When to Grind Coffee Beans After Roasting

Sipping a fragrant cup of fine coffee, freshly ground in your own kitchen from roasted beans is one of the simple joys in life.

However, did you know that there is an optimum time frame to grind and enjoy your chosen beans? The roasting date is the key to making use of the window of opportunity when your coffee will be at its most flavoursome. But first, let’s get a bit geeky about the whole roasting process.

What Happens During Roasting?

You probably already know that every coffee bean starts as a fresh berry. During the roasting process, carbon dioxide forms inside the bean, along with other gases. The heat of the roasting is the catalyst for the breakdown of complex carbohydrates inside the bean into smaller molecules, making the beans brown and developing those delicious roasted flavours.

As the roasting progresses, carbon dioxide is slowly released from the bean. This process is called degassing.

The key to perfect roasting is the management of the degassing period – if the beans are allowed to degas for too long, they will start to absorb oxygen, or oxidate, making them go stale. If they are not degassed for long enough, gas left inside the beans will stop water from flowing through the coffee when it is ground. This makes a brew that lacks flavour and intensity.

When Should You Grind Your Roast Beans?

Most coffee experts suggest that you should wait around a week after the roasting date before grinding beans.

Coffee beans are packed and sealed tightly, and this slows down the degassing and oxidation process. However, once a bag is opened, this process slowly starts again.

We recommend using beans within a few weeks of the roasting date to enjoy them at their absolute best.

Store them in an airtight container away from sunlight, and only grind the amount you need for each brew, as ground coffee deteriorates in flavour and aroma much quicker than whole beans.

Choosing a Coffee Grinder

Of course, the quality of the grind will be influenced by the quality of the coffee grinder you use.

Hand Grinders

Hand grinders are great for those looking for more control over the grinding experience.

Our Recommended Hand Grinders:

• Comandante C40 - A premium hand grinder, providing exceptional grind quality and durability
• Rhino tall hand grinder - Reliable and versatile, consistently producing fantastic grinds
• Rhino small hand grinder - A quality compact hand grinder which is perfect for on-the-go

Electric Coffee Grinders

Electric coffee grinders provide consistent grind results and are convenient and efficient, capable of grinding coffee beans in seconds.

Our Recommended Electric Coffee Grinders:

• Baratza Encore Grinder - Considered the go-to entry level grinder for home brewing. Versatile, and produces exceptional grind consistency
• Fellow Ode Brew Grinder - Exceptional electric grinder, combining functionality, precision and stunning design
• Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2 - Next generation of the above grinder. Provides a top tier grinding experience to elevate the quality and flavour of your brews

Read more about our top-rated coffee grinders.

Treat Yourself

Consider a fresh coffee subscription so that you always have the freshest, most aromatic coffee beans to hand, ready to brew up that authentic coffee shop experience at home.

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