Honestly, the coffee brewing world can be a bit overwhelming to dive in. 

When I was a newbie, I remember being confused at the various jargon specific to the coffee brewing community. 

Thankfully, I was able to push through with the help of kind community members and by reading numerous coffee articles. 

Now that I have leveled up from my novice status, I decided to pass on this kindness by writing this article. 

Nowadays, single dosing is increasingly becoming a popular technique. 

If you are not familiar with this term, this article will break down the entire process for you and help you understand. 

What is single dosing? 

The whole idea of single dosing revolves around the grinding process. 

When grinding, most people fill the grinder’s container with coffee beans and then press the button to grind them. 

Here, you can see that your grinder will always contain coffee beans. 

Simple right? 

However, many people have already deviated from this usual method as they now prefer single dosing. 

Single dosing is a new grinding method. 

Instead of just filling the grinder’s hopper with coffee beans, single dosing entails that you first measure the amount you need to use to achieve your desired brew. 

As such, you will need to refill the hopper with a specific quantity of coffee beans every time you grind. 

What are the pros and cons of single dosing? 

Pros

Single dosing preserves the freshness of the coffee beans. 

It’s a known fact that coffee beans get stale quickly, especially when exposed to air. 

Hence, many people recommend buying coffee beans in smaller quantities and consuming them quickly. 

Trust me – you don’t want to use stale coffee beans in your brew. 

The old grinding method of leaving the coffee beans inside the grinder encourages them to stale quickly. 

However, the single dosing approach ensures that the coffee beans the grinder uses are fresh every time. 

You can store your coffee beans properly in an airtight container and only take out what you need for that specific brew. 

Moreover, single dosing forces the user to measure the number of coffee beans they need for the brew. 

These meticulous weigh-ins result in more consistent flavors since you will not be estimating or eyeballing the amount of coffee you need to use. 

The single dosing method also encourages the user to experiment with different coffee bean types and sizes. 

You would not have to wait or quickly use up your coffee beans stash to try a new one. 

Hence, nothing is stopping you from drinking a powerful shot of espresso in the morning, enjoying a fruity blend in the afternoon, and topping off your evening with a decaf. 

Cons 

Others see single dosing as a tedious process since this extra step requires you to measure out the number of coffee beans to use before grinding. 

Moreover, you lose the convenience of simply going to the grinder, pushing the button, and waiting for the ground coffee. 

 

Why do you need to weigh in the coffee beans? 

Coffee beans come in various shapes and sizes due to exposure to different factors. 

As such, you might have small coffee beans that are surprisingly dense and vice versa. 

Using the same amount for every coffee bean type or estimating it will significantly affect the brew’s flavor. 

Hence, the need to weigh in to get a consistent and tastier brew. 

Do you need to single dose? 

No, single dosing is not mandatory but simply a matter of preference. 

Some people might not want to single-dose their coffee beans since it takes up too much time. 

Others simply do not want to since they are satisfied with the taste of their current brew. 

Whether you single-dose your coffee beans or not, it is entirely up to you. 

How to do a single dose?

Single dosing entails weighing the amount of coffee you use before grinding them. 

As such, it is ideal that you have a scale ready. 

You can use the lid of your coffee grinder to hold the coffee beans as you weigh them. 

After pouring the coffee beans inside the grinder, press the button to start grinding and wait. 

Once done, pour the ground coffee into your machine to start your brew. 

Who is this process for? 

The single-dosing approach is ideal for those who like to explore and try various coffee drinks. 

This method is also ideal when brewing for an individual or a small group. 

Single dosing in a large household will be tedious since you will need to refill the hopper constantly. 

Lastly, single dosing is also ideal for those who tend to be picky with their coffee as this ensures that every batch is fresh. 

Take note

Aside from the coffee beans, also take note of the coffee grinder you use. 

Grind retention 

When grinding, some coffee beans can get stuck on the grinder’s chute or burrs. 

As such, you will have a lesser amount of coffee for brewing. 

To prevent that, ensure that the grinder model you have has the littlest grind retention possible. 

A retention level of 0.5g or less is ideal, while a 2g retention level or higher is not. 

Another way to prevent this is to add a bit more coffee into your grind. 

For example, instead of adding only 20g of coffee, pour in 20.5g to make up for the expected loss. 

Popcorn effect 

Some coffee grinders rely on the full weight of the hopper to get an even grind. 

Single dosing using these models will only give you an uneven grind size as some coffee beans will bounce around in the hopper. 

As such, ensure that the grinder model you use is adaptable to the single dosing method. 

Otherwise, you will only get an awful brew, and it may even damage the grinder.

 

Conclusion 

Single dosing does have its perks, but in the end, the decision to do so depends on you. 

Nonetheless, it may be worth trying. 

After all, the worst thing that can happen is that the method won’t work, or you get an awful brew.  Happy brewing!