Ask a few people who know a thing or two about coffee what the benefits of buying whole beans are, and most of them will probably say whole beans result in a better tasting cup of coffee.
Yup. That’s 100% right.
It’s undeniable that pre-ground packaged coffee, in general, can lack a little bit of flavor compared to freshly ground whole beans. This is because once coffee is ground, the rate at which it oxidizes greatly increases. Oxidation, in turn, causes coffee to lose its flavor.
It’s not that there isn’t a flavor difference, it’s that there are other factors that affect the flavor profile of your cup of coffee more than whether it was packaged as whole beans or pre-ground.
For most coffee drinkers, the difference in overall taste between brewing using pre-ground coffee and whole beans will be detectable, but subtle.
That being said, for a lot of coffee drinkers (including me), the difference is noticeable enough that they will only buy whole beans when they have the choice.
At the end of the day, switching to grinding whole beans at home is a relatively easy change to make (compared to perfecting grind sizes to change the flavor profile, optimizing brewing temperatures, purchasing better equipment for brewing, and so on).
So, while a difference in taste isn’t a huge concern with whole beans vs pre-ground coffee —otherwise, why would we sell pre-ground coffee at all?—there are other good reasons to go whole bean the next time you buy coffee:
- You’re in complete control: Armed with whole beans and a grinder at home, you’re not stuck with a uniform grind consistency. You have more control and more room to experiment and perfect your unique brewing method—if that’s what you’re into.
- Different grinds for different minds: If you use a variety of brewing methods that require different grind sizes from fine (as with a pour over coffee brewer) to coarse (i.e. using an AeroPress coffee maker).
- If you know, you know: If you enjoy the “ritual” of grinding beans and brewing coffee, and can sacrifice those few extra minutes out of your day to brew the freshest cup of coffee possible, whole beans are definitely the way to go.
On the other hand, pre-ground coffee has its benefits as well:
- Quantity, quantity quantity: If you have multiple people in your home who drink lots of coffee, pre-ground coffee is much more convenient for brewing pot after pot.
- Less mess: Not that countertop coffee grinders typically make a huge mess, but adding another step does necessarily add a little more clean-up to the process.
Whether you choose to buy pre-ground coffee or whole coffee beans all comes down to what is more important to you at the time—convenience, or taste and customization. There’s no “right” or “wrong” answer as to which is better.
Fortunately, Black insomnia offers both varieties—whole beans for the caffeine fiend with a few extra minutes to customize their cup, as well as ground coffee for the convenience-minded fiend on the go.
Why not try both, and decide which is the right one for you?
