Grinding Coffee for your Small Coffee Maker

If you've already purchased your small coffee maker and are in the market for a new grinder you will want to pay attention to the advice listed below. Whether or not you're looking to purchase a new grinder or may want to consider it later on down the line, the choice to grind your own beans versus buying them already ground is a major step in the quest to produce great coffee. I say this because from the moment the beans are ground they begin losing much of their flavor and aroma compounds. If this one simple fact doesn't convince you to make the leap to an external grinder then perhaps nothing will. If you're still unsure then read on and perhaps I can change your mind.

As with most things in life it's important not to default to the cheapest or easiest option. The same holds true for coffee grinders, since the cheapest grinders are often the blade or "whirly-bird" grinders that pulverize the coffee beans, creating a lot of different particle sizes and dust. The dust is a no-no, as it will create bitter off-flavors that will negatively affect the finished cup. There are grinders that don't create dust (conical burr grinders) and these are the types you will want to look for. There is a distinct difference between a "wheel" burr grinder and a "conical" burr grinder, which I will explain later.

The great thing about conical burr grinders is the way in which they grind the beans, producing a grind that is consistent in particle size and without dust. The grinder accomplishes this by crushing the beans between a movable grinding wheel and a non-moving surface. The reason to purchase a conical burr grinder over the other type, a wheel burr grinder, is that the conical version tends to produce less noise and mess. These are features that you will appreciate in the long run, so be sure to make the extra investment. A high quality burr grinder can be purchased for between $75 and $100 and will last you a lifetime if you take care of it properly.

Picking out your conical burr grinder is a great step in producing great coffee, but is not the only factor you should consider. In fact, the freshness of the coffee beans you use is equally important. You should use only freshly roasted coffee beans and should use them up within 1 week of purchasing them. The longer you keep the beans without using them, the less flavor and aroma they will impart on the finished cup. When you finally do decide to grind your beans it's important that you use them within a couple of minutes of being ground.

If you're really interested in having the ultimate coffee experience then you will want to look for a local or online roaster. A good roaster can be found through a simple Google search or through a popular coffee forum such as Coffee Geek. You will want to purchase beans that are 3-5 days removed from the roast process and you should use these beans within about 1 week. If you're not yet ready to make this step don't worry - store bought coffee beans can still produce a fantastic cup of coffee if you're using the right set of tools.

Making the decision to grind your own beans is a monumental step on your journey to producing great coffee. In my opinion, there is no other way to brew coffee other than to use freshly ground beans. You will be able to produce a richer, more aromatic cup of coffee than you can buy at many so-called coffee shops.

Conrad writes reviews and compiles information to help you choose the very best small coffee maker and also writes information about the best accessories forsmall coffee makers

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

November 09 2009 | coffee | No Comments »