Food & Beverage Facts and Tips

Coffee will always taste better when it is freshly ground. And having your own coffee bean grinder will guarantee that you can have a fresh cup whenever you desire.

But freshness is only one advantage of grinding your own beans. You will also have total control over how fine you make the grind. That is of paramount importance to coffee lovers everywhere.

So what’s holding you back? Perhaps you believe that the process is difficult, or maybe you think it can be messy. Both of those arguments are incorrect.

Sure it’s easier to just break out the can opener and start brewing, but the difference in taste is remarkable. And once you grind your own beans for the first time, you may never purchase canned coffee again.

The reason there’s such a difference is because ground beans begin to deteriorate almost immediately. That means they quickly lose some of their taste and smell. Grinding your own beans will naturally result in a better tasting and better smelling cup. Just grind up your beans right before you brew, and the result will be a flavorful and aroma full cup every time.

So what kind of grinder should you get? There are two popular types on the market. You can get either a blade grinder or a burr grinder.

The more economical of the two is the blade grinder. Picture a blender, only smaller. The blades inside simply grind up the beans. This is far better than buying canned coffee, but not as good as it could be. The idea when grinding is to get as large a surface area as possible. A larger surface area means more bean is exposed to the hot water, and therefore more oils and flavor can be pulled out during brewing. A blade grinder will produce an uneven grind. And therefore you will get a slightly inferior cup of coffee.

Burr grinders meanwhile are typically used in high quality coffee houses because they give a much better grind. The burrs, or metal discs, are spaced to precise specifications, giving you a grind that is more even. A more even grind means a better cup. And it doesn’t matter what type of coffee you like best because these grinders are adjustable. So if you like Turkish drip or automatic drip, you can set your burr grinder to give you the grind you like best.

One thing about coffee is that everybody likes theirs a little different. What I may like best is probably different than what you prefer. But we can all agree that when it is fresh ground, it will taste better. That’s why if you choose a burr or blade coffee bean grinder, you’ll still get a cup that is better than anything you buy from a can. I can only suggest you try it. You may never buy a can from the grocery store again.

You might even jump out of bed in the morning, realizing that a delicious and fresh cup of coffee will be in your hands in just minutes.

Tags: beverage tips, drinks