How Long Should Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans Rest? How to Properly Rest Coffee Beans? How Many Days for Light Roasts?

Around 2008, coffee shops were not as ubiquitous as they are today, and domestic coffee roasters were few and far between. At that time, the international shelves of large supermarkets already carried coffee beans from famous Italian brands like illy and lavazza. I still remember checking the production dates back then - most were already over 2 months old, with many being 6 months or older (of course, these products had a shelf life of 365 days, and these brands used nitrogen filling or vacuum packaging technology).

With China's economic boom, the coffee industry entered an era of explosive growth. The proliferation of community specialty coffee shops and small-scale coffee roasters began to transform people's coffee drinking habits. Previously, because coffee beans had to be imported after being roasted abroad, involving transportation time, it was impossible to place freshly roasted coffee beans on consumer market shelves, despite manufacturers continuously improving preservation technology. The emergence of numerous small domestic roasting shops gradually shifted the focus toward pursuing freshness in coffee beans.

The Freshness Dilemma

In fact, compared to coffee beans that have been stored for over 2 months, freshly roasted coffee beans do indeed offer much richer flavors. Consequently, those who pursue coffee flavors gradually developed requirements for coffee bean freshness - the fresher, the better...

However, problems arose as well. Originally, poor flavor was caused by insufficient freshness, but now poor flavor was caused by excessive freshness.

It turns out that after roasting, coffee beans contain approximately 2% of their weight in carbon dioxide, and this large amount of CO2 continues to be released. When the gas inside coffee beans is too vigorous - meaning extremely fresh - it inhibits the release of coffee flavors, easily resulting in poor taste. Moreover, coffee brewed from freshly roasted beans often exhibits a "dry sensation" (smoky, harsh taste), which creates an uncomfortable drinking experience.

(Large bubbles formed by gas bursting out)

The Solution: Bean Resting

So what should be done with coffee beans that are too fresh? The simplest solution is bean resting - essentially keeping the package unopened and letting it sit for several days. The coffee beans will gradually release gas over time. Typically, starting from the roasting date, letting the beans rest for about 5-7 days will eliminate the dry sensation. As large amounts of gas are released, the aroma emitted by the coffee will also become richer.

FrontStreet Coffee also considers the bean resting issue when roasting and shipping, as some customers eagerly want to enjoy their coffee beans immediately upon receipt. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee ships coffee beans roasted within the past 5 days. After 1-2 days of logistics, the coffee beans reach customers just as the resting period ends, making them ready for immediate consumption.

Proper Bean Storage

If the coffee beans you receive have a roasting date that is too recent, how should you rest them? Many friends might open the coffee bean packaging and pour the beans into carefully prepared airtight containers. FrontStreet Coffee does not recommend this approach because fresh coffee beans release more gas, and in a completely airtight container, this can easily cause excessive internal pressure, increasing the danger when opening the container. Additionally, when internal pressure is high, it also inhibits the gas release from the coffee beans.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that simply placing the unopened coffee package in a cool, dry place is sufficient. Coffee packaging bags have one-way degassing valves that can regulate internal pressure while preventing external air from entering.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473