Whole Bean Coffee

If you are a discriminating coffee drinker like myself, then you probably already know that whole bean coffee is the way to go. Whole bean coffee stays fresh a lot longer, and if you brew it immediately after grinding it you get a flavor you just cant get from pre-ground coffee thats been sitting around for awhile. Even only mediocre whole bean coffee brands taste pretty good if brewed right after grinding.

Some of the best whole bean coffee Ive had was in Costa Rica. As an area famous for its coffee, I was eager to try some genuine Costa Rican brews during my stay there last year and I was totally blown away when I did. Wanting to make the experience last as long as possible, I naturally carried as much coffee back with me as I could fit in my suit case. Knowing that the freshness is much better preserved when the beans havent been grinded, I only brought back whole bean coffee to make it last longer.

When I got home, I promptly put three of the four bags I purchased in the freezer, and left the other out for immediate use. Every time I crushed that whole bean coffee it took me right back to Costa Rica, and I was in a coffee drinkers heaven for the next few months. Had I brought back already ground coffee, it would have lost a lot of its unique flavor.

Of course the problem with whole bean coffee is that you have to grind it, which means purchasing a coffee grinder. Also, coffee grinders can be a pain to clean, and its just another step you have to take before enjoying your coffee. If the flavor isnt really that important to you, and/or you are lacking in time or patience, whole bean coffee probably wont appeal to you that much. Most coffee drinkers I know dont even own a coffee grinder; dishing out coffee powder into a machine and pushing a button is the extent of their coffee making experience.

Having said that, there is something nice about just being able to dump some already ground coffee in a machine and having a pot brewed in just a few minutes with very little effort. For this reason, I usually keep both whole bean coffee and already ground coffee on hand. If Im in a rush, I use the ground coffee, and if Ive got some time to relax Ill grind up some fresh whole bean coffee to savor.