If you want to get all of the delicious flavours out of the coffee bean, then you will need to grind them. Grinding coffee beans releases all of the flavour components, oils and aroma inside of the bean, making for a beautiful, balanced and tasty cup of coffee.
In grinding coffee beans, you are able to efficiently extract the solubles that are responsible for the taste, flavour and aroma of coffee, in order to make yourself a perfect cup of joe in the morning!
Most coffee aficionados will recommend buying coffee beans whole, and then grinding them yourself right before you are going to brew with an espresso machine, drip, french press or other coffee brewing equipment.
So, how do you grind coffee beans for the most delicious cup of coffee? Which is the best way to do it? Our guide has all of the answers for you!
What is the best way to grind coffee beans?
Coffee connoisseurs will tell you that the best way to grind coffee beans for the ultimate flavour and coffee extraction is with a burr grinder. These handy contraptions can grind up coffee beans with multiple coarseness levels, for that perfect and personalized cup of coffee.
With a burr grinder, the beans are ground at a lower speed, meaning that there are no high temperatures that could burn the beans, and damage the integrity or flavour of the beans. However, you do not have to grind coffee beans with a grinder as you can do it without. Check out our handy step by step guides below!
How to grind coffee beans with a grinder
If you do not have a burr grinder for your beans, then we recommend that you get one. These can be automatic such as this one or manual like this one.
Both are incredibly easy to use, and can grind up coffee beans to your preferred coarseness in seconds. Burr grinders are mostly used for their quality, uniformity and consistency, giving you the most perfectly ground beans every single time.
They are also so simple to use. For an automatic burr grinder, all you have to do is pop the whole coffee beans into the bean hopper on the top of the burr grinder, select the level of coarseness for the beans, and press the start button.
However, a manual burr grinder is a little different as you have to do the heavy lifting yourself. With a manual burr grinder, you just pop in the whole beans, and adjust the manual grind settings to the one that you want.
Then, you will have to grind the beans by using the hand crank mechanism, until you have all of the coffee grounds that you need to make a fresh cup of coffee!
How to grind coffee beans without a grinder
You don’t have to invest in a burr grinder if you do not want to, as you can grind coffee beans at home without a grinder! There are a few ways that you can do this.
For instance, you can use a blender to grind coffee beans in just a matter of seconds. Some blenders even have grind settings that you can use, however the grounds are often not all consistent and the same size.
To use a blender, simply select the medium high setting or grinder setting on your blender. Then, pour in the right amount of coffee for how many cups you want to make. Close the lid, and ensure that it is sealed.
Then, use the pulse setting on your grinder to grind the beans for about 3-5 seconds. Keep repeating this process around 6 times for a total of about 30 seconds. This will give you a more consistent and accurate grind. You can also use this same method with a food processor if you have one handy!
Others swear by using rolling pins to grind their coffee. To do this, place the desired amount of coffee beans in a ziploc bag, pressing out the air and sealing it shut. Then, crush the beans with the rolling pin like you would hit with a hammer, and start driving the pin over the beans, applying a lot of firm pressure.
You may have to move the beans around in the bag to get a consistent and overall good grind. Repeat this process until you have the desired coarseness level for your coffee grounds.
Finally, another popular way that you can grind coffee beans is with a mortar and pestle. This is a method that has been used for centuries to crush herbs, medicine and coffee beans. To use this method, simply fill up the mortar to about ¼ of the way full with coffee beans.
Then, hold the pestle in your dominant hand, and the mortar in the other, and force the pestle into the coffee beans, pushing, crushing and breaking the beans.
Go around in a swirling motion to really crush and grind up the beans in the best way, and repeat until you have the desired ground consistency and coarseness. Then, use them to brew!
How long do I grind coffee beans?
How long you grind your coffee beans depends on how coarse you want the grounds. If you have a coarse grind, then this type of coffee is best for French Press, cold brew, or percolators.
On the other hand, a medium grind is best for auto drip makers, or drop coffee makers, whereas a fine grind is best for stovetop espresso pots, and a super fine grind is perfect for espresso machines.
Starbucks, the coffee corporation and conglomerate found all around the world, suggests that the best espresso coffee is made with a blade grinder, and for a very fine grind, you have to use a grinder for 30-35 seconds. For coarser grounds, simply grind for less time!
As a handy tip, we also recommend not grinding your coffee beans too soon, as this can ruin the quality of your brewed coffee, as the beans can lose their flavour and integrity. Instead, ensure that your brewing water or method is ready to go as soon as you have ground your coffee beans!
