Calling all coffee aficionados, baristas, and suppliers! At Headrush Coffee, we live and breathe the exciting world of coffee, and one golden rule that constantly buzzes in our ears is the crucial role of freshness in brewing the perfect cup. The mantra of 'Fresh is Best' resonates through the coffee community, and when we talk about maintaining the consistency of flavour in our brews, freshness always takes center stage.
It's a well-known fact that stale, old coffee is the arch-nemesis of a delightful, rich coffee experience, often leaving a bitter, lackluster taste in its wake. With the widespread adoption of the 'roasted to order' approach by roasters in recent years, many of us now get to enjoy coffee that's just a few days young. While this may seem like a fantastic stride towards coffee nirvana, we've discovered that there might just be a thing as coffee that's too fresh.
The roasting process unleashes a flurry of gases, including carbon dioxide, that become trapped within the coffee bean's structure post-roast. Immediately after roasting, these gases reach their peak levels. As the coffee rests, these gases gradually escape, leading to a decrease in their concentrations over time. It's believed that these gases can sometimes hinder the full expression of our coffee's flavors in the brewing process. The higher the gas levels, the more 'clouded' the flavor profile of our coffee becomes. Rested coffee, on the other hand, tends to offer a clearer, more consistent, and easily recognizable taste.
While some roasters may swiftly roast, bag, seal, and ship out their coffee within hours of roasting, others acknowledge the importance of allowing the coffee to rest before packaging. It is actually important to let your coffee rest for a few days, tailoring the resting period based on the coffee style – a couple of days for filter coffees and a bit longer for espresso blends. Our commitment to maintaining the perfect stock levels ensures that your coffee reaches you at its flavour best, ready to brew up a storm of deliciousness.
BAGGING!
Once the beans are bagged (hehe, sounds funny) a delightful dance of gases begins within the first week of their shelf life. This gas release can be observed through the gradual expansion of the sealed coffee bags as time ticks on. Not only does this release of gases occur, but the flavours of the coffee also embark on a fascinating journey of development, giving rise to a symphony of volatile compounds that tantalise the senses (imagine we waved our hands in the air like a wizard when you read that) The magic lies in the fact that, during those initial days of rest, the very essence of the coffee undergoes a captivating transformation.
For those who have received a sizeable order of coffee bags, it's not uncommon to notice some bags appearing more filled with gas compared to others from the same roast. This intriguing phenomenon often stems from the coffee's resting period in boxes before being shipped. Bags nestled at the box's bottom find it easier to release these gases through the one-way air valve, courtesy of the weight pressing down on them.
But why the rush to bag the coffee? The answer lies in protecting our precious beans from external influences like oxygen, humidity, and unwanted odors. Delaying the bagging process could potentially alter the flavor profile, leading to inconsistencies from one roast to the next. The real debate here revolves around determining the optimal resting period for a coffee 'bag' to allow for the gradual release of gases from the beans and the evolution of the coffee's aromatic character.
Through meticulous experiments, we've uncovered a golden rule: the flavour of roasted coffee reaches its peak consistency and clarity after resting for 7 days or more. For those indulging in filter-style coffee, we recommend aging the coffee for a week post-roast (we deal in coffee designed for espresso mainly, but a little bit of extra info never hurt anyone), while espresso aficionados may prefer a resting period of approximately two to three weeks. It's essential to consider the storage conditions too; during the winter months, extending the resting period slightly is advisable as degassing occurs more slowly in colder temperatures.
When it comes to the journey of coffee, the way it's roasted and the blend of beans used can significantly impact the levels of gases present, thus influencing the required resting time. Roasters have tried an experiment with two roasts, one roasted 6 degrees Celsius darker than the other. The results speak volumes as the darker roast unleashed a higher volume of gases over an eight-day period, evident in the noticeable swelling of the coffee bag.
The brewing method we choose, whether it's espresso or another style, also plays a crucial role in determining how long the coffee should rest. In the case of espresso, with its unique pressure brewing process, the impact of excessive gas is particularly pronounced. Brewing espresso with freshly roasted coffee can lead to a frothy crema and a muddled taste profile, akin to the difference between freshly carbonated soda and a flat drink. It's not our cup of tea...or coffee. The presence of air bubbles can indeed alter the taste experience. While filter coffee allows excess gas to escape more easily, achieving flavour clarity remains a challenge that even seasoned roasters struggle with.
For a fascinating experiment (and we mean FASCINATING) the next time you receive a bag of freshly roasted coffee (from us or anywhere else) why not track its flavour evolution over the initial days of rest? Observe firsthand how the flavour profile transforms – becoming clearer, more aromatic, and increasingly consistent in the week following roasting. It's worth it.