Whole vs Ground: Which is best?

Is there really a difference?

One word: yes.

But what's 'right' will depend on your needs and your preferences.

So let's dig in and discuss!

Whole bean coffee is...

Coffee in its whole, un-ground state.

People who choose whole bean coffee tend to care more about coffee that retains its flavor and aroma longer.

They want to have the ability to grind coffee for specific brewing purposes.

Grounds for French Press, drip, and espresso all require different grind size for best results.

And because the beans are ground fresh for the daily use, whole beans have a longer shelf life.

This is due to fewer particles of the bean being exposed to air which would create oxidation.

Ground Coffee is...

Coffee that has been pre-ground and is ready for brewing.

This could mean you purchased a bag of ground coffee from the store or you bought a bag of whole beans and ground them at the store before bringing them home.

People who buy ground coffee are looking for convenience and typically stick to the same type of brew method with little to no variation.

No need for a grinder.

What's good about this is that you'll have a more uniform size of the grounds leading a more consistent result in your brewing.

Typically ground coffee is ground to the ideal size for use in filtered or drip brewing.

The tricky part is...

Ground coffee begins to lose flavor and aroma more quickly after grinding. This is caused by the increased surface area of the beans being exposed to air.

This process is called Oxidation.

And it causes the natural oils in the beans to decay and go stale.

That said, ground coffee does have a shorter shelf life and needs to be used more quickly.

Now there are some schools of thought that believe freezing ground coffee will help preserve the flavor. However, this is done best with vacuum sealed bags that will prevent rogue aromas in the freezer from permeating the grounds.

A good work around would be to put your coffee in an air-tight container and squeeze out as much air as possible before storing or better yet, vacuum seal the bag after each use.

Which to choose?

That all depends on YOUR needs...

Making drip coffee? Either ground or whole will do.

Love a good French Press like I do? You may want to go with whole beans unless you can request a course ground coffee from your local roaster.

*We have a ground mushroom coffee that's great in drip or French Press HERE*

If you're making espresso? There are some finely ground coffees out there that cater to your needs. However, referring back to our notes about oxidation, keep in mind, the quality won't be ideal here. It's best to go with grinding beans for your daily needs here.

But here's the thing...

It's all up to YOU.

What you like and what you need.

Which will you choose?