The Reason Behind Leo Coffee's 'Grind Daily' Motto
Why should you grind coffee beans daily when you have the hassle-free option of pre-ground coffee? or better still, instant coffee? While some believe it is just a difference in opinion, coffee purists beg to differ.
They spot the subtlest differences in aroma and taste, and messing with that ruins their experience. We are talking about those passionate coffee drinkers who look at the coffee dispenser and silently scream "Sacrilege!", as they hurry away in the opposite direction. The layperson who gulps down the weak, watery concoction masquerading as coffee, is oblivious to the crime he is abetting by placing his cup in that machine!
However, Leo Coffee focuses on making ground coffee the best way to enjoy the beverage. The belief, backed up by years of experience in the business. Leo Coffee's 360-degree expertise in coffee and taking customer experience into account. They are going the extra mile with their shop-in-shop kiosks in supermarkets across the country to bring fresh ground coffee to you!
Deeply Rooted in their Coffee Experience
After years of toiling in the plantations at Palani Hills, PRK Nadar handed over the coffee business he bought from the British to his sons. Years of watching his father, and his own passion for coffee, spurred PRK Bhaskaran to start a coffee retail business in Chennai (then Madras) in 1970. He picked up the reins from his father and galloped from the plantations straight to the city! He set up a roasting unit in a house in Mylapore and laid the foundation for his brand Leo Coffee. The aroma was enough to bring customers. Exceptional quality kept them loyal.
Through sheer word of mouth, Leo Coffee attracted customers from all over town. Freshly ground coffee from their retail outlet gave people a coffee experience that they had never had before. It is here that their motto 'Grind Daily' took birth. And while they are keen on pushing this idea forward, they also have delicious instant coffee blends for patrons who do not have the time to grind daily.
Benefits of Grinding Coffee Beans Daily
Freshly squeezed juice, freshly laundered clothes, the smell of fresh flowers…everything is better when it’s fresh. So why should your coffee be any different? Especially when you have the option to grind daily. Here are five reasons why freshly ground coffee is better than pre-packed coffee:
#1 Better Flavour
Flavour is what lures coffee lovers to the brew in the first place! The strength and body of the coffee depend largely on the beans you pick for your brew. When you grind coffee beans, you release the oils and aromas that give coffee its flavour. One whiff is all it takes to figure out how fresh the ground beans are. The oils and aromas start to break down as soon as the beans are ground. Grinding your beans daily ensures that you get the freshest possible flavour.
#2 More Freshness
Coffee beans start to lose their flavour once roasted. Storing roasted beans in the right setting is the most important when getting them ground in batches. Roasted coffee beans lose flavour even faster once grounded. If you grind your beans daily, you can be sure that you are getting the freshest cup of coffee that those beans have to offer. There is no loss in flavour, aroma, or freshness when you grind daily.
#3 Less Waste
Pre-ground beans are attractively packaged and stored on store shelves until someone comes along to buy them. This means you cannot be sure when the beans were roasted or ground when you pick a packet off the shelf. The package often contains only the date of packaging, without mentioning when the beans were roasted and ground. This can lead to stale coffee that does not taste as good. If you grind your own beans daily, you can be sure that they are fresh and flavourful.
#4 More Control
Pre-ground coffee blends come in a 'one-size-for-all' baggy in terms of quantity and flavour. Coffee fanatics develop a very refined sensitivity for flavour from years of tasting various varieties of coffee. They tend to have their own personal, self-developed blend, which pre-ground coffee does not offer. When you grind your own beans, you have more control over the flavour of your coffee. You can choose the type of beans, the roast level, and the grind size to create the perfect cup of coffee for your taste.
#5 More Cost-Effective
In the long run, grinding your own beans can be more cost-effective than buying pre-ground coffee. You can buy beans in bulk at a lower price and get them ground in batches. Learn how to store the beans such that there is no quality loss. Through trial and error, you will understand how much coffee you need to grind per day. If you own your own grinding machine, that is more reason for you to grind daily! If you do not, you can find a Leo Coffee in-shop kiosk in your neighbourhood and get your beans ground to your taste and quantity requirement.
How Does Coffee Go Stale?
Coffee, like any perishable, has a shelf-life. The four main causes for coffee to go stale are listed below:
— Oxidation
It is you that needs oxygen, not coffee! Some of the complex compounds responsible for its flavour and aroma are unstable and can degrade quickly. Oxidation is a process that occurs when these compounds interact with oxygen in the air. This process can cause the compounds to break down and lose their flavours.
