When it comes to seeds, coffee bean size comes somewhere in the middle. Mustard seeds are tiny, while the largest seed in the world is the coco de mer, the seed of a palm tree. The coco de mer is about 30 cm in size.
Now, imagine you want to extract all the flavor from the center of a palm tree seed. How would you do it? The best way would be to cut it into small pieces, exposing more surface area to extract the flavor.
The same is true for coffee beans. If you want to extract all the flavor from a coffee bean, it’s best to grind it up into small pieces. This exposes more of the coffee bean’s surface area to water, allowing for total extraction of its flavor compounds.
So, can you brew whole bean coffee without grinding it up? The simple answer is yes. But if you want to get the most out of your coffee beans, grinding them is the way to go.
How to brew whole bean coffee
Let’s say your grinder just died, and your mortal and pestle cracked. You can still brew whole bean coffee, but it might not taste as good as if you had ground the beans.
How much coffee?
We’ve discovered that to brew whole bean coffee, you’ll need to use more beans than you would if you were grinding them. A good rule of thumb is to use about double the amount of beans. So, if you normally use two tablespoons of ground coffee, use four tablespoons of whole beans.
How long to brew?
You’ll also need to brew for a longer time. This is because the water will have a harder time penetrating the whole beans and extracting their flavor. A good rule of thumb is to brew for about twice as long. So, if you usually brew for three minutes, brew for six minutes.
What water temperature?
Lastly, you’ll need to brew at a lower temperature. Most drip coffee makers brew between 197 and 204 degrees Fahrenheit. Because we want to brew longer and more slowly, a lower temperature, closer to 185 or even 175 degrees Fahrenheit, so that the water has more time time to extract flavor without over-extracting.
If you are using a microwave and don’t have a thermometer, get the water to just start to boil. Then take it out and let it sit for about 2 minutes to cool down to around 175 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Troubleshooting whole bean brewing
Brewing whole bean coffee without grinding is like making a cake without flour. It’s possible, but it’s not going to be very hard, and it’s not going to taste very good.
If you’re having trouble brewing whole bean coffee, here are a few tips:
- Use more beans than you would if you were grinding them
- Brew for a longer time
- Brew at a lower temperature
- Use filtered water
- Use a French press
If you follow these tips, you should be able to brew a decent cup of whole bean coffee. But remember, it will not taste as good as if you had ground the beans first.
Why grinding beans is important
Your coffee beans are hiding delicious flavors inside the prison of their hard, little shells. In order to extract all those wonderful flavors, you need to break open the beans and to be released into your cup of coffee.
Coffee beans are more than just a simple seed. In fact, they are made up of several different layers that work together to create the unique flavor and aroma we all know and love. To start, there is the outer skin or pericarp, which is the first layer of protection for the coffee bean. This layer is followed by the pulp, parchment, and silver skin which all help to protect the innermost layer – the endosperm. The endosperm is made up of oils, acids, minerals, and other compounds that give coffee its unique flavor and aroma.
When you grind your beans before brewing them, you are exposing more of their surface area to water, which helps to release more of these compounds into your cup. This process can be further enhanced by using a burr grinder, as it allows for a more uniform grind size which helps to ensure that all of those delicious flavors make it into your cup!
Grinding also allows you to control the size of the coffee grounds. This is important because the grounds’ size will affect the extraction rate. If the grounds are too fine, they will extract too quickly, and the coffee will be bitter. If the grounds are too coarse, they will extract too slowly, and the coffee will be weak. By grinding your beans, you can ensure that the grounds are the perfect size for your brewing method.
The oils inside your beans are soluble, which means they will dissolve in water. When you grind your coffee beans, you’re essentially breaking them up into smaller pieces, exposing more surface area to water. The amount of water, the temperature of the water, and your brewing style will all affect how much of the oils are extracted from the grounds.
Final Thoughts
It might be a fun experiment to try brewing whole bean coffee without grinding, but it’s not going to be anywhere close to the best cup of coffee you can make. For the best flavor and aroma, it’s important to grind your beans. This exposes more of their surface area to water, resulting in complete extraction of their flavors and aromas. Grinding also allows you to control the size of the grounds, which is important for achieving the perfect extraction rate.
So, if you want to make the best cup of coffee possible, grind your beans! And, as always, have fun experimenting.
