do you grind your own coffee?

[lazy_literotic]

the whole bean at Costco is cheaper, and more choices.
I've just been buying the ground.
I had a grinder one time, but I didn't know how much to do it, they said I was burning my coffee etc.
I guess a burr grinder is what is best - you guys use it?

 

[twister947]

It's best when freshly ground. Unfortunately, it wakes up everybody in the house. They may not be grateful.

 

[Britva415]

I had a grinder one time, but I didn't know how much to do it, they said I was burning my coffee etc.

They who? If you can't taste the difference or don't care, fuck'em.

I guess a burr grinder is what is best

Again from the cork-sniffers.

Look, you're already buying coffee from Costco. Optimizing your grind isn't going to change your experience very much.

I love good coffee. I love the sublime qualities present in an absolutely top-notch cup, made from unique and rare top-shelf beans, roasted the same day, by an artisan with decades of experience, brewed the most delicate and perfect way possible.

But I don't do that at home. I buy reasonably priced whole beans, grind them in a spinner grinder, not a burr grinder, and brew it in a French press.

What is the one thing I do which might seem fussy or picky or otherwise just seeking to optimize my cup? I buy the beans as freshly roasted as possible.

Fresh roast is so good it's indescribable, however the very best of it is gone after 48 hours, so, I usually can't even buy beans that freshly roasted. Still, knowing the roast date and getting the freshest possible does make a very noticeable difference within a matter of a couple of weeks after roasting. It's very worth it to locate a roastery locally and see what you can get from them. Or to mail-order from someone like Peet's if you don't have a roastery locally.

I could consider roasting my own but I simply don't care to source the equipment or the raw beans. I'm not convinced I can get raw beans myself which are as good as what my local roasteries can get, so, without that, it's perfume on a pig.

If you can ever experience a cup of coffee made from beans roasted in the last 24 hours, do try. The difference isn't even so much in the flavor. I'm not saying there's not a flavor benefit, there is. But the feature which is so ephemeral and can't be had any other way is the texture. It's velvety.

 

[Diosax]

the whole bean at Costco is cheaper, and more choices.
I've just been buying the ground.
I had a grinder one time, but I didn't know how much to do it, they said I was burning my coffee etc.
I guess a burr grinder is what is best - you guys use it?

I usually do. I just have a cheap grinder i purchased from target. Didn't do much research i was just forced to bc of pandemic

Costco has an organic dark roast from peet's coffee rn that is really good. A green bag.

 

[Goldenfinger]

The whole bean is cheaper but I find that I go through more if I grind myself.

 

[ace195008]

Yes, Kicking Horse 454, it’s outstanding

 

[spankableBelle]

I saw this thread pop up and it reminded me that I need to grind some coffee beans today...

I have some Death Wish on its way.
Also some Dynamite Roasting Company on its way, too.

 

[jehoram]

I had a grinder one time, but I didn't know how much to do it, they said I was burning my coffee etc.

I never heard of that, and I've been around coffee snobs for decades now. As far as I can determine, it makes no difference as long as you don't over-grind it. Some machines and french presses want a finer grind than others, and a little experimentation will help you determine how much grinding is enough.

There are two problems with the self-grind grinders you find at Costco and supermarkets. First, you don't have too much control over how fine they grind the coffee. Second, you get off-flavors from whatever went through the grinder before you got there. So I always grind mine at home.

 

[hulmule]

Yes , it is better when fresh gound. Like certain roasted flavored coffees also. Would like to buy some green beans and play around and roast them myself. nothing better than a good cup of coffee.

 

[Goldenfinger]

Yes , it is better when fresh gound. Like certain roasted flavored coffees also. Would like to buy some green beans and play around and roast them myself. nothing better than a good cup of coffee.

A friend of my wife, her husband bought a small roaster and makes his own. It’s fucking bad. Don’t buy cheap beans. Last cup I had I put a shit ton of sugar in to kill the bitterness.

 

[jehoram]

A friend of my wife, her husband bought a small roaster and makes his own. It’s fucking bad. Don’t buy cheap beans. Last cup I had I put a shit ton of sugar in to kill the bitterness.

I'm wondering if he just over-roasted the beans. One of the differences in Peet's coffee and Starbucks coffee is that the latter always seem to roast the beans more. Maybe they need that extra bitterness to cope with Seattle's abysmal weather.

That said, it's easy to make crappy coffee from quality beans, but it's damn near impossible to make quality coffee from crappy beans.

I hear that the Starbucks people actually learned about roasting coffee from the Peet crew, and shrewdly marketed their coffee to achieve dominance in the industry. But Peet's is now opening a bunch of coffee shops in central California, and their product is superior to the Starbucks stuff.

 

[lazy_literotic]

I'm wondering if he just over-roasted the beans. One of the differences in Peet's coffee and Starbucks coffee is that the latter always seem to roast the beans more. Maybe they need that extra bitterness to cope with Seattle's abysmal weather.

That said, it's easy to make crappy coffee from quality beans, but it's damn near impossible to make quality coffee from crappy beans.

I hear that the Starbucks people actually learned about roasting coffee from the Peet crew, and shrewdly marketed their coffee to achieve dominance in the industry. But Peet's is now opening a bunch of coffee shops in central California, and their product is superior to the Starbucks stuff.

I took the coffee tour in Costa Rica -
the guy said that French roast that we like here, is actually burning the beans. over roast I guess.
I've taken to getting medium roast.
he said a good thing would be to mix the two, but that's too much trouble.
I did do the Costco grinder, but I couldn't reach. one time a guy helped me.
and I was uncomfortable having people walk behind me while I was doing it.
I'll order one of those grinders when I get close to finishing up this thing I have.

