Customers often ask:

"Is coffee that has been stored for a year or so still drinkable?"

"What should I do if the coffee beans are not consumed fast enough to keep up with the taste?"

"Are there any tips for preserving coffee beans?"

In fact, whether the coffee tastes good or not has a lot to do with the shelf life of the coffee beans.

Every time our baristas look at the beans that customers have kept for a long time, they always say earnestly: Your beans have passed their best tasting period! So, the question is, what is the best tasting period? Can you still drink coffee beans if they have passed their best tasting period? Generally, if the raw beans are well stored before roasting, the shelf life can reach one year. However, the best tasting period of roasted coffee beans is only a few weeks. Why?

The relationship between the best tasting period of coffee beans and the degree of roasting

The period from the time the beans are grown (about 24-48 hours) until the time when obvious defects in flavor appear is called the best flavor period. For example, for medium roasted beans, the best flavor period is about 30 days. For light roasted beans, it is about 40-50 days, while the best flavor period for dark roasted beans is shorter, usually within 30 days.

Here are some common misconceptions:

"Best before" is not the same as "expiration date"

Do you still look at the expiration date on the package before buying coffee? We want to tell you another important thing: the best tasting period of coffee is not equal to the expiration date. What you should pay attention to is the roasting time.

The taste of roasted coffee beans will change over time in the next 1-2 weeks, giving you an extra journey and witnessing the ups and downs of coffee like the blooming and falling of flowers. Usually, we can taste the best flavor in about 1 week.

From the experience of roasters, the tasting period of coffee beans is about 15 days (depending on the degree of roasting), that is, after the bean-raising period (the process of waiting for the tasting period is also called bean-raising, which can be simply understood as the process of "gas release", also commonly known as waking up the beans, raising the beans or maturation, generally 3-4 days for single-origin beans and 7-10 days for Italian beans), the flavor period, or the tasting period, is 7-20 days from the roasting date.

Is there an absolute "best flavor period"?

Regarding the "best flavor period", although the roasting degree of each bean can be relatively stable, there is still a few degrees of error, even if the previous curve is strictly followed. This involves factors such as the space environment. The days when I think the beans are delicious are the state they should be in, which is the "best flavor period".

For example:

The faster the baking temperature rises, the shorter the total baking time and the shorter the required maturation period; the slower the baking temperature rises, the longer the total baking time and the longer the required maturation period.

"Lightly roasted" Nordic lightly roasted beans are roasted at a fast pace and have a short maturation time. It takes 2-3 days to mature and reach the best taste and flavor.

"Japanese slow roasting" takes a long time to mature, and it takes more than 8 days, or even more than two weeks depending on the situation.

"It's past its best-ever date"

Beans that have passed their best-seller period = not fresh, not only do they lose their good taste, but they also produce bad flavors. The compounds in the beans are affected by oxidation, and the taste becomes negative. Therefore, the coffee on supermarket shelves usually has a slightly oily smell. This is because it usually takes several months from being roasted and imported from foreign countries to being put on the shelves.

For example:

The oil that seeps out of the medium-dark roasted coffee beans to the surface has no luster and a noticeable oil smell. It is worth noting that during the best flavor period, the coffee beans may produce oil, which is actually normal, but it is also a small warning sign that the flavor of the coffee beans is about to decline rapidly, reminding you that you need to finish brewing quickly to avoid wasting the delicious coffee beans.

If light-medium roasted coffee beans do not emit aroma when ground and the powder layer does not expand when brewed, it means that the coffee beans have passed their best tasting period and are not very fresh. If they are stored at room temperature for a longer time, you can still smell the oily smell. If the oil that seeps out of medium-dark roasted coffee beans to the surface is not shiny or has a noticeable oily smell, it also means that the coffee beans have passed their best tasting period.

How to effectively extend the shelf life of coffee beans?

Roasted coffee is susceptible to many factors: light, temperature, humidity, and, most significantly, oxygen.

Good storage should keep the coffee fresh and maintain its flavor characteristics for as long as possible so that drinkers can enjoy the coffee in the best condition.

The best flavor period mentioned above is based on certain storage conditions, which are the three key factors for preserving roasted beans: airtight, light-proof, and moisture-proof. Therefore, coffee beans should be stored away from moisture, light, temperature, and oxygen. In addition, super-sealed bags are a good way to extend the best flavor period and slow down the aging of premium beans (especially for long-term storage).

Therefore, when buying coffee beans, it is recommended to buy about 2 weeks of coffee beans at a time. Coffee beans stored indoors are also recommended to be used up within 2 weeks for the best flavor and aroma. If coffee is properly stored after the expiration date, it is generally fine for people to drink it. Normally, coffee that has passed its best tasting period is still drinkable, but the flavor and taste of the coffee are not that good. In order to taste the best flavor of coffee, it is recommended that you drink the coffee within the best tasting period.

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