ALBAWABA - A recent study suggests that the secret to a more flavorful cup of coffee lies in adding a dash of water to coffee beans before grinding them, believe it or not. Research has found that doing this reduces the amount of static electricity generated during grinding, preventing the beans from clumping together and clogging up the grinder. The result? A cleaner, more consistent extraction that leads to a better tasting cup of coffee.
Chemist Christopher Hendon from the University of Oregon, known for his previous work on freezing coffee beans to improve flavor, collaborated with former volcanologist Joshua Méndez Harper to investigate the clumping behavior of coffee beans during grinding and its impact on the brewing process.
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The researchers compared various commercially sourced and lab-roasted coffee beans, analyzing their moisture content, particle size after grinding, and the flavor of the final brew. They discovered that most of the static electricity in ground coffee comes from fracturing beans rather than the friction between them.
Darker and drier roasts were observed to generate more electrostatic charges, potentially due to the greater brittleness of these beans compared to lightly roasted ones that retain more moisture.
Through their experiments, the team found that adding water before grinding resulted in a longer espresso extraction time and a consistently stronger flavor. The water permeated through the moistened coffee grounds, extracting more flavor from the beans and preventing clumping.
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According to Hendon, adding approximately 20 microliters of water per gram of coffee, or about half a milliliter for a typical espresso shot, can enhance the consistency and flavor of the brew.
Although further research is needed to explore different types of grinders and brewing methods, the researchers believe that this simple addition of water can solve common issues such as clumping, channeling, and poor extractions, ultimately leading to a tastier espresso.
So, the next time you're preparing your morning cup of coffee, consider adding a splash of water to your coffee beans before grinding them.
