Ground coffee: a ticking time bomb?
Let’s look at it from a scientific perspective. The processes initiated when the beans are ground are well known and have been described in detail. The first is oxidation. Imagine an apple: as soon as it is cut in half, it starts to turn brown. This happens because its delicate interior is exposed to air – and the same happens to coffee beans. Once the protective layer is breached, oxygen begins to interact with the flavor compounds inside, destroying them every second. In fact, up to 60% of the flavor originally found in coffee can be oxidized in just 15 minutes! Even an airtight seal can only slow down this process: much of the flavor notes of ground coffee will evaporate before you even open the package.
Another issue is moisture. Most of coffee’s much-loved complex aromas are due to the oils it contains, which dissolve in water. This is, of course, great news if you’re just about to brew freshly ground coffee – it’s worse if the ground coffee left for later interacts with the moisture in the air. Over time, more and more oils will begin to decompose, which will worsen the taste of the infusion.
In addition, there is CO₂ – a gas that significantly affects the taste of coffee. The hard shell of the beans prevents carbon dioxide from escaping too quickly, but as soon as the coffee is ground, most of the gas is released and replaced by oxygen (and we already know that this does not affect the taste of the finished brew too well).
So can we say that ground coffee is a ticking time bomb? But maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Pre-packaged ground coffee is more like a bubble that can burst at any time. As soon as this happens, the flavors will be released – and if you wait too long, they will disappear forever.
Why are pre-packaged ground coffee sold at all?
“If it is better to grind beans immediately before brewing, why do stores offer ground coffee?” Great question! It’s all about comfort. Buying pre-packaged ground coffee is a great solution when traveling (even the most avid coffee lovers leave their coffee machines at home when they go on a trip, right?). There is a time and place for everything, especially when it comes to coffee, and comfort is very important here.
Moreover, the grinder is not the same – sometimes pre-ground coffee may be a better solution. Uniform grinding is important for the repeatable quality of the infusion. It has a direct effect on extraction: if some ground coffee particles are larger than others, the flavor notes are not extracted properly. Even experienced home baristas will agree that if we have a choice between pre-packaged ground coffee and unevenly ground coffee beans, the former is the better option.
Why is it worth investing in a coffee grinder?
So, as we have established, ground coffee is not that bad at all. But why is it better to grind the beans immediately before brewing? Experts agree: switching from pre-packaged ground coffee to coffee beans is the most important and simplest improvement in the brewing process that can be implemented. If you are looking for more intense aromas and purer flavors, coffee grinders are the first thing you need to look for – coffee machines are also important, but even they are secondary here! It turns out that you can brew a cup of delicious coffee using only freshly and evenly ground coffee and a French Press, while improperly ground coffee cannot be saved even by the most sophisticated coffee machine.
When it comes to coffee grinders, everyone will certainly find something for themselves. Using manual grinders requires some effort, but it is worth remembering that they are compact, inexpensive and intuitive to use. Electric grinders, on the other hand, provide more repeatable results and are designed with the least amount of effort on the part of the user in mind. And we also have a built-in grinder… Regardless of what you choose, remember: a high-quality grinder does not have to be expensive; you just need to grind the coffee evenly.
Develop the habit of grinding every day
If you decide to try freshly ground coffee beans, try not to complicate your life unnecessarily. The point is not to make grinding coffee a tedious task to check off – rather, it should be a pleasant diversion, something as simple and uncomplicated as measuring a portion of pre-packaged ground coffee. You simply pour the beans into a proven grinder and after a while you can smell the mesmerizing smell of freshly ground coffee that you are about to brew. After all, the devil is in the details – and proper preparation of coffee beans can have a huge impact on the taste of the brew.
