Hello from Hamburg and welcome to our coffee blog. This week we are looking at the freshness and shelf life of coffee and asking ourselves: When is coffee old and should it no longer be used? Of course it is possible to still drink coffee that is 2 years old, but should you do it? After such a long time, despite the highly praised "aroma packaging" and vacuum seals from major manufacturers, can you still recognize the full variety of aromas? Let's find out!
From the beginning: The maturation process of coffee
Freshly roasted coffee does not mean that it comes straight from the roasting drum into the packaging. Coffee does not reach its optimal taste immediately after the roasting process. It needs a rest period of 10 days after roasting in order to be able to develop its true aromas optimally. During this time, a lot happens chemically: The coffee gives off gases. It gives off carbon dioxide (CO2) that was created during roasting and only then does it taste really good. That's why our coffee only goes into the packaging after these 10 days and the "freshly roasted" label is on top.
Thanks to modern packaging technology, an aroma valve is built into the standard coffee bags from artisan roasters. These also allow the coffee to be packaged directly after roasting - of course only when the coffee has completely cooled down. The carbon dioxide that is produced then escapes from the valve without the coffee coming into contact with air - so it does not oxidize. The bags swell up quite a bit, but this also goes away after the 10 days described above thanks to the valve. In the past, without the aroma valve, the coffee bags were prone to bursting because they could not degas properly. The only way to prevent this was to make a small puncture in the bag. This was of course bad for the quality of the coffee, as oxygen causes the coffee to stale more quickly.
Can coffee go stale?
Is that even possible? Of course, because even the darkest coffee roast still has between 9 - 12% residual moisture and this changes the taste of the coffee over time. Incidentally, we deliberately say "old coffee", not spoiled coffee. This is because coffee in the traditional sense does not go bad in a way that is dangerous to health - unless there is obvious mold. Old coffee simply no longer tastes good and does not meet our expectations. Coffee should be aromatic, not flat and should only be drunk to wake you up.
Signs of “old coffee”
Now that we know how fresh coffee is packaged, the question is: How do I recognize old coffee? It's simple, look for the following signs:
- The espresso no longer forms crema.
- The filter coffee gives off a musty smell.
- The filter coffee no longer “blooms” when brewing.
- The coffee tastes bland, boring or even musty.
Tips for storing coffee properly
Coffee should be stored properly so that it always retains its best aroma. The number one enemy is oxygen. Therefore, it is not advisable to fill the coffee into a pretty container. Simply pouring it over leads to unnecessary exchange with the air and causes the coffee to go stale more quickly. It is best to leave your coffee in the bag with an aroma valve and close the zipper properly. This allows the CO2 to escape and no oxygen to get into the bag. Buy your coffee in whole beans and then grind it fresh. Ground coffee also loses its aroma more quickly due to the larger surface area. Use up your coffee quickly. It should not be left open for much longer than 2 - 4 weeks - so it is better to buy small quantities if you do not drink coffee every day. Direct sunlight and heat are of course not good for the coffee either - but storing it in the refrigerator is still not necessary (even if it is often touted as an insider tip).
Conclusion:
Old coffee not only spoils the taste, but can also quickly ruin the start to the day. So make sure you buy freshly roasted coffee and store it in a dry place protected from light. It's best to ask your roaster when the coffee was roasted or look at the roasting date on the packaging - the fresher the better! Grind the coffee freshly as needed and seal it well in the bag it was bought in. Avoid too much contact with fresh air - it's only good for our lungs! The right way to handle our favorite drink contributes to the extraordinary taste experience just as much as the right preparation. So enjoy your special aromatic moment and always drink fresh coffee!
Your Kaffeebrewda