# Does grinding your own coffee make a difference **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [March 26, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280 "2016-03-26T21:17:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/21 "2016-03-27T04:30:41Z")
I think of it like a high-end sound system. Some people will notice the difference, but many people won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/22 "2016-03-27T04:39:13Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > If you like the aroma of fresh ground beans, you’ll _love_ roasting coffee. If you have neighbors who drink coffee they will be climbing through windows or whatever it takes to find out where the source is. Lock your doors and cackle at them! > > Muuhhaahaha! I’ll have to give this a shot. Thanks! > [@China\_Guy](#): > > I started a thread on home roasting coffee beans a couple of days ago: [Anyone done home coffee bean roasting? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=788327) Subscribed! ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/23 "2016-03-27T04:42:39Z")
We grind beans every morning just before brewing the coffee. I’ve been through a few small, cheap coffee grinders, but after the last one conked out after a year or so, I decided the hell with it, I want something that’s going to last and that can actually be repaired if needed. So we bought a nice, solid [KitchenAid burr grinder.](http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KCG0702CU-Coffee-Grinder-Contour/dp/B00XPRQW2A/ref=sr_1_4?srs=2594881011&ie=UTF8&qid=1459053587&sr=8-4&keywords=coffee+grinder) The thing will probably outlive me. We buy beans already roasted in 2-lb. bags from Costco - they have grinders, but the coffee is good, and I find that grinding them fresh makes the biggest flavor difference. And it’s cheap (depending on variety, $6 - 8/lb.) I’ve never really contemplated roasting my own, but we toured a coffee plantation in Panama, and they showed us how to roast small quantities in a cheapo popcorn air popper. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/24 "2016-03-27T18:49:43Z")
We roast our own beans and grind them right before brewing in the French Press. I can’t drink restaurant coffee anymore. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/25 "2016-03-27T22:41:20Z")
My mom ground her own beans, and it was great coffee. But the grinder was crazy loud. Do they make quieter ones? ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/26 "2016-03-28T02:17:33Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I went to a work party where they roasted their own beans, and gave a demo. Getting the beans and the process seemed like an incredible hassle, and the coffee wasn’t all that much better than what I drink anyway. > I have a Cuisinart that grinds just before brewing, and that is way worth it, though finding unground beans is getting harder and harder. Getting the beans is no more hassle than anything else, they’ll ship right to your door. Roasting and the rest of it is no more complicated than people make it. There is a decided snob factor involved I suppose. The truth is prior to all the wars and the introduction of vacuum packed and instant coffees, every town of any size had a coffee importer/roaster/blender and nary a hipster in sight. A buddy of mine who used to go to Central America on business said one of the best coffees he ever had was roasted over a stove in a cast iron frying pan and stirred with a wooden spoon. I’ve tried pretty much all the methods, it is true the older air corn poppers work OK, and considerably less expensive than the dedicated roasters. Maybe they have improved, but my impression was that the high roasting temperatures required and the digital electronic controls don’t play well together, and the roasting capacities are way too small. I throw two pounds on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven. A rotisserie style drum roaster is available for gas grills that should be about perfect for both quantity and quality. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/27 "2016-03-28T03:38:00Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > Getting the beans is no more hassle than anything else, they’ll ship right to your door. > > Roasting and the rest of it is no more complicated than people make it. There is a decided snob factor involved I suppose. The truth is prior to all the wars and the introduction of vacuum packed and instant coffees, every town of any size had a coffee importer/roaster/blender and nary a hipster in sight. > > A buddy of mine who used to go to Central America on business said one of the best coffees he ever had was roasted over a stove in a cast iron frying pan and stirred with a wooden spoon. I’ve tried pretty much all the methods, it is true the older air corn poppers work OK, and considerably less expensive than the dedicated roasters. Maybe they have improved, but my impression was that the high roasting temperatures required and the digital electronic controls don’t play well together, and the roasting capacities are way too small. I throw two pounds on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven. A rotisserie style drum roaster is available for gas grills that should be about perfect for both quantity and quality. The problem is that the roasters are $200 or so. There are websites saying you can use a popcorn popper to roast coffee beans on the cheap, but it seems very labor intensive, potentially dangerous and very messy (you have to sift the beans outside since they will flake everywhere). ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/28 "2016-03-28T13:11:18Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > The problem is that the roasters are $200 or so. There are websites saying you can use a popcorn popper to roast coffee beans on the cheap, but it seems very labor intensive, potentially dangerous and very messy (you have to sift the beans outside since they will flake everywhere). The air poppers make a mess because the chaff blows around during the roast. It’s not dangerous. The problem is, the poppers and roasters are limited to a half cup or maybe a cup of beans. This means roasting everyday for most people, and it’s a noisy, smoky affair. Roasting 2 to 3 pounds minimum outside is really the only viable and efficient method. You’ll have to find a roaster that offers DeCaff, and has a high turnover. This may be a problem, I dunno. I certainly hope so. ha ha I can’t believe I’m discussing coffee with a person who drinks DeCaff! Gaa! ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/29 "2016-03-28T13:48:37Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > The general numbers I’ve seen tossed about by the coffee fans is that green beans last a year or two; roasted beans last a week or two; ground coffee lasts an hour or two. After they point they say you will notice differences in the coffee, and they’re usually not good differences. That kind of thing has always struck me as obsessive coffee-hobbyist “how many angels can fit on the head of a pin” kind of stuff. Kind of like how some homebrewers obsess about exactly what the temperature of their various rests are, or over the brand of crystal malt. Or how cocktail wonks will get bitchy about the particular brand of a spirit used in a drink. Not the style, but literally the brand. Or how mountain bike weight-weenies will get stupid about saving 5 grams here or there, when taking a healthy dump before a ride will get rid of more grams than you could hope to save by getting a lighter water bottle or water bottle cage. In other words, things that only make a difference to enthusiasts, and that even there, the effect is debatable. Nobody in the general public will give a rip in the least bit. That said, there are differences between the stages of coffee that you mention. Roasted beans are at their \*peak \*in the first couple of weeks, but if you grind them fresh a couple of months after roasting, they’ll still beat the crud out of Folgers. And fresh ground coffee will still be fine the next morning- maybe not the ne plus ultra of coffee, but still better than 99% of the pre-ground stuff out there. A lot of it has to do with your coffee palate though; you can be like my wife, who drinks black coffee, and is pretty particular, or you can be like her father, who will just about drink anything that’s roasted and brewed, so long as it has caffeine and says “coffee”. I mean, my wife might quibble about the difference between Peruvian Cajamarca and Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, but my father in law would be as happy with either of those, as he would with drinking coffee found in an abandoned military base in a can stamped “Expiration date: 7/1944”. Grinding fresh beans is totally lost on him. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/30 "2016-03-28T15:34:40Z")
If you can find a way to make decaf taste good, I’d love to hear it, because I haven’t had any luck with it. I can handle one luscious dose of caffeine early in the day, and we’re already far down that slippery slope, where now we blend two kinds of whole beans, burr grind, and use bottled water in a French press. Every step of that made better coffee. We haven’t been seduced into roasting yet. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/31 "2016-03-28T16:18:41Z")
I’m too lazy to grind my own beans, but yes, it makes a difference. The less time that passes between the grinding and the brewing, the better the taste. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/32 "2016-03-29T14:38:55Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I grind my own beans a pot at a time, and keep them in the freezer. I used to do this too, but per advice from my local coffee roaster\*\*, they tell me that the absolute worst place to store your coffee (ground or unground) is in the freezer or refrigerator. Apparently the dry air sucks out much of the oils in the coffee, which is a key to the flavor and richness of the coffee. \*\*If you live in the Milwaukee area, [Valentine Coffee](http://valentinecoffeeco.com/) is wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/33 "2016-04-01T01:37:40Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > There are good breakfast places I don’t go to any more because their coffee is mediocre. I so feel you for this. There’s a “cafe” near me that offers the only filled omelette I’ve ever truly liked (smoked gouda, thick cut bacon, and avacado), but their coffee is generic diner stuff and tastes like stale urn. All the more annoying because they have an Illy sign in their window, but only serve Illy if you order overpriced espresso drinks. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2016, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/36 "2016-12-25T02:51:15Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Again, find a place that sell beans with the roast date listed on them. See if you can find some that was roasted this week. Buy two pounds. Put one on the shelf, make coffee with the other. In a month, try the second pound. If you don’t notice any difference, you don’t need fresh-roasted coffee. That’s a good idea. To make a immediate side-by-side taste test you could buy some coffee roasted this week (I’d buy only a small amount since it’s an experiment), wait a month, then buy some more freshly coffee ground and then make a cup of each and compare the two. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2016, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/37 "2016-12-25T03:01:41Z")
(Too late to make the edit window) I just noticed this is a zombie thread. Oh well, nothing like a strong fresh cuppa joe to wake the dead! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280/38 "2016-12-25T04:35:45Z")
I used to buy beans at the grocery and grind it on their machine. You’ve probably seen the clear bins with big scoops to dispense the coffee. It didn’t taste that much different. Imho It was a questionable and expensive purchase. That tasted just a bit better. Kroger removed the entire bean display a couple years ago. The grinder and a few brands of beans are still there but the grinder is always jammed whenever I try to buy beans and grind. I’ve pretty much gone back full time to preground coffee. Yuban and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee are the brands I buy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-grinding-your-own-coffee-make-a-difference/750280.md?page=1)