 

[Lady2020]

I've never been much of a coffee drinker, I'm a tea drinker. But coffee smells so good.

 

[Wonderer67]

Ive never really ground my own coffee.

I learned in the army, even bad coffee is a good coffee, so I am not particularly picky.

I just drink chock full of nuts (heh heh, I said nuts), and maxwell house. I drink it black.

 

[jehoram]

I took the coffee tour in Costa Rica -
the guy said that French roast that we like here, is actually burning the beans. over roast I guess.

A matter of taste, I guess.

I've taken to getting medium roast.

Which is actually higher in caffeine than the dark roasts.

 

[Elypep1980]

the whole bean at Costco is cheaper, and more choices.
I've just been buying the ground.
I had a grinder one time, but I didn't know how much to do it, they said I was burning my coffee etc.
I guess a burr grinder is what is best - you guys use it?

Preferred but I’m lazy lol and buy pre ground

 

[lazy_literotic]

yes, we all have our own techniques for taking in that near magical potion.
for our compadres on YouTube -
the proper way is self grind with a French press and warming up each cup in a microwave.
mornings are my favorite time of day - so when it's time to get up, I have my Alexa start the drip thing.
put some slippers on, a robe, and plop down with my steaming cup.

 

[Bigbobnc]

I actually buy green beans and roast then grind it myself. I have a nice mini roaster that I can roast enough for two days plus I can control everything about the roast based on what beans I’m using and what I’m in the mood for.

 

[jsmiam]

There’s a degree of whatever you are (or get) accustomed to:

If you don’t grind your coffee as long, (coarser bigger pieces), the same quantity of coffee will be weaker than if you ground the coffee very finely. Grind it super fine, the same quantity of coffee might be stronger. And have more black goop at the bottom of your cup since some fine particles made it through the filter.

A few days in you’ll find what feels right for you.

 

[billrokra]

There's a billion answers to this but the data suggests:
Fresh water
French press is best for home use
Slightly coarser grinds give a better taste than finely ground because the most important element in coffee taste other than the quality of the bean is the rate at which the hot water passes through it, and fine ground impedes this. Perhaps counter-intuitively, if you use fewer beans ground slightly coarser, that gives a better, stronger taste than more beans ground finely - and saves you money.

Ultimately, personal taste trumps all, of course.

 

[n8Romantic]

the whole bean at Costco is cheaper, and more choices.
I've just been buying the ground.
I had a grinder one time, but I didn't know how much to do it, they said I was burning my coffee etc.
I guess a burr grinder is what is best - you guys use it?

Grind your own and experiment. It should be fun and that perfect brew in the morning is a little touch of heaven. I grind my own with a Baratza Encore burr grinder. I've had it for years and just repair it as parts wear out. Baratza repair parts are reasonably priced and way cheaper than a new one grinder. I used a blade grinder/chopper early on but found the grind inconsistent and switched to a burr grinder. I currently buy my beans from local roasters and grind for my desired french press coarseness. But each variety of bean is different and I adjust the grind for the extraction that provides the best taste an aroma profile. I use my grind for k-cups, percolator, French press and pour overs with equal success. DeCaf beans are a challenge as most producers over roast the beans to reduce the caffeine. As one poster commented lighter roast have more caffeine and over roasting is the most economical means to reduce the caffeine. The local roasters I use chose the Swiss Water process for decaffeination and the coffee is quite tasty.

I learned in the army, even bad coffee is a good coffee, so I am not particularly picky.

I just drink chock full of nuts (heh heh, I said nuts), and maxwell house. I drink it black.

Navy here...I've drank coffee that makes the hair on your toes pop tall. Chock Full of Nuts isn't bad. I especially like their decaf when I have to drink packaged k-cups, however their decaf is not available where I live. I am now a picky coffee drinker.

 

[hulmule]

Nothing better than a GOOD cup of coffee. Have noticed that when at a friend for a week their city water had a terrible taste to drink. So went and got good bottled water. You could taste the difference just in good water.

 

[ramoredrake]

OXO burr grinder. They made great gadgets

 

[Britva415]

I had a grinder one time, but I didn't know how much to do it, they said I was burning my coffee etc.

"They" who?

Were they tasting your coffee or were you tasting it?

Was it good enough or did it taste burned to you too?

Don't listen to anyone who says you're doing it wrong. Listen to your own sense of taste. You don't sound like a corksniffer who can't make their own coffee good enough.

Hell, if buying ground is good enough for you, no need to change. I do think you might like it better when you buy whole beans and grind them yourself, but, I guess you already tried this and didn't discern any improvement? That's fine, just keep doing what you've been doing, then.

If the problem is that you're surrounded by snobs bitching at you for buying ground instead of grinding your own, fuck'em.

 

[Spanky1372]

I'm not being a snob and I don't know your situation but I love coffee, it sets me up for the day.
If you're having me over I take mine black no sugar as I enjoy savouring the richness of the brew.
There's one coffee in the day at 15:00 where I'll have a coffee pod, don't shoot me, I'll have that with milk and nutmeg or cinnamon.
I use a supermarket blend ground coffee for Monday to Friday coffee.
I have weekend coffee from a roasters coffee club that I subscribe to. I receive that in beans and I have a small stainless steel travel hand grinder that I use for them.
If I'm having guests over for dinner and I know they enjoy coffee I'll walk to my local roasters, buy a bag and have them grind it in the shop.
All of my coffee is prepared and poured from a stainless steel cafetiere.