If you make coffee and drink it every day, you will be well aware of the number of coffee grounds produced, have you ever imagined that coffee grounds can be brewed twice? Or how would the coffee taste after the re-brewing?
This is a reasonable idea, but I don't recommend you brew it twice. This is closely related to the composition and organization of coffee beans, which is not the same as tea. So, is there another use for all the coffee grounds produced? Keeping the doubt in mind, let's move on.
Can You Use Coffee Grounds Twice?
The short answer: Yes, but not recommended.
Why Coffee Grounds Can Not Be Used Twice?
The soluble substances in coffee are limited, about 30% of its weight, and the other 70% are insoluble wood fibers, etc. And of this 30%, only 60%-70% is the good part, so one brewing, you can extract these good-tasting soluble substances, if we repeatedly brew, the brewed coffee does not have the taste we tasted at the beginning. There will even be an over-extracted taste.
What Are The Signs Of Over-Extracted Coffee?
In terms of sensory, the manifestation of coffee over-extraction is divided into the following.
① Burnt bitternessNote that the bitterness here is burnt bitterness, which is a type of defective flavor. It is an unpleasant bitterness that can be felt in the mouth, and this bitterness will linger on the base of the tongue and mouth, causing discomfort.
② Bitterness
Bitterness is a taste sensation. Generally, this taste is caused by overly finely ground coffee, long contact time between coffee powder and water, and strong stirring during brewing.
③ Off-flavor
The presence of off-flavors is generally a result of uneven extraction of the coffee powder layer, or a situation of partial over-extraction and partial under-extraction may occur. The off flavors generally give the impression that the flavor is unclear and interspersed with imperfections. Hand brewing usually occurs because there is too much fine coffee powder, which causes partial over-extraction during brewing. The strong stirring during brewing will also easily appear as a bad taste.
Some people may think, I will dry the coffee grounds and then brew it twice, can't I avoid the over-extraction situation?
This way you will encounter another problem: under-extraction.
It is manifested by the coffee's obvious acidity and thin flavor, in other words, the coffee brewed in this case is not coffee, but a light "coffee water", which those 70% insoluble in water wood fiber water. Not to mention delicious.
Other uses of old coffee grounds
Since coffee grounds can't be brewed twice, we can use them twice!
Let's see what coffee grounds can do.
Plant fertilizer
If you have a hobby of planting flowers and vegetables in general, but they do not grow strong, try using coffee grounds. Coffee grounds contain a lot of nitrogen and can be used as a fertilizer. Mixing dry coffee grounds in the soil will make the soil more permeable and allow the microorganisms in the soil to have a more suitable living environment, and the soil will be more vibrant so that the planted flower crops can grow healthier and the flowers will bloom more vividly. However, the coffee grounds mixed in the soil are not effective for a long time, it is recommended to add some new coffee grounds into the soil at an interval of 1~2 weeks.
In addition, the fragrance from coffee grounds has some insect-repellent effects, including mosquitoes. The coffee powder will be sprinkled in the courtyard, gutters, under the curtains and room corners can be, from the source to let the mosquitoes overwhelmed. Compared with insecticides, this natural repellent method is more environmentally friendly, and the house will also emit the fragrance of coffee. If you want to have a more mosquito repellent effect, it is recommended to do this: dry coffee grounds in a small dish, and then use a lighter to light the coffee grounds, no need to start a fire, the coffee grounds began to smoke. This smoke is very effective in repelling mosquitoes, oh, camping or picnics can be prepared to try.
Odor removal
Coffee grounds are no worse than activated carbon in terms of deodorizing effect because of their strong adsorption capacity for nitrogen and good dehumidification. For example, it is used in shoe racks, entryways, toilets, refrigerators, sideboards, and other places. If you want to deodorize shoes, you can put dry coffee grounds (Note: must be Dry! Dry!) Wrap it in old newspaper and put it directly into the shoes.
The old newspaper itself has a dehumidifying effect, plus the adsorption of coffee grounds inside is a very simple and effective dehumidification and deodorization package. You can also put dry coffee grounds into the ashtray, effectively adsorption of smoke smell Oh! This point is estimated that many partners know.
Exfoliation
There will always be aging cells in the body, and the constant accumulation of horny layers, will affect the breathing of the skin, regular exfoliation is necessary, this time the coffee grounds will come in handy again. To insist on massage to be effective Oh!
1. Mix coffee grounds and body wash together, use the bath ball to apply the parts with more keratin, can remove the aging keratin, making the skin more smooth and more delicate.
2. Take an egg white, mix about 30 grams of dried coffee grounds, stir well and apply to the face, avoiding the area around the eyes. Let it sit for a few moments, then massage gently with your hands and rinse off afterward to cleanse pores and exfoliate. (Note: You can use it on your body if you are not sure about using it on your face)
3. You can also mix 30 grams of coffee grounds and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to make a massage oil, which is said to be more effective for massage to eliminate cellulite.
Kitchen Cleaner
Coffee is inherently weakly acidic and can be used as an alternative to dishcloths or metal wire balls. Just a rag + a few spoons of coffee grounds can easily take care of the residual greasy stains. Especially for pans after frying, stir-frying or deep-frying, the residual oil is not easy to clean, so wrap the coffee grounds with a fine cloth and dip it into a little cleaner to brush the greasy areas, which can help eliminate the grease. You can also use this trick for dishes with a lot of oil residue. Or in the cleaning of stains more stubborn glass cups, you can also try first with detergent dipped in dry coffee grounds together with friction, to remove stains will be better.
Cat and Dog Repellent
If those little cats and dogs keep running into your small garden, sprinkling some coffee grounds can keep these animals away.
Mixing used coffee grounds with orange peel (or other citrus peel) and sprinkling it around your garden can be an effective deterrent to dogs and cats.
Conclusion: Can't Re-brew But Can Reuse
We do not recommend that you brew the coffee grounds twice, you will only get a cup of coffee water with a bit of coffee flavor. Or even, it will taste like a mess due to over-extraction.
The coffee grounds obtained from different brewing methods will also vary. Especially with deep-roasted coffee beans, the second brewing will expand the bitterness of the coffee infinitely, making it an incredibly disappointing cup of coffee.
Luckily, there are many uses for coffee grounds, and they will save you so much money!
