FOOD NEWS
Why You Should Be Grinding Your Coffee Beans In Advance
By Angel Albring
It's believed that coffee beans shouldn't be ground in advance, as their surface area can get exposed to oxygen and moisture, resulting in a loss of aroma and flavor.
This process, called "coffee oxidation," degrades coffee's quality, so for the freshest, the most aromatic brew, it is advised that you should grind the beans just before brewing.
However, that notion is changing, with more people preferring convenience and new food storage technologies, making it possible to slow down the coffee oxidation process.
Grinding coffee beans in advance has many perks, including the ease of making coffee whenever you want without having to grind beans each time, saving you time and frustration.
It also ensures that your coffee is consistent in taste, as the beans are ground to the same size. But you may be getting slightly less flavorful coffee toward the end of the week.
If you're concerned over this loss of flavor, you can only grind enough beans for a few days at a time. It's best to use fresh ground coffee within three days.
Grounds can last even a few weeks after grinding if properly stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container of good quality, such as a glass jar with a rubber seal.
Whole bean coffee stays fresher longer than pre-ground, so the ground you get from grinding whole coffee beans at home will also last longer than the pre-ground bought in-store.