FrontStreet Coffee Pour-Over Workshop: How to Make Pour-Over with "Expired" Coffee? How to Calculate the Optimal Flavor Period

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We've all had this experience: when coffee gets old, do you throw it away? Or do you continue using it and force yourself to drink a cup of bland, tasteless coffee? Is expired coffee truly beyond saving? Today, let me share with you the topic of how to make pour-over coffee with "expired" coffee.

Coffee "Shelf Life"

First, let's clarify a premise: the so-called shelf life refers to the optimal tasting period for coffee, not food safety expiration (usually manufacturers write one year shelf life), and coffee should be stored in sealed conditions away from light, in cool places as roasted coffee beans. Without these prerequisites, even the most skilled masters would be helpless!

So how long is coffee's optimal tasting period? We recommend: 15-30 days from when coffee is roasted. Some coffees can be extended to about 45 days under proper storage conditions. Therefore, the "expired" we mention is generally based on 30 days. At this time, the coffee beans' degassing has basically disappeared, and medium-dark to dark roasted coffee beans will lightly "oil up." However, if improper storage causes coffee to become seriously oiled, or it only smells woody, that indicates the coffee beans are no longer suitable for consumption. For health reasons, it's better to throw them away~

So what should you do with coffee that's still well-preserved but no longer fresh?

First, we should understand that coffee's flavor expression peaks 3-7 days after roasting, then diminishes over time, eventually leaving only woody notes. The first flavor substances to fade are mainly floral and fruity aromas, volatile acids, spices, and herbal notes, while nutty, chocolate, and caramel flavors are relatively less volatile. Moreover, ground coffee loses flavor faster than when stored as whole beans. This is the fundamental reason we want coffee to be fresh and ground fresh for brewing.

So if you hope that coffee past its optimal tasting period will still have rich floral and fruity notes with bright, lively acidity, that's basically impossible. However, at this time, some basic taste experiences of coffee, like chocolate and nutty flavors, will become more prominent, the mouthfeel will tend toward balance, and complex chemical changes in the coffee beans might develop some unexpected flavors, or flavors that weren't obvious before but now stand out~ What's important is knowing how to brew it.

Here are several basic methods I recommend:

1. Change extraction time;
2. Change water temperature;
3. Change grind size.

This is a dynamic balance state. For example, if you choose long extraction time and coarse grind, then water temperature should be lowered; if you choose fine grind, then extraction time should be relatively shortened and water temperature lowered. Regardless of how you adjust, what we want is a good-tasting coffee. Try several times to find the most suitable method to save your coffee~

The method I particularly recommend is using a coarser grind, lowering water temperature, and extending extraction time to brew the coffee.

Below, let's take [Jensen] Geisha coffee that has been stored away from light and moisture in cool conditions for 50 days as an example. Using a V60 dripper, water temperature 88°C (90-91°C when fresh), coffee-to-water ratio 1:15.

1. Coarse grind - Since the coffee's volatile aromatic substances have basically disappeared, fine grinding would easily extract bitter flavors during extraction. Choosing a coarser grind size can effectively avoid over-extraction.

2. Shorten bloom time - The carbon dioxide in the coffee has also completely dissipated, so there won't be a "hamburger" effect, and water easily penetrates every coffee particle. Therefore, long bloom times for degassing aren't needed, otherwise it might cause over-blooming and over-extraction.

3. Brew in 2-3 stages - The water flow height shouldn't be too high to avoid excessive stirring. Gently pour in a small coin-sized circle around the center, brewing while blooming to extract flavor substances. You can see foam being slowly pushed out.

Stop pouring when the water level reaches the top, wait for the water level to drop about 1/3 before continuing to pour. At this time, you can expand the brewing range, but don't pour onto the filter paper. Lower the water flow height - you must be gentle at this point. The entire extraction time should be slightly extended to bring out more sweetness.

This Jensen Geisha, although having lost its floral and fruity aromas, brings out red wine fragrance, smooth entry, rounded acidity, and caramel sweetness, with walnut notes in the aftertaste.

Next time you encounter "expired" coffee, you won't have to worry anymore~ But it's still best to drink coffee while it's fresh!

Past Review

Daily Testing | How much does the amount of bloom water affect coffee extraction?

Daily Testing | Does the 30-second bloom time start counting from when you begin pouring or after you finish pouring?

Coffee-to-Water Ratio Confusion | Should water be calculated as total pouring amount or final extracted amount?

Pour-Over | Are there techniques for bloom pouring? How should you pour during blooming?

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