholesterol level in our body becomes higher than normal, it slows down the flow of blood to and from our heart. Worse, it can even completely block blood flow - which is of course disastrous for us. Blood contains oxygen and when our heart doesn't receive enough of this, we experience chest spasms and find it difficult to breathe. If the blockage continues, we get a heart attack. If the attack is not given medical attention, we die.

The Coffee Competition

Filtered vs. Unfiltered

In 2001, Dr. Michael J. Klag and his colleagues reviewed numerous studies that tackled the link between coffee drinking and increasing cholesterol levels. They've discovered that individuals who consumer approximately six cups of coffee per day are more prone to having higher cholesterol levels and LDL - the evil twin of the two types of cholesterols. Almost all the studies have pinpointed the blame to unfiltered coffee.

Klag claimed that the increase of cholesterol levels is primarily due to terpenes, an element found in coffee. The amount of terpenes however is significantly reduced in unfiltered coffee.

Caffeinated vs. Decaffeinated

One can choose to look at this with another perspective. Which of the two - caffeinated and decaffeinated - has an undesirable effect on cholesterol levels?

A new study presented in the 2005 American Heart Associations' Scientific Sessions has revealed that people drinking decaffeinated coffee are characterized by the following: Increase in Fatty Acids - Fatty acids can increase the production of LDL Increase in ApoB - This is the only protein that is linked with LDL Increase in NEFA - Another element that can also indirectly lead to higher production of LDL

Further studies however have produced mixed results as regard to people drinking decaffeinated coffee.

HDL2 - the better twin of the two types of cholesterols - of overweight decaffeinated coffee drinkers has increased while the opposite occurs for drinkers who have normal weights.

THE VERDICT

When it comes to coffee and cholesterol, people seem to be asking the wrong questions: to drink or not to drink, which is the good coffee for all…As the studies have shown, different types of individuals have different responses towards different types of coffee. What may be good for you and lower your cholesterol level may have the opposite effect for somebody else.

Secondly, the increase and decrease of cholesterol levels can not be solely attributed to the type of coffee one drinks; cholesterol levels, rather, are affected by the kind of lifestyle we have: what type of food we eat, whether we smoke or not, and so forth.

Lastly, there's nothing wrong about drinking coffee, filtered or unfiltered, caffeinated or decaffeinated, just as long as we do it in moderation!

Dr. Michael Lee is a board certified physician who has counselled thousands of patients on lowering their cholesterol. To get free tips on lowering your choleseterol naturally without harmful drugs, please check out

http://zapcholesterol.com/tips.html

http://zapcholesterol.com/tips.html