Coffee Beans Or Ground Coffee - How To Choose?

Ask any coffee expert what their number one tip for buying the best coffee is, and they will tell you to buy whole bean coffee.

Why Should I Buy Whole Bean Coffee Instead of Ground?

It's essential to understand the dynamics of coffee roasting and grinding. Imagine a freshly roasted coffee bean as a new car. Just as the car begins to depreciate in value the moment it's driven off the dealership lot, the coffee bean starts to lose its freshness and aromatic qualities as soon as it's roasted.

Why?

Because exposure to air results in a gradual oxidation of the aromatic compounds that give coffee its distinct smell and flavour profile. The more exposure to air, the blander the flavour becomes.

When coffee is ground, the amount of air exposure exponentially increases, simply because there is more for the air to touch. It does not take long for the oxygen to soak in and start the oxidation process.

In fact, when whole beans are ground, they lose 60% of their innate aroma within a mere 15 minutes.

Exposure to moisture in the air can also start to dilute the wonderful oils that contribute so much to the coffee’s flavour.

 

So Just How Long Can Coffee Stay Fresh?

Whole beans retain their freshness for up to three weeks, while ground beans remain fresh for roughly one week. The degradation in taste for whole beans is notable after three weeks, whereas ground beans lose much of their flavor and aroma more rapidly, despite being stored in tightly sealed bags.

Just as the best cookies are those straight from the oven, grinding whole beans immediately before brewing is the key to capturing their utmost freshness and flavor. Over time, like cookies losing their chewiness and scent, coffee's richness diminishes.

Buying Whole Beans is Best

We recommend purchasing a small home grinder and ordering freshly roasted whole bean coffee.

Coffee at Aladdin Roastery is freshly roasted on site every single week, to ensure maximum freshness.

Grind exactly the amount you need, right before brewing to get the smoothest, best tasting cup possible.