Tips on coffee grinding

If you're reading this after your first purchase, you know that we at Kyrios Coffee don't like to grind coffee before sending it to you.  Why?  Well, it's kinda technical yet it's not technical at all. 

The scientific explanation is oxidation, a natural process that begins as soon as you open up each bag of roasted beans and expose it to the air. Ground coffee offers much more surface area than beans alone, so by grinding ahead of time you are accelerating the oxidation of the entire bean.

We know it's tempting and more convenient when you are in a hurry to grind the beans ahead of time and scoop what you need right before brewing. But as the days go by the flavor in the cup will begin to fade.

To maximize flavor in the cup refrain from grinding until the last possible moment. Some coffee makers have built-in grinders so that, as soon as the bean is ground, the brewing begins. Sweet! If you have a stand-alone grinder we suggest having it positioned near your coffee maker. Prepare everything else ahead of time and then, at the last moment, grind your beans and start brewing.

Another tip:  Don't store beans in the refrigerator--store them in the original bag, sealed as tight as you can get it with the tin tie, at room temperature.  Your coffee's enemies are air, moisture, heat, and light.   As people open the refrigerator, moisture develops in your coffee and light invades it.  Also, coffee absorbs odors in your refrigerator.  Trust me--you don't want your coffee tasting like that leftover casserole!

Here are other practical tips for home grinding:

  1. If you can justify the expense, burr grinders (ones that actually crush the beans) are superior to blade grinders (ones that simply shred or chop the beans).  
  2. Keep the grinder clean.
  3. Grind just prior to brewing.
  4. To achieve a more consistent grind gently shake the apparatus while grinding.
  5. Use the correct size for your equipment. Burr grinders allow you to pre-select the proper grind. With blade grinders timing is critical:
    • Coarse Grind for electric percolators grind for 5-10 seconds
    • Medium Grind for electric drip or French press 10-15 seconds
    • Fine Grind for espresso machines grind approximately 30 seconds

The next in this series of blogs will focus on grinding beans for different brewing methods.  Go here for this post.

Of course, in matters of taste there is no one recipe for success. Experiment with your equipment, timing, and ingredients to achieve results that satisfy you.

All the best,

Your roastmaster, Mike



Comment on this post (2 comments)

  • Mike says...

    Sorry for such a late reply! When you asked this, bags were 12oz. They are now 14oz bags. Thank you.

    January 28, 2019

  • Connie says...

    I may be overlooking it, but I don’t seem to find the wt of the coffee bags anywhere. Thank you.
    Connie

    November 12, 2016

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