Coffee Hacks 101: Coffee without a Coffee Maker and Other Tips to Make Your Early Mornings Much Better

• Coarse grind
• Medium grind (most commonly used)
• Fine grind
• Superfine grind (using the pulverize option)

Most people think that coffee beans can't be turned into their ground form without a grinder. We are here to prove that isn't true! Here is how to make ground coffee without a grinder. P.S. Our coffee connoisseur recommends getting premium-quality roasted coffee beans from Lifeboost to ensure your brew has that perfect depth of flavor no matter how you prepare your coffee.

Use a Blender

Coarse, Medium grind

Using a blender is one of the easiest ways to grind your coffee beans. Some blenders even come with the 'grind' setting to make your job easier, but if yours doesn't that's alright. You can just use the pulse option to get it done. However, there are two things to keep in mind. Firstly, you won't get coffee grounds of the same size. And secondly, using the blender produces heat which can 'cook' your beans as you blend them. Too much heat can burn the beans so make sure you don't go past the 20 seconds mark as you grind them.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Set the blender on medium-high or grinder setting.
• Pour 1/4th or 1/2 cup of coffee beans into the blender and attach the lid firmly in place.
• Using the pulse or grind setting, run the blender for 3-5 seconds in one go.
• Repeat this process 5 to 6 times, for a maximum of 30 seconds.
• If required, tilt the blender to one side while pulsing to ensure the grind is mostly consistent.

Bring Out the Food Processor

Coarse, Medium Grind

Working similar to the blender, your food processor is another useful piece of equipment when trying to grind coffee beans. Of course, the result you get won't be as good as a proper coffee grinder, but it does get the job done well enough to satisfy. The food processor is just like the blender but requires a larger volume of coffee beans since it has a wider circumference. So, you will need to double the amount of coffee you put into the food processor. The extra grinds can be stored in an airtight plastic bag to be used tomorrow.

Here is how to use the food processor:

• Pour 1/2 to one cup of coffee beans into the food processor and shut the lid firmly.
• Using the pulse setting, grind your beans in 5-second intervals.
• Repeat the process until the 20 seconds mark or when the desired consistency is reached.

Grind by Hand Using a Rolling Pin

Coarse, Medium, Fine Grind

If you don't have a blender or food processor, that's alright! There are many ways of grinding coffee beans manually too. Not only does this technique work great if you don't have any machines around but they also offer you a finer grind that makes for a better brew.

But, do keep in mind that these processes take more time and require some work. Therefore, it is best to avoid them if you're running late to work or need a quick coffee fix before delivering your presentation. Rolling pins work quite well for French press coffee since you can make do with coarser grounds than those used in typical drip coffee. Also, remember to use a sturdy plastic bag to hold your beans before you go at them with the rolling pin to prevent stray pieces from flying around the kitchen.

Here is how to get coffee grounds using a rolling pin:

• Place the required amount of coffee beans in a Ziploc bag and squish out any air. This will ensure the bag doesn't pop as you hit it with the rolling pin.
• Start crushing the beans with the rolling pin like you would hit a nail with a hammer.
• Once the beans have been crushed, drive the pin over the Ziploc bag gently but firmly enough to apply pressure to the beans.
• Repeat this process until your desired consistency has been achieved. Take note that this will take quite some time and hard work as the process is labor-intensive.

Try a Mortar and Pestle

Coarse, Medium, Fine, Super Fine grind

Grinding with a mortar and pestle can be quite labor-intensive too, but it allows you to grind smaller amounts of coffee beans instead of having to fill up a Ziploc bag. Make sure you only use about 1/4th to 1/3rdof the total capacity of your mortar to prevent overflow and stop the beans from jumping out.

The mortar and pestle trick makes finer grounds that can easily be used for drip coffee or even a Chemex. Here is how you can get a consistent blend:

• Fill your mortar with coffee beans about 1/4th of its total volume.
• Hold the pestle with your dominant hand and the mortar with the other for stability.
• Force the pestle inside the mortal, crushing your beans and then rotating them in a swirling motion.
• Once the beans have been properly crushed, move the pestle in a circle to create a finer coffee grain.

