When buying food, we are usually also interested in the date of production or the best before date. However, when buying coffee, few people pay attention to the roasting date of the coffee (which can be thought of as the “date of production”). Why it is a good idea to focus on this parameter as well, we will discuss in the next few lines. But we’ll tell you one little thing right off the bat – it’s not just because of that wonderful smell of freshly brewed coffee. 🙂
Coffee is a food and freshness is important in food
Well, yes, we sometimes forget that when we look at roasted beans, but the fact is that coffee is a food. And not just any. Every packet you open at home is the result of a long processing process (about which we’ll talk more some other time), the penultimate step of which (before grinding) was the roasting of the green beans. Green coffee can be stored for a (relatively) long time without affecting its quality. However, once it is adjusted, the “fight” with time begins.
Too fresh, too old? Both are possible!
When checking the roast date, it is important to remember that there is also the possibility of coffee that is too fresh. As a general rule, freshly roasted coffee needs at least seven days to complete the degassing process, which releases carbon dioxide from the beans, which, although not dangerous to health, can have a negative effect on extraction and therefore on the taste of the coffee. It’s not a terrible thing, but if you want to enjoy the coffee at its fullest potential, it’s a good idea to wait a few days.
Of course, life isn’t easy and coffee is a food (remember?), so there’s also the possibility that the coffee was roasted too long ago and is past its prime. This doesn’t mean you necessarily have to throw it away, but it’s good to take into account that individual flavour nuances may have disappeared and, conversely, flavours that we don’t care for at all (such as bitterness) may have come to the fore. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to designate such coffee as compost-worthy or accept that not every cup has to be perfect.
When is coffee too old, and what to do about it?
A seemingly simple question has no clear answer. A number of factors come into play. From the type of coffee, to the roasting method, to the storage method. In general, most coffees are at their best from the seventh to the twenty-first day after the roasting date. After that, its flavour profile begins to gradually change and degrade. However, it’s important to mention that this is definitely not true for all coffees and there are plenty of cases where the coffee is great afterwards too. The golden rule, however, is that for coffee that is older than thirty days from the roasting date, it is a good idea to take into account that it has probably passed its peak. And within half a year of roasting, you should definitely consume it at the latest.
And what to do about it? That’s easy! Don’t order a lot of coffee at once. It is much better to make interim orders about once a month according to your consumption. Alternatively, take advantage of our coffee subscription, which takes the worry out of constant reordering and you can be sure you’ll have fresh coffee that always tastes fantastic.
