How to Grind Coffee Beans by Hand

Coffee is best when the beans are ground by hand, as you need them. Within seconds of the beans being ground, they begin losing their flavor, so grinding them as you need them is the best solution. Many people who grind their own beans use an electric grinder. Electric grinders, however, offer limited control over the coarseness of the grind, which is why some coffee buffs refuse to use anything except a non-electric hand coffee grinder. Learn how you can grind coffee beans by hand to create the perfect cup of java every time.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• coffee mill Turkish coffee grinder

1. Use a non-electric hand grinder, also referred to as a coffee mill. These grinders feature a small holding chamber where the beans are poured and held, to be delivered to the steel grinding mechanism as you turn the grinder's handle. You can get a hardened steel grinder with rotating and cross-cutting blades. Rotating blades grind your beans, and the cross-cutting burr grinding mechanism will chop and grind. A burr grinder is more expensive but will give you a more uniform grind.

2. Determine the grind you want. The finer the grind, the darker and stronger your coffee will be. To achieve an extremely fine grind for espresso, you will want to run your coffee through a grinder at least three times to achieve a consistency worthy of espresso.

3. Use a Turkish grinder, or Turkish Mill, to make Turkish coffee. A regular hand grinder will not grind beans to the powdery consistency necessary to make Turkish coffee. The Turkish coffee grinder is made specifically for achieving a fine grind.

Tips & Warnings

• Grind enough beans for one or two cups of coffee at a time for exceptional freshness. Consider scouting antique stores for older coffee mills.

References

• The Pleasure of Grinding Coffee

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