However, oxidation can also have a positive effect on coffee. When done correctly, it can release desirable aromas and flavours from the beans. This is why it is important to grind coffee beans just before brewing. Grinding the beans exposes them to oxygen, which starts the oxidation process. However, if you brew the coffee immediately after grinding, the oxidation process will not have time to degrade the flavour compounds.
Pre-ground coffee has already lost some of its flavour and aroma due to oxidation. This is because the beans were ground and exposed to oxygen before they were packaged. If you want the best flavour, it is always best to grind your own coffee beans just before brewing.
— Moisture
Moisture can have a significant impact on the quality and consistency of a cup of coffee. The oils in coffee beans are soluble in water, and it is these oils that give coffee its flavour and aroma. However, too much moisture can dilute the coffee and make it taste weak and watery.
Atmospheric moisture can also dilute coffee beans. This means that even if you live in a dry climate, the moisture in the air can still degrade the quality of your coffee beans. Additionally, grinding coffee beans exposes them to more moisture, which can lead to a faster loss of the oils.
Every time you grind coffee beans, you create a larger surface area, which increases the rate at which the oils are extracted. This is why it is important to grind coffee beans just before brewing. If you grind the beans too far in advance, the oils will have time to evaporate, and the coffee will taste weak and watery.
Pre-ground coffee may not have the same amount of oils as freshly ground coffee, because the oils can evaporate during storage.
— Depletion of Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced during the roasting process. It is trapped inside the coffee beans, and it plays a role in the flavour and aroma of coffee. When you grind the beans, you release the CO2, and this can have a significant impact on the flavour of the coffee.
If you grind the beans and then brew the coffee immediately, the CO2 will help to extract the oils from the beans. This will result in a cup of coffee with more flavour and aroma. However, if you grind the beans and then let them sit for a prolonged period, the CO2 will escape, making it more difficult to extract the oils from the beans, and the coffee will taste weaker and less flavourful.
— Contamination
When you have a bottle of pre-ground coffee sitting on a shelf in your kitchen, there is a lot of chance of contamination. Additionally, exposure to moisture and oxygen due to improper storage, and pungent odours trapped in your coffee powder bottle. If you are careless, oil splatters can cause bits of food particles to fall into your coffee powder container. These will alter the original flavour of the coffee beans and could spoil your coffee experience.
The Best Way to Store Freshly Ground Coffee Beans
The best way to have coffee is to grind it and brew right away. If you do not have the time, then you need to store the ground coffee properly to ensure it does not get stale too fast. Here are some tips on how to store freshly ground coffee beans:
- Store in an airtight container. This will help to keep the coffee beans fresh and prevent them from absorbing moisture or odours.
- Store in a cool, dark place. Heat and light can also degrade the flavour of coffee beans, so it is important to store them in a cool, dark place.
- Use a vacuum sealer. If you have a vacuum sealer, you can use it to remove all the air from the container, which will help to keep the coffee beans fresh for even longer.
- Store in the freezer. If you are not going to use the coffee beans within a few weeks, you can store them in the freezer. However, it is important to let them thaw completely before grinding them, or they will taste bitter.
- Do not store coffee beans in the refrigerator. The cold temperature can cause the coffee beans to absorb moisture and lose their flavour.
- Do not store coffee beans in the pantry. The pantry is a warm, dry place, which is not ideal for storing coffee beans.
- Do not store coffee beans in a plastic bag. Plastic bags can allow air and moisture to penetrate, which can degrade the flavour of the coffee beans.
- De-gas your beans regularly. Coffee beans release carbon dioxide after they are roasted. This gas can build up inside the bag, and it can make the coffee taste flat. One way to do this is to use a coffee bag with a release valve that allows the gas to escape without letting in air. Another way to de-gas coffee beans is to open the bag every few days. This will allow the gas to escape and prevent the coffee from tasting flat.
Keep It Fresh!
You have heard a greying old woman diss the packets of masalas that hang by the dozen in the grocery store. She would recount the superior taste of dry-roasting and pounding the spices in her mother's kitchen with the stone grinder or mortar and pestle. It is the same distinct quality that freshly ground coffee brings to the table. The aroma and flavour locked in the beans release upon grinding. Coffee brewed soon after grinding is heavenly. The heady buzz courses through your veins and refreshes you from within. It enables you to push the boundaries a little more.