How to Grind Coffee Beans Without a Coffee Grinder

You can categorize coffee grinds as course, medium or fine. Which one you choose depends on the way you're going to prepare your coffee. Usually, you use a coffee mill to grind your beans, adjusting the mechanism to control the size of the grind. If you don't own a coffee grinder, there are other ways to process your beans, especially if you're desperate for that cup of java.

Instructions

1. Use a mortar and pestle, which is one of the oldest methods of grinding coffee beans. Although it's more difficult to control the size of the grind and develop a uniform texture, there's an advantage in that the flavor is richer because there's less heat and friction produced in this process.

2. Pound your beans with a hammer. Place them in a heavy-duty plastic freezer bag, remove the air, zip it up and place it between two towels. Smash them with your hammer until they're the size you want. Chances are, the size won't be consistent, but the goal is to reduce the surface area of the bean so you can brew the flavor from it.

3. Grind your beans at the store where you buy them if you don't have a grinder. They do it for free, but the beans begin to loose their flavor as soon as they're ground. You'll get a much richer cup of coffee if you grind them right before you brew them.

Tips & Warnings

• You'll use different grinds for various types of coffee preparations. Use very fine for espresso, fine for a percolator, medium for a filtered drip maker and course for a French press.