Why coffee beans need to be stored for a week before drinking

Why do coffee beans need to be stored for a week before tasting?

Coffee is a must-have drink for many people every morning, and coffee beans are the key to making delicious coffee. However, you may have heard of a view that freshly roasted coffee beans are not suitable for immediate use, but need to be stored for a week to achieve the best taste. This view has aroused the curiosity and controversy of many people. So, why wait a week? Let's explore this issue below.

Gas release and carbon dioxide content

When coffee beans are roasted, they contain a lot of carbon dioxide (CO2). During the roasting process, the carbon dioxide is released quickly and continues to be released over the next few days. If you immediately use freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing or grinding them into powder for extraction, the large amount of carbon dioxide in them will affect the extraction process and taste.

First, during brewing, carbon dioxide will dissolve and react with water to form bicarbonate, which will cause the coffee to have a sour taste. Secondly, during the grinding process, carbon dioxide will also affect the uniformity and stability of the coffee powder. Therefore, waiting a week before brewing or grinding can allow the carbon dioxide in the coffee beans to be fully released and avoid adverse effects on the taste.

Volatile substances and flavor development

In addition to carbon dioxide, freshly roasted coffee beans also contain a large amount of volatile substances. These substances include a variety of complex and delicious flavor components such as floral, fruity and chocolate. However, these flavor components are not completely stabilized just after roasting.

After a week of storage, the volatile substances in the coffee beans gradually dilute and reach a state of equilibrium. This process is called aging, similar to the process in which foods such as wine or cheese need to be aged for a period of time to develop a richer flavor. Therefore, waiting a week before tasting the coffee can make the flavor more intense, complex and balanced.

Oxidation and taste improvement

In addition to the release of carbon dioxide and the stabilization of volatile substances, coffee beans stored for a week will also undergo an oxidation process. In this process, the organic matter in the coffee beans reacts with oxygen in the air to produce new compounds.

This oxidation reaction can improve the taste of coffee beans and make them softer and smoother. At the same time, because the carbon dioxide has been released and formed a protective layer, it will not adversely affect the flavor when brewing or grinding after a week of storage.

in conclusion

In summary, waiting a week before tasting coffee is to allow carbon dioxide to be fully released, volatile substances to stabilize, and promote the appropriate reaction between organic substances and air. Doing so can improve the taste of coffee and make it more intense, complex and balanced. Of course, everyone has different preferences for the taste of coffee, so whether to wait a week before tasting coffee should be decided according to personal taste.