Illy Ground Espresso vs. Beans

[Noonievut]

How much of a difference is there in taste between the tin of ground espresso vs. whole beans?

I would prefer to buy the ground as it's more convenient so I don't have to grind and clean the grinder, but I'm not sure how quickly the coffee will lose it's taste in the tin? Would the 1st espresso made after opening the tin of ground even be of lesser quality than the beans?

thanks.

 

[CanyonCoffee]

Coffe wheather it is ground or Whole Bean is going to stale due to the fact that it is volitale when exposed to air and many other things. Next take in to account the surface area of a un-ground coffee bean. Then when you grind that same bean the surface area is multiplyed thousands of times. Ground coffee is stale when you get it and whole bean is close to being stale. Not to be a Jerk but if you are worried about cleaning up a mess go to your local coffee shop and buy a shot. It will be frest and more enjoyable(most of the time).

I hope I was not to harsh

Good luck!

 

[haytoniaho]

Well i guess ground coffee from a tin is more convenient but it loses its freshness in about a week, it says so on the box! The more stale it gets the worse your shot of espresso will be...no crema...im no expert but yea it doesn't taste good! You can get a relatively cheap burr grinder online or at a kitchen supplies store in the mall. I got a Krups for 50-60 i think.

Grinding your own beans is just so much more satisfying than using a tin even if it is just a slight more time consuming. When you grind the coffee the whole room fills with the delicious scent!!! And if you just grind however much you'll need right before you make your coffee you'll always have pretty fresh coffee! Now i'm not yet decided if its best to store beans in the fridge, freezer, or...not, if anyone could help me out with this i'd really appreciate it!

 

[Ellie]

Haytoniaho,
This is a topic that has been debated in the past. My experience has been, however, that coffee does well in the freezer, as long as it is well packaged (foil coffee bag inside a ziplock freezer bag). Freezing does a good job of preserving the oils. I have stored coffee for 6 months.

Storing it in the refrigerator is a mistake - it is not cold enough to slow down the staling process, and the coffee continues to stale - some might say even faster than at room temp.

Be sure to store your coffee in a dark, airtight container wherever you end up storing it.

I might add this: buy coffee that has a "roasted on" date. Some roasters do this, and some don't. :wink:

Ellie

 

[Caffe Latte]

isn;t is a problem, though, that moisture will be MORE of a problem when beans are stored in the fridge or freezer, when you take them out and it hits the warmer air?

I'd say if you can, get whole bean, and store them in the bag (it has a one way valve, right?) and in a jar with a seal (rubber ring) lid.

Of course if all you can get is ground, do the same.

 

[Ellie]

Oh yes...if you freeze your beans, then do let them sit out and get up to room temperature before you grind. Otherwise, everything will get gunked up

The condensation that forms when you take them out of the freezer will cause problems if you grind right away.

Ellie

 

[bsimret]

grind is better!!!

Grind it fresh is better. It takes an extra 60 seconds and it's well worth it. Just leave the grinder next (or near) to the coffee machine.

Where maintaining freshness is concerned, you have to realize that coffee is a crop. You are better off buying 1/2 pound bags of whole beans every week than 1lb bag that's going to sit out for 2 weeks unless you freeze it very well. Putting in the fridge really does nothing to prevent staleness.

However if you would like to perk up the beans after they have been stale, I have found that reroasting the beans on a frying pan for about 2-3 minutes realy does the trick.

Hope it helps.

 

[haytoniaho]

:grin: hey thank you all so much! yea as of now i've just been buying 1/2 lb of whole bean every week pretty much and grinding a little bit as i need it!

 

[topgourmetcoffee]

Whole Arabica Bean Packaged Properly Will Stay Much Longer

I my opinion and experience whole arabica bean that has the proper packaging will stay fresh and tasty much longer. The quality of the bean and packaging makes a big difference I have found but like many have said. You will find that grinding it always will cause you lose freshness faster though. I always just spend the time and grind my own so I can enjoy more flavor from each cup.

 

[TeacherBahrami]

Dears, whole arabica normally stays longer

 

[azade1992]

good topic. I like Beans very much :coffee1:

 

[elif]

There is lot of differences between two.