How Long Should Coffee Beans Be Aged for Optimal Flavor? Is the Flavor Peak Period the Same as the Shelf Life?

Many coffee enthusiasts choose to immediately open and brew a cup after purchasing coffee beans. In this era of pursuing freshness, the freshness of coffee beans is equally important. Some even wish to brew and taste coffee beans immediately after roasting. In reality, coffee beans are not better the fresher they are. To enjoy a good cup of coffee, one must patiently endure the degassing period.

Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee ships coffee beans that are freshly roasted within 5 days. After several days of transit, the coffee beans have already undergone a degassing period of 4 to 7 days upon arrival. At this point, the coffee beans' flavors have stabilized, and they are at their optimal flavor peak.

Many novice coffee enthusiasts have likely heard of the term "degassing" and have some understanding of coffee bean storage. It's known that coffee beans need to be stored in bags or containers with one-way valves. Indeed, these steps help improve the flavor of coffee beans. Due to various factors and the characteristics of coffee beans from different countries and estates, the method and duration of this degassing process vary.

Why Do Coffee Beans Need Degassing?

Some inexperienced enthusiasts might ask: Why do coffee beans need degassing? To answer this question, we need to start with coffee roasting. After appropriate roasting, the internal structure of coffee beans becomes relatively loose, with certain amounts of gas accumulating within the pores.

Freshly roasted coffee beans contain approximately 2% carbon dioxide by total weight. Within 12 hours, the internal pressure of the beans can prevent oxygen from entering. Subsequently, influenced by this internal pressure, the gas is slowly released over several weeks. As the degree of roasting deepens and heat increases, the internal structure of coffee beans becomes more porous, containing more carbon dioxide, thus requiring a longer degassing period.

The Double-Edged Sword of Carbon Dioxide

However, the presence of carbon dioxide has both advantages and disadvantages. Many coffee enthusiasts have likely experienced this: coffee beans purchased a month ago are certainly well-degassed, but why do they seem to lack flavor when brewed?

This is because as carbon dioxide escapes, it also carries away some flavor compounds. When the degassing activity of coffee beans nears its end, the remaining flavor compounds naturally become fewer and fewer. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends consuming coffee within one month of the roasting date.

So, since carbon dioxide carries away flavor compounds, does this mean fresher is always better?

FrontStreet Coffee mentioned earlier that coffee beans need degassing to allow some of the carbon dioxide to escape. However, in coffee beans that haven't completed degassing, there is still a significant amount of carbon dioxide, creating higher internal pressure. If you try to brew with beans that haven't completed degassing, the internal pressure will create resistance against water during brewing. Hot water cannot effectively exchange substances with the coffee particles, making it difficult to extract flavors optimally.

Additionally, if coffee beans are too fresh, they will have an obvious "dry" sensation when consumed, causing discomfort in the throat and affecting the overall coffee experience.

For example, coffee beans used for espresso typically have a darker roast, containing relatively more carbon dioxide. The crema we see is actually composed of countless tiny carbon dioxide bubbles. However, with overly fresh espresso beans that haven't completed degassing, the extracted crema might even show emulsification, with bubbles prone to collapse, which negatively affects the stability of subsequent coffee integration and latte art.

Proper Coffee Bean Storage

For various reasons, some enthusiasts like to stock up on large quantities of coffee beans at once. So, how should coffee beans be stored?

People highly value preservation and might even look to their refrigerators, where they tend to store everything. A coffee enthusiast once asked FrontStreet Coffee's barista: "If I store coffee beans in the refrigerator, can I significantly extend their optimal flavor period?"

Faced with this question, FrontStreet Coffee's barista of course said: "No!" In fact, the packaging bags that FrontStreet Coffee uses to store coffee beans are sufficient. While people might think about the preservation effect of refrigerators, they often forget that the temperature difference between inside the refrigerator and the external environment can cause coffee beans to absorb moisture. This operation won't extend the flavor period; instead, it will cause the coffee beans to become unusable.

Coffee storage generally requires a cool, dry, and sealed environment. Typically, coffee beans are packaged in bags with one-way valves, which satisfy both the need for coffee beans to release gas and the need to prevent external gases from entering and accelerating the aging process of coffee beans.

Some novice coffee enthusiasts have observed that when very dark-roasted coffee beans are left untouched for a long time, the entire packaging bag may inflate. At this point, some might be tempted to squeeze the gas out of the bag. Regarding this, FrontStreet Coffee advises enthusiasts to restrain those restless hands.

Although the expelled gas is indeed aromatic, the gas in the bag helps maintain the freshness of coffee beans. This includes not only the undesirable carbon dioxide during brewing but also the desirable coffee flavor compounds. Thanks to the one-way valve design, when the gas in the bag becomes saturated, it inhibits the beans from continuing to release gas. This way, the degassing process of coffee beans becomes slower, which helps extend the optimal flavor period.

Additionally, FrontStreet Coffee also provides grinding services for enthusiasts who don't have grinding equipment at home. So, do pre-ground coffee powders still need to go through the degassing period? No. Because once coffee beans are ground into powder, the surface area of coffee particles in contact with air increases significantly, degassing becomes more intense, and the rate of flavor dissipation accelerates. This is why you might notice that FrontStreet Coffee seals the one-way valve with a sticker for customers who require grinding services, to prevent flavor compounds from completely disappearing.

Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends that enthusiasts with grinding equipment at home should purchase whole beans and grind them fresh before brewing to experience the optimal flavor.

The Art of Degassing

Degassing is a necessary and interesting process. As the degassing activity of coffee beans progresses, the flavor will correspondingly undergo subtle changes from one day to the next. Some people prefer the flavor within the first week after roasting, while others enjoy the flavor three weeks after roasting. For enthusiasts who want to explore further, feel free to place an order and discover for yourself.

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Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473