Grinding by a Hand Mincer or Garlic Press

Coarse, Medium Grind

Taking on a different approach to coffee grinders, you can use hand mincers or your garlic press to create coffee grounds too. You just place the beans into the area where the meat of the garlic is held and push it out firmly for the beans to be broken down.

A major issue that can arise with this technique is that the holes are usually quite big and thus, will result in coarser grounds. Therefore, you might need to repeat the process two or three times to get fine enough grounds. You can even consider following it up with the rolling pin or mortar and pestle method for a fine grind.

Here is how you can get it done:

• Always use freshly ground coffee beans (you can use the tips we've offered above!) The fresher your ground beans, the better your coffee will taste and smell. A good practice to follow is to only ground coffee for about 15 to 20 minutes before preparing your mug.
• Use freshly roasted coffee to get the best flavor profile. Lifeboost offers roasted-on-order coffee beans to deliver the fresh beans possible for the best early morning brew. Your beans shouldn't have been roasted for longer than 2 weeks.
• The right type of water at an optimal temperature matters a lot. If your water is boiling, you will scald the beans and burn them, but if the water temperature is too mild, the beans will be under-extracted. Therefore, you need to keep your water from 195*F to 205*F for the perfect cup of coffee. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, you can boil your water and let it sit for 30 seconds before use.

Here are the steps to create a Cowboy style mug of coffee:

• Fill your saucepan with 1/2 a cup more water than you would usually use for your coffee. Remember, with this technique, some of the water will be left behind in the pan along with the coffee sludge and grounds.
• Plan the saucepan on your stovetop and turn on the heat. Once the water starts boiling, add your coffee grounds to it. Using two tablespoons of coffee grounds per 6 ounces of waterworks is a good rough estimate for this type of coffee preparation. However, you can add more or lesser depending on how strong you want your cup to be.
• Remove the pan from the stovetop and cover it with a lid. Wait for five to seven minutes before taking the lid off. Observe whether the coffee grounds have settled on the pan's bottom. If they have, your coffee is ready!
• If the grounds haven't settled, sprinkle a little bit of cold water on them. This will help them sink and get their coffee ready for drinking.
• Simply pour the coffee out in our favorite mug and you're good to go. You can also use a ladle to get a more filtered form of coffee.

Make Some Coffee Bags

Did you know, there is a way to make your coffee prep process as quick and easy as making tea? Yes, you read that right. We have found a way that you can make coffee bags, much like teabags, to help you through those mornings when you wake up super late and need to rush to work. Here are the things you will need to create your own coffee bags:

• Ground coffee
• Hot water
• Coffee filter
• String (shouldn't be coated with wax)
• A Mug

Follow these steps to DIY some super handy coffee bags:

• Measure out a single serving of coffee grounds and pour them into your filter.
• Close the filter properly to make a little pouch holding the coffee grounds.
• Tie it with the string. Make sure to leave one end long enough to hang outside of your mug just as a teabag does.
• Heat water in your kettle or pan.
• Please put the coffee bag you just made with the filter into your mug and slowly pour the hot water over it. Be careful not to overfill the mug as it will make diluted coffee that tastes quite bad.
• Let the coffee bag steep in the hot water for five minutes. You can increase or decrease this time as per your liking to get a weaker or stronger brew of coffee.
• Remove the coffee bag from your mug, discard it safely in the bin and enjoy your quick drink!

Make your cup of Turkish coffee using these steps:

• Take 6 ounces of cold water and pour it into a small saucepan at low heat. 
• Add 1 heaping tablespoon of Turkish coffee into the pan and add some sugar (if desired).
• When the water is just starting to bubble up, remove the saucepan from the heat and remove the foam. Place this foam into your coffee cup for the perfect frothy coffee.
• Return the pan to the stovetop and let it boil once again. Just before boiling, remove it from the heat and pour half of your coffee into your mug.
• Return the saucepan onto the stovetop and boil for another 15 seconds. Then, remove it from the heat and pour the entire mixture into your mug.
• Allow the coffee to sit for 3 minutes so the grounds can sink to the bottom before you take the first sip.