The moment coffee beans exit the roaster and cool they begin to age. Roasted beans have a very high porosity, trapping aroma within the pores. In fact, more than 50% of a roasted bean is empty space filled with gases we call aroma! Upon roasting 50+ coffee aroma compounds immediately begin to be driven out of the bean pores (outgassing), delighting our olfactory senses.
However, with each passing day, the concentration of aroma in the beans diminishes, resulting in a gradual decline in flavor intensity in your brewed coffee. After 15 days post-roast, the decrease in volatile aromatics becomes noticeable. While the coffee may still be enjoyable, the vibrancy of its flavors starts to fade. Grinding the beans accelerates this process, as it increases the surface area, exposing the pores and leading to a rapid loss of aroma.15 days to a roasted bean is roughly equivalate to 15 minutes for ground coffee.
There is no practical way to halt roasted coffee’s internal pressure and aroma migration. Acrobatics to slow down the aging process with a one-way valve or freezing the coffee are inadequate, and incomparable to truly fresh roasted coffee. If you are paying up for specialty coffee, get your money’s worth and drink it while it is still special.
Our recommendations:
- Purchase whole bean coffee, and grind just before brewing.
- Buy fresh roasted coffee every two weeks.
- Don’t fuss over coffee storage, consume it while its fresh.
Happy Cup Equation: (<15 days from roast) + (<15 min from grind)