Coffee Bean Spray: A Detailed Exploration of Its Surprising Uses

Expert Consulted: Carl. Utilizing my 6 years of experience in the coffee industry, I’m able to provide accurate and concise information, helping you make informed choices about beans, brewing methods, and equipment, thereby elevating your coffee experience. In this article, I’ll share my knowledge and experience to help you understand what coffee bean spray is, and why people use it.

You might have seen some people on the internet spraying their coffee beans with some liquid before grinding them, and wondered, what are they doing and why?

Well, that’s what I’m here to help you with today, I have listed a quick answer for you below and will go into much further detail in the rest of this article.

The spray is actually just normal water, and the main reason people spray their beans with this is to reduce static which helps in grinding accurate amounts every time with no coffee being lost. Another reason is to reduce mess, as the beans are less likely to stick to the sides of the grinder so you won’t have to tap the dosing chamber.

But, as with all things in life, there are also some downsides to this unique method of preparation.

Don’t worry though, I will cover all the downsides and delve even deeper into this subject, so read on!

Why Do People Use Coffee Bean Spray?

There are actually a few different reasons as to why some people would choose to spray their coffee beans.

1. The small amount of water on the beans will help reduce static when grinding, which means that you will have a higher chance of getting out what you put in.
2. Another valid reason is to do with the mess. When spraying your coffee beans with a little water, it helps the coffee grounds to not stick to the sides of the grinder. That means when you go to tap the dosing chamber (if you even have to) there should be no rogue grounds making a mess.
3. This kind of ties into number one, and this is more accurate grinding. One of the most important things when making coffee is the dose size, so if you’re not getting out what you’re putting in then there’s an issue. Spraying your beans before grinding can help in this regard, as less static means you’ll most likely get out what you put in.

What Are The Downsides of Coffee Bean Spray?

This video by James Hoffmann is a really well-put-together video that goes over a lot of similar things that I’m talking about. He also provided some of the information I’m using, so I suggest watching his video after you’re done here.

So far this might sound like the best option for those having trouble with mess or static buildup when grinding, but this comes with its own downsides.

For starters, I don’t think it has been proven yet but it’s something to be aware of if you’re making multiple coffees a day, the water you spray may add up around the grinder and potentially cause issues along the line.

You’ll only really use coffee bean spray when brewing espresso, so if you’re not making roughly 5 or more espressos per day then you should be fine.

Another issue is beans sticking on some grinders that have a funnel to the burr, if you spray your beans with water and then start pouring them in, they can actually get stuck to the side of the funnel.

Although this isn’t too much of an issue, it’s certainly annoying to some.

Which Water Type Should You Use?

In contrary to brewing the coffee itself, the water that you use when spraying actually does not matter.

There will be no difference in flavor, flow rate, or anything like that, so if you aren’t sure whether your water is okay to use, it is.

How Much Should You Spray?

Just one spray is enough, any more than one will most likely harm your grinder.

All you need to do is one spray, then give the beans a shake to distribute the water evenly to each bean and to make sure there’s not a buildup of water.

If you happen to accidentally spray your beans twice, don’t worry too much, as only one time shouldn’t cause any damage.

Try to ensure that it doesn’t become a regular occurrence though.

Summary

I hope this guide has given you all the information you were looking for on coffee bean spray; if you look below, I have included a quick summary of my main points.

So, what is coffee bean spray, and why do people use it?

Well, it’s really just regular water in a small spray bottle. You would spray it on your coffee beans before grinding in order to try and reduce any static in the grinder and also to reduce mess.

Because the more static that builds up, the more grind retention that occurs. This means that, for example, if you put 18 grams of beans in and start grinding, you’ll maybe end up with only 17.5 grams out.

Also, less static means less coffee spraying everywhere, and that leaves you with less of a mess to clean up.

The type of water doesn’t matter either, so you can use distilled, filtered, or anything you want.

The downsides to this are as follows:

If you’re making multiple coffees a day, then over time the moisture may build up and harm the grinder.

Some of you with grinders that have a bean funnel may experience beans sticking to the sides of the funnel instead of going straight into the grinder.

Lastly, you only need to spray the beans one time and give them a shake to distribute the water.

Image Attribution and Licensing

Main Image: DALL-E 3.