Coffee beans must be ground and brewed in order to create a beverage. All methods of preparing coffee require the beans to be ground and mixed with hot water for long enough to extract the flavor, but without boiling for more than an instant; boiling develops an unpleasant "cooked" flavor. Finally the spent grounds are removed from the liquid, and the liquid is drunk. There are many variations in the fineness of grind, the ways in which the water extracts the flavor, additional flavorings (sugar, milk, spices), and the removal of the spent grounds.

The criteria for choosing a method include flavor and economy. Extracting as much as possible from the beans (for economy) tends to impair flavor.

The roasted coffee beans may be ground at a roastery, in a grocery store, or in the home.

Most coffee is roasted and ground at a roastery and sold in packaged form, though roasted coffee beans can be ground at home, and it is possible, though complex, to roast raw beans.

The Magic of Coffee