Tips to grind coffee at home

Six Hacks to Elevate Your Coffee Grinding Skills

Home coffee gear has made it possible for coffee lovers to become coffee aficionados brewing the best cup of coffee in their homes every day. If you are looking for ways to up your cup one of the key tools of the home coffee brewer is the coffee grinder. This tool will allow you to have the freshest cup and bring out the distinct flavour of the bean. Online professional grade coffee grinders, such as Mazzer and Rocket, will provide you with a coffee that is smooth, luxurious and rich. However, if you don’t know how to grind, you won’t get the richness and quality you desire. Here’s our top six hacks to elevate your coffee grinding skills.Home coffee gear has made it possible for coffee lovers to become coffee aficionados brewing the best cup of coffee in their homes every day. If you are looking for ways to up your cup one of the key tools of the home coffee brewer is the coffee grinder. This tool will allow you to have the freshest cup and bring out the distinct flavour of the bean. Online professional grade coffee grinders, such as Mazzer and Rocket, will provide you with a coffee that is smooth, luxurious and rich. However, if you don’t know how to grind, you won’t get the richness and quality you desire. Here’s our top six hacks to elevate your coffee grinding skills.

  1. The Right Grinder

Obviously, to get the best grind you need the best grinder. First, you have a choice between manual and automatic grinders. Using a manual grinder takes a lot of elbow grease, especially if you like a finer grind. If you slow down or take a break, you will lose consistency which can affect the grind. Manual grinders also tend to be smaller, so if you are entertaining and want to impress with your freshly ground coffee, be prepared to have noodle arms by the time you’re done! That’s why we recommend using Mazzer and Rocket burr grinders as they provide the most consistent grind with no effort. Burr grinders are also better if you need a finer grind. They tend to provide not only consistency but also better control. As well, go with a doser grinder as they provide the smaller measurements ideal for home use. You can have quick dispensing using a simple handle. You also have a choice between flat and conical burrs, with flat being the latest in coffee grinding technology. Although both are excellent options, you will get the best possible results with a flat burr. As home grinding gear goes flat out, burrs and dosers are your best bet for perfect grinding every time.

  1. Grind Size

The grind size is key to a perfect grind – and perfect cup of coffee – because it is matched to the type of extraction method you are using to brew your coffee. Here are some grind size basics for the most common brew methods:

Most coffee grinders offer a number of settings which range from extra fine to extra course. The size of the grind should reach the ideal yield of between 18 to 22 percent, according to the Specialty Coffee Association’s Golden Cup Standards. The yield determines the strength of the coffee, which can be the defining factor between a perfect cup of coffee and an undrinkable cup. The grind size works in hand with the perfect temperature and brew time. If the grind size is off, then the brew time will not be effective. That’s why the burr blade doser is the preferred coffee grinder online especially if you need a finer grind.

A coffee that is “under-extracted” is usually because the ground is too coarse for the method you are using to brew your coffee. The larger the particles, the more slowly the flavour is released. So again, if you have the wrong grind for your coffee maker you will miss out on all that rich flavour and end up with an acidic cup of coffee that will be sour and even taste a little salty.

On the flip side, if a grind is too fine, you will end up with an “over-extracted” hollow coffee as the finer the grind, the more quickly the flavour is released. This leads to a very bitter flavour as once all the sugars and acids are extracted, nothing is left but the bitter components of the bean.

  1. Clean Your Grinder

Even if you are using fresh beans in your coffee grinder, if your coffee grinder isn’t clean, your coffee will not be pure. The residue left behind by your coffee grounds contains coffee oils which will go rancid if not removed. With every grind, you are leaving behind more and more residue and collecting that rancid residue when you remove your coffee grounds. If you are finding your coffee is not tasting as good as you’d like, you can be certain that it will get worse and worse if you are not cleaning your grinder after use. There are a lot of places the oils can get trapped which can also degrade the performance of your grinder and in some cases could even lead to a breakdown.

The challenge is that you shouldn’t get your grinder dry. Moisture can causes issues from collecting grinds on the burr and walls to rust or corrosion. We recommend using Urnex Grindz to ensure you are removing all the oils and grit left behind after each grind. It will not only improve the flavour of your coffee, but also help extend the life of your grinder. It’s quick and easy with just a cap run through your grinder to remove coffee particles and oils. Discard the Grindz and voila, you’ve got a clean grinder.

  1. Always Grind Fresh, High Quality Beans

This one is a no brainer, as clearly if your beans aren’t fresh your coffee won’t be either. This goes double for the quality of bean you are using. That means you should never pre-grind your beans and opt for a fresh grind for every brew. Of course, tastes will vary, and everyone will have their preferred bean and brand, but you will learn through trial and error which bean is your favourite. Fresh is another story, as depending on where you buy your beans, you could be getting beans that are older than you want. You want to have beans that have ideally been roasted in the past four days and once you get them home, you should be using them within 10 to 12 days. Coffee should be stored in an airtight container away from light and heat. Although some people will put their coffee in the fridge or freezer, this can lead to moisture issues. If you continue to do so, just be certain you put it right back into the fridge before condensation can form on the beans or container.

The four hacks above will help you create the freshest, smoothest cup of coffee when you buy a coffee grinder online.

To get more information about coffee grinders or to order your coffee grinder online from Faema, click here.