When To Grind?

When to grind your coffee is a much simpler issue.

You will get the most flavor from your coffee if you store it in whole bean form, and grind it just moments prior to brewing.

If you don't grind your own beans, you're missing half the fun and even more of the flavor. If you enjoy gourmet coffee you deserve to get all the flavor and aroma that you pay for. The truth of the matter is, that ground coffee goes stale much more quickly. Coffee will begin to loose its flavor immediately after grinding. The purchase of a grinder and grinding your own coffee beans just prior to brewing is one of the most important steps you can take to improve the flavor and aroma of your coffee.

Grinders
There are basically two kinds of grinders available for homes that do the job quite nicely. The first type might be called the "whirring blade". This design was derived from the standard kitchen blender. It is simply a small blade on top of a small electric motor. You put the beans in the chamber, put the lid on and press the button. The longer you hold the button the finer the beans are ground and it only takes a few seconds. It's small, compact and inexpensive, easy to use and does a good job. The single drawback is that the grind is not very consistent. Some pieces manage to avoid hitting the blade and are left in larger particles. It helps if you hold the grinder in your hand while it is running and rock it back and forth gently.

The second type of grinder is based upon the classic "mill" design. Two steel grinding wheels inside the grinder rotate against each other. They allow the coffee to emerge from the grinder only after being ground small enough to pass through the smallest distance between the two wheels. The advantage to this grinder is that the size of the particles in the grind is extremely consistent. Furthermore, the distance between the wheels is variable in very small increments...so you can vary the size of the grind until it perfectly fits your needs.

This type of grinder features a heavier duty motor, an adjustable grind, and a bean storage container to hold the supply for the next few days, and a timer-metering device so that you can grind just the right amount of coffee just by twisting the staring dial (no more measuring).

If you don't presently grind your own coffee you should join the many coffee lovers that delight in getting every last ounce of flavor out of their coffee beans...simply by grinding their own.

More

History of Java
Understanding the Bean
Coffee Regions
Roasting: The Art
Grinding
When To Grind?
Brewing: Twelve Tips for Brewing A Perfect Cup of Coffee!
Storing Your Coffee
Decaf De-Mythed