When are my coffee beans ready to brew?

You've been patiently awaiting the arrival of your coffee beans and are looking forward to trying them as soon as possible... but you might be surprised to hear that we suggest waiting a few days before you crack open your fresh bag! 

But, why is this? Let's explore. 

The concept of 'freshly roasted coffee' is enough to generate excitement in any coffee lover, but whilst we aim to send out all orders freshly roasted, we generally suggest waiting until 5-7 days post roast date to start drinking. Why is this? In a nutshell, the flavour will be greater once the beans have had a chance to rest. But to better understand freshness, flavour and optimum brewing time, it's important to think about where and how the flavours from coffee beans are formed.

The Roasting Process

While much of a beans distinctive qualities are determined by where it's grown and how it's processed, the flavour is released and amplified during the roasting process.  

The immense heat of roasting breaks down sugars and amino acids into carbon dioxide, so in the first few days post roast, the build-up of CO2 will be released and can significantly affect brewing, making it much harder to get the tasty cup you deserve. Those gasses will settle over time which is why we suggest waiting until the coffee has had time to rest before brewing. 

How long do I wait? 

The first 24 hours of degassing is where the most CO₂ will be released. For coffee lovers seeking the most flavour, you should aim to balance the degassing of CO₂ with the loss of important aromatics. For darker roasted coffees, this period usually starts 3-5 days after roasting and for lighter roasted coffees, we suggest waiting slightly longer at 5-7 days. We all have different palettes and preferences, so we always recommend experimenting for yourself and finding your perfect balance! 

Does my coffee expire? 

Expiry dates? We don't have them on our bags, but we suggest using your beans within 30 days to get the best flavour out of them. 

Your coffee will be at it's peak from approximately 5 - 30 days and then the flavours will begin to deteriorate. So whilst the product isn't expired, it just won't be at its best. 

If you store your coffee in a cool, airtight location, you can continue to drink it for months... but it won't have the same intensity of flavour that you were enjoying when it was younger!