What is Single-Dose Grinding?

Single dosing means weighing out the exact amount of coffee beans you need for your brew. Then you put this dose of beans into your grinder and grind only that portion.

Straightforward, isn't it? If you need 35 grams of ground coffee for your brew, weigh 35 g of coffee beans. The single-dosing technique is increasingly gaining popularity amongst home baristas. A primary reason is that it allows you to store your coffee in an airtight container instead of the hopper.

Advantages of Single-Dose Grinding

It may seem like an extra step to weigh your beans before grinding them, especially if you're using the full hopper method. But this is an absolutely fantastic method of making great coffee.

1. Preserve the freshness of your beans

   To get the best flavour out of your coffee beans, you must keep them fresh. The bean hoppers of a grinder are not built to be airtight. Therefore, coffee beans lose flavour and aroma if you let them sit in the hopper for over 4-5 days.

   With the single-dosing technique, after dosing out the required amount, you can adequately store the rest of your beans in an airtight container for the week ahead. By taking out only what you need, you can preserve the freshness of your coffee beans for longer.

2. Taste and consistency

   When brewing a cup, even a slight variation in the dose can drastically change the taste of your coffee. With single dosing, you meticulously weigh each portion of your coffee beans. Doing this gives you consistently great-tasting coffee every time you brew.

3. Easily rotate between different flavours

   What if you've got three bags of different coffee beans, all with varying grind sizes, and you want to try them all simultaneously? For instance, a refreshing fruity Ethiopian in the morning and a bold Brazilian espresso in the afternoon. The single-dosing approach lets you switch between different beans as you prefer. You have the freedom to change the beans and grind size in between doses for your next coffee.

Tips for Single-Dose Grinding

Even with single-dose grinders, there is no such thing as zero retention. Even the best grinders will retain and exchange small amounts of coffee. So cleaning your burrs more frequently will help your grinder perform better.

Proper cleaning and maintenance is essential to keeping your grinder in good working condition. Removing any fines or oil build-up on the burrs will ensure that the coffee you grind is fresh.