Single Dosing Coffee - Everything You Need to Know

Single-dose coffee systems are becoming more and more popular. If you're looking for a way to improve your morning coffee, then this is the perfect solution for you. 

The following article will give you all the information you need about single-dosing coffee while explaining its benefits.

Single Dosing: What Is It?

The single dosing technique is simple: it's a method in which you start by weighing out the exact quantity of coffee beans that you want for the brew that you are preparing. This measured amount of coffee is then ground fresh in the coffee grinder. 

Coffee enthusiasts often use this method to ensure a consistent cup of coffee. The main benefit of single-dosing is that you use fresh beans every time you brew, leading to a tastier cup of coffee. It also minimizes the number of beans that are wasted since you only grind what you need.

Why Single Dose?

What are the benefits of this method? There are many reasons why people choose to single-dose coffee.

1.  It helps preserve flavor and freshness

By grinding just what you need, you can make sure your coffee stays fresh for as long as possible. Beans exposed to oxygen and light go stale faster. When single dosing, you can keep your coffee in an air-tight container instead of the hopper.

2.  It allows baristas and consumers to experiment with different coffees

With the single-dose method, you're not tied down to any certain bean and may freely change anytime you please! You may start your day with a cup of fruity Colombian washed coffee and the next day, try a natural Ethiopian.

3.  It’s more economical

Making just the right amount of coffee means that none gets wasted — which means less waste from spoiled beans and less money spent on wasted grounds. It's also faster to calibrate the grinder since you don't have to grind a shot just to get the rest of the coffee grounds out.

Things Needed for Single Dosing Coffee

Coffee beans

You need coffee beans for single dosing. The variety of beans you choose will depend on what kind of taste you're looking for. If you want to try different coffees, we have a coffee subscription tailored to your brewing style and taste.

A grinder

A burr grinder is recommended when grinding your beans because it allows for more precision and consistency in the grind size. If you are on a budget, there are manual grinders that have great consistency and that can also do espresso.

A scale

If you're going to be measuring out each dose individually, then a scale is an essential tool for this process for precision purposes.

A coffee brewer

The coffee brewer doesn't have to be a fancy one. If you're an espresso lover, then it needs to be an espresso machine. If you are into filter coffee, any drip filter will do.

How to Single-Dose Coffee Beans?

Once you have all of your supplies, single-dosing is pretty straightforward. Simply measure out the desired amount of beans on your scale and grind them. Once the beans are grounded, brew your coffee as usual. That's it!

As with anything, there are a few things to remember when single-dosing coffee beans.

• Make sure to use fresh beans
• Reduce coffee retention in the grinder

How to Keep Coffee Fresh?

Grinder hoppers are great in a cafe environment, but not so much at home. Coffee beans should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Heat, light, and air can all damage your coffee beans. This will help to keep your coffee beans fresh and your coffee tasting its best. Once grounded, coffee beans will start to go stale quickly.

Bean cellars

A bean cellar is an airtight container that you can leave on the countertop or even inside your freezer. It helps keep moisture out of the coffee and also keeps the oxygen out. It's also very convenient since all your coffee is already in pre-weighed doses.

Wasting coffee while adjusting

When using the traditional coffee grinding method, the coffee beans are kept in the hopper until you are ready to grind them. However, if you need to remove some of the beans from the hopper to adjust your grind settings, you will waste some of your precious coffee. If you've ever tried to adjust your grind settings and found yourself with less-than-perfect results, you'll know how frustrating this can be!

Exposed to oxygen

Typically, when we grind our coffee at home, we do it in batches that last for several days or even weeks at a time. This means that there are no real safeguards against oxygen getting into our batch—and that as time goes on, your coffee will lose its flavor and go stale. With single-dose grinding, coffee can stay in sealed containers with no worries about oxygen exposure or waste!

Things to Keep in Mind While Single Dosing the Coffee

If you're looking to try single-dosing coffee, there are a few factors to consider before you dive in. Here's what you need to know:

Grind Retention

When you're grinding coffee beans, there will always be a small amount of retention in the grinder. This is the coffee that gets left behind after you've ground your beans. Depending on the grinder, this can be anywhere from 0.1-2 grams. If after grinding you get the same amount of grounds as you put in, you have a zero retention grinder. 

Ross Droplet Technique

For those who have a grinder at home, one of the most common complaints is that it generates static electricity. This causes the ground coffee to stick to the sides of the grinder and makes it hard to pour into your cup. If you want to avoid this, there is a simple solution; Ross Droplet Technique (RDT).

The Ross Droplet Technique is a method of grinding coffee that eliminates the static charge on the coffee grounds. Static charge can lead to clumping and poor extraction, which means you're using more coffee than you need and losing out on flavor. This method includes spraying or adding a droplet of water to your coffee beans to lessen the amount of static-charged coffee grinds and grind retention when doing single-dose grinding. 

Grinder modifications

One of the best ways to reduce coffee wastage is to switch from a traditional hopper to a Bellows Single Dose Hopper. This allows to blow out all the grinds left in the chamber. We have multiple Single Dosing Kits for different grinders available!

Takeaway

It's easy to see why single-dose coffee has become so popular. It reduces the amount of coffee you waste and it gives you fresh-tasting coffee every single time. If you're looking for a new way to enjoy your coffee, give single-dosing a try!