How fresh is fresh?
There seems to be a whole assortment of different opinions around coffee freshness.
Over the years a belief was built around the fact that one must consume their coffee as close to the roast date as possible.
Although it is better to consume a “fresher” coffee compared to a coffee that has been sitting on the shelf of a grocery store for a few months, there is such thing as too fresh!
The roasting process changes the molecular structure of coffee. One of the by-products is carbon dioxide. For the first 3 days after roast there is a large amount of carbon dioxide being expelled from coffee beans. During this period it is very difficult to get a good extraction regardless of the brew method you are using.
This occurs because as you pour the water, CO2 is escaping and this prevents the water from properly extracting your coffee. It’s like 2 polar opposites of a magnet. One is trying to escape and the other is trying to enter.
This ‘fight’ creates a very uneven extraction.
Roasted coffee needs to rest. Just like a good steak needs to rest for a few minutes after cooking, coffee beans need to rest for a few days after being roasted.
We have done many tests here at Mogiana Coffee and our consensus for the ideal window of roasted coffee is as follows:
For Espresso based beverages: from 5 to 30 days after roasted; beyond that you will begin to get less crema;
For Aeropress: from 7 to 45 days after roast
For Drip, Pour-over and French Press: between 14 to 60 days after roast; beyond that your coffee won’t bloom as much and the flavor starts slowly decreasing.
Beware of Best Before dates on the packaging. Different companies give their coffee a different “life span”. For instance, most commercial brands will put a best before day of one year after the coffee was roasted. Some are now putting a year and a half. Although the coffee won’t spoil per se, it will have lost much of the flavour and have a stale smell after all that time. Particularly darker roasts that naturally have more oils - and these become rancid.
Ultimately, coffee freshness is about balance. While extremely fresh coffee may hinder extraction, coffee that sits too long loses its vibrant flavors. Understanding the optimal rest period for different brewing methods allows you to enjoy your coffee at its peak. So next time you pick up a bag of coffee, look beyond the roast date and consider the best window for brewing. A little patience can make all the difference in unlocking the best flavors in your cup. :)
