Coffee Burr Grinder
...in a single cup coffee maker.
Coffee Burr Grinder
For those of you who are wanting to continue making your coffee with your own beans, that's perfectly fine! Especially when you have a Keurig single cup coffee maker! The information found here is for those who maybe aren't well versed in grinding their own beans, or who would like to give it a try.
Coffee Burr Grinder
Why Grind Your Own?
Coffee Burr Grinder
Well, for starters, some people prefer to grind their own beans for financial reasons. You can buy coffee beans in bulk, which can and will save money over time.
Another reason people will grind their own has to do with flavor and freshness. While you're going to get a great brew from a Keurig single cup coffee maker because of the way the K-Cups are made and because of the brewing process, you're almost always going to have slight differences in taste when you grind your own. This has to do with the beans having been freshly ground and therefore more of the oils are present that will flavor the water.
In addition, there are others still who grind their own coffee simply because they prefer to experiment more. This is where you can really have fun, because you can choose different roasts of coffee and beans that have been flavored during the roasting process and create your own blend. This is especially useful for those who are trying to create the sense of having a coffee shop in their own kitchen.
How to Store
One thing to talk about before launching into the world of grinding your own beans is storage. Why storage? Because if the beans aren't stored properly, they're going to lose their flavor and freshness.
The container you use to store your coffee beans needs to be dark, because you don't want sunlight breaking down the oils in the beans, and airtight, because you don't want your beans to dry out.
Grinding
Having a decent grinder is a key element to grinding your own beans. I highly recommend a burr grinder over a blade grinder. Blades can create heat and an uneven consistency in the grind, while the burr gives you more grind, and more consistent grind, in a shorter time.
When you're first grinding your beans, don't be afraid to stop and check the consistency of the grind. Different methods of brewing require different textures. The more coarse the grind, the less silt or fines you'll have in your cup, while the finer the grind, the better for, say, a filtered coffee maker - much like a Keurig - but you don't want to go too fine or you'll over grind and over extract during the brewing process.
Before you start, gauge about how much you'll need to put in. It will work out approximately the same - for however many tablespoons of ground coffee you need, it'll work out to that same number of tablespoons of whole beans. Or, if you'd like, buy your beans in bulk and grind them in bulk as well!
Now that you've got a few tips about grinding your own coffee, if you feel like being experimental, go out and try it! The reusable filter for a Keurig single cup coffee maker is not all that expensive and will last you a long time if you take care of it properly!
What are you waiting for? Go ahead and bring the coffee shop to your kitchen!
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