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I bought a pack of New Orleans' PJ's whole bean coffee. It is a bit old, about a year. I am flexible type though, I'll drink it.
The problem is my indecision about whether to grind it piecemeal or just all at once. I have a cuisinart machine that works quite well. But it's for a small amount.
Curious as to the best way to ensure somewhat fresh cups.
That's pretty straightforward: if you're not too lazy and have the equipment at hand, always grind only the amound needed just before brewing.
Check out this answer for impressive data.
Now if your beans are year old already, this might not make a huge difference --- but there's no way that grinding it all at once could help you have ``somewhat fresh cups''.
You should always grind your beans just before brewing. Also keep the beans in an airtight bag. When you grind the beans you increase the surface of your coffee beans which means the area in contact with air is increased. Oxygen is a very reactive molecule that takes part in the formation of peroxides and free fatty acids. Both of these result in an awful bitter taste. You would want to keep the area subjected to reactions with oxygen as small as possible for as long as possible :)
Beans are so old that it won't make a difference. In general, you should be very particular about the freshness of the bean and then grind the amount of coffee you need only for that brew. It's a hassle when you are tired and need a cup of joe, but the results are worth taking the extra step!
Provided your grinder is a burr grinder of some assortment - I would at least grind at home for the future, fresh coffee. Otherwise if you are rolling with a fan/blade grinder, I've found better results using a precise grinder from a local shop. If you are drinking year old coffee though... not sure anything really matters :)
