Coffee
Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, which are the seeds of berries from the Coffea plant. The genus Coffea is native to tropical Africa, Madagascar, and the Comoros, Mauritius and Réunion in the Indian Ocean.
Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, which are the seeds of berries from the Coffea plant. The genus Coffea is native to tropical Africa, Madagascar, and the Comoros, Mauritius and Réunion in the Indian Ocean.
Coffee is a volatile aromatic product that is best consumed within a period of time that is neither too close nor too far from when the beans were roasted.
After coffee beans are roasted, the flavor and aroma continue to develop for a few days as they release carbon dioxide (this is why some coffee bags have a one-way valve to let the gases out). After the aromatics and flavor carrying chemicals reach their maximum potential, they begin to gradually dissipate.
There are many factors involved as to when roasted coffee beans reach their peak and how well they age. This includes, but is not limited to such things as; the characteristics and age of the green beans, the skill and style of the roaster, the degree of roast, storage conditions etc.
The time when the carbon dioxide is minimized and the aromatics and flavors are maximized can be anywhere from 3 to 7 days from when the beans were roasted.
However, there are exceptions to every rule; some coffees and roast styles allow for a coffee to retain its maximum profile for up to 14 days from the roast date.
With that said, coffee could be considered "not fresh" after 2-4 weeks, and definitely stale after 5 weeks.
This is why, if you are serious about great tasting coffee and drink it for more than just your daily caffeine fix, you should buy coffee with a “Roast Date” not a “Use by Date”. Coffee that has a “Roast Date” tells you the date the coffee was roasted and knowing that will give you an idea of whether or not it might be stale.
Coffee roasting companies that use a “Use by Date” instead of a “Roast Date” are taking advantage of their customer’s lack of knowledge.
When you buy coffee with a “Use by Date” that’s about one year out; you have no idea how old it is. Buying coffee with a “Use by Date” is like buying a used car that’s had the odometer removed.
Are you paying top dollar for specialty coffee and you don’t know how old it is?
If your coffee roaster doesn't include the roast date on their packaging, it is either they don’t want you to know when it was roasted or they don’t know what they're doing. Neither is a good sign and you might want to consider buying your coffee somewhere else.
According to Katie Carguilo of Counter Culture Coffee and 2012 United States Barista Championship “if you don't find a roast date (not a sell-by date) on the bag, then "the coffee isn't worth your money."
The Fort Schuyler Trading Company Coffee Roasting, Tea & Herb Shop located in the North Utica shopping center roasts coffee beans in very small batches and they use a roast date (not a sell-by date) on their bags of coffee.
After coffee beans are roasted, the flavor and aroma continue to develop for a few days as they release carbon dioxide (this is why some coffee bags have a one-way valve to let the gases out). After the aromatics and flavor carrying chemicals reach their maximum potential, they begin to gradually dissipate.
There are many factors involved as to when roasted coffee beans reach their peak and how well they age. This includes, but is not limited to such things as; the characteristics and age of the green beans, the skill and style of the roaster, the degree of roast, storage conditions etc.
The time when the carbon dioxide is minimized and the aromatics and flavors are maximized can be anywhere from 3 to 7 days from when the beans were roasted.
However, there are exceptions to every rule; some coffees and roast styles allow for a coffee to retain its maximum profile for up to 14 days from the roast date.
With that said, coffee could be considered "not fresh" after 2-4 weeks, and definitely stale after 5 weeks.
This is why, if you are serious about great tasting coffee and drink it for more than just your daily caffeine fix, you should buy coffee with a “Roast Date” not a “Use by Date”. Coffee that has a “Roast Date” tells you the date the coffee was roasted and knowing that will give you an idea of whether or not it might be stale.
Coffee roasting companies that use a “Use by Date” instead of a “Roast Date” are taking advantage of their customer’s lack of knowledge.
When you buy coffee with a “Use by Date” that’s about one year out; you have no idea how old it is. Buying coffee with a “Use by Date” is like buying a used car that’s had the odometer removed.
Are you paying top dollar for specialty coffee and you don’t know how old it is?
If your coffee roaster doesn't include the roast date on their packaging, it is either they don’t want you to know when it was roasted or they don’t know what they're doing. Neither is a good sign and you might want to consider buying your coffee somewhere else.
According to Katie Carguilo of Counter Culture Coffee and 2012 United States Barista Championship “if you don't find a roast date (not a sell-by date) on the bag, then "the coffee isn't worth your money."
The Fort Schuyler Trading Company Coffee Roasting, Tea & Herb Shop located in the North Utica shopping center roasts coffee beans in very small batches and they use a roast date (not a sell-by date) on their bags of coffee.