Why Are Some Coffee Beans Hard and Difficult to Grind?
Contents:
1. Will the grinder break when grinding hard beans?
2. Relationship between Bean Hardness and Roast Level and Altitude
When using an electric grinder, sometimes you may hear an unpleasant sound when you start it. It feels a bit stuck, and you worry that the grinder might get damaged. Manual grinders allow you to personally experience the hardness of the beans. When encountering hard beans, you need to exert a lot of effort to grind them. Does the hardness of coffee beans affect the flavor? How should you deal with it?
Will the grinder break when grinding hard beans?
When grinding different coffee beans, you may notice that the sound varies. Sometimes it sounds crisp, and other times it sounds stable. This is related to the hardness of the beans. Harder beans are more difficult to grind, especially when using a manual grinder, you can feel the difference. In reality, the hardness of the beans is much lower than that of the grinding blades, so the blades will not get damaged. However, it's important to remember to let the grinder start running before pouring in the beans. This protects the motor, as starting the grinder with beans inside can cause the fuse to blow.
Relationship between Bean Hardness and Roast Level and Altitude
The hardness of coffee beans is mainly related to the roast level. Lighter roasts tend to have higher hardness because roasting alters the structure of the beans. As the roast progresses, the beans expand and their density decreases. With darker roasts, the coffee's aroma changes and diminishes, resulting in less pronounced regional flavors like floral and fruity notes, although the beans are less hard.
Compared to lighter roasts, dark roasted beans are easier to grind into fine particles and become more frail. They also tend to produce more fine grounds. Excessive amounts of fine grounds can lead to over-extraction, resulting in a strong and bitter taste. That's why it's commonly advised to grind dark roasted beans coarser. Additionally, when weighing the same amount, dark roasted beans will generally have a larger volume than light roasted beans. Grinding them coarser helps reduce the risk of an overly strong and bitter brew.
Although raw coffee beans also vary in density, typically higher altitudes result in higher density. Higher altitude beans tend to have more sugars and nutrients, which contribute to the development of rich aromas during roasting. However, the true factor that influences the hardness of roasted coffee beans is primarily the roast level. While the softness or hardness of coffee beans is not the most crucial aspect, paying attention to these small details and understanding the factors that can affect coffee flavor allows you to savor and enjoy the deliciousness of specialty coffee.
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