Last Updated on June 3, 2021 by Ed Joven
When is the best time to consume Roasted Coffee Beans?
Coffee beans gain their peak flavor between 4-14 days after roasting. The flavor remains optimal for at least three weeks, so it is best to consume it during that time.
Coffee is a staple drink for many people around the world. Most of us have coffee to start our day, to relax in our free time, or even when we need to be up late working. And the thing that determines the quality of the coffee is the beans that you use.
Making sure you have coffee beans with the perfect aroma and the perfect flavoring will energize you for the entire day.
How to Roast Coffee Beans
If you love coffee, the thought of roasting your own beans must have crossed your mind. The process is actually very simple. Here is how you go about it.
Start with raw, unroasted coffee beans. You can roast them using a countertop roaster, or for a more economical option, you can use a popcorn maker or an iron skillet.
Heat the beans and start stirring. They will turn light brown after a while. Listen closely and you will hear cracking noises after a few more minutes.
If you like lightly roasted coffee, take your beans off the heat at this point. If you want darker coffee, let your beans roast until they turn dark brown. Just be sure not to let them cook until they are black.
Once you are done, put them in a strainer or baking sheet to cool. The process is simple, but if you do not have the time you can simply order high-quality coffee online.
How to Measure Peak Flavor of Roasted Coffee Beans
Coffee beans need to be roasted before you pour hot water on them to create coffee. To make a coffee that tastes great, you need to consider two things: the aroma and the carbon dioxide buildup on the beans.
Over time, coffee beans lose their aroma, which makes the coffee taste bland. Roasting for a long time breaks down the amino acid and sugar and causes carbon dioxide to formulate, which can ruin the flavor of the coffee.
Timing is crucial here. You need to know precisely how long it will take your coffee beans to lose their carbon dioxide buildup, but not the aroma.
Peak flavor occurs within 4-14 days after roasting. You will notice a significant difference in aroma between a coffee bean that was roasted four days ago and one that was roasted five days ago.
Why the Date of Roasting is Important
The beans slowly start losing their aroma right after roasting. This is why it is very important to know the date. But do not confuse this with the expiration date.
Coffee beans do not expire. They can still be used to make coffee after two or three years. However, they will gradually lose their flavor and aroma.
If you know the exact roasting date, you will be able to measure when you are going to get the peak flavor, which is generally 4-14 days after roasting. Without knowing the roasting date, it is impossible to measure when your coffee beans will give you peak flavor.
The Best Time to Use Roasted Coffee Beans
The fresher the coffee bean, the better the taste of the coffee. If you use coffee beans that are not yet roasted, it will taste something like green peppers.
You can use them immediately after roasting. It may not taste the best, but it will get the job done. Usually, they will retain their flavor at least three weeks after roasting. After that, you can still use it, but it will not have the same flavor.
How Long Do Coffee Beans Stay Fresh after Roasting?
Freshness can have two separate meanings. Being fresh could mean how long until it rots, or how long until it loses its flavor.
For the prior freshness, the answer is as long as it is contained. Roasted coffee beans will never rot. This means it does not have an expiration date. However, the ground coffee powder does have an expiration date. So if you find a bag of roasted coffee beans that is five years old, you can still make coffee with it.
And for the latter freshness, as we mentioned earlier, it will retain its flavor for at least three weeks.
Resting Time after Being Roasted
The coffee bean is set aside to rest after roasting to degas it. Degassing is a process used to release the carbon dioxide build-up inside the coffee beans. Carbon dioxide is formulated as the sugar inside the coffee beans and the amino acids burn and break down.
Both these components are carbon-based. So when they burn, they produce carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is stored inside and slowly gets released as the beans rest. Within the first 24 hours, about 40 percent of the CO2 leaves the bean. Dark roasted coffee beans degas faster than coffee beans that are lightly roasted.
How to Find a Fresh Bag of Roasted Coffee Beans
If you are not roasting the coffee beans yourself, there are a few things you need to consider.
The best way to tell which package of coffee beans is fresh and which are not is by checking the roasting date, which should be marked on the package. Make sure you get beans that have been roasted within the previous three weeks. Avoid the ones that are older because they will not have peak aroma and flavor.
Final Thoughts
Coffee is a very popular and refreshing drink. The best coffees are made with perfectly roasted beans. The better the roast, the stronger the aroma.
More about Coffee:
- Coffee and Sago Cooler Recipe
- 6 Different Ways You Can Brew Coffee
- Healthy Reasons to Drink Coffee
- 3 Trendy and Tempting Filipino Coffee Recipes
- Have you tried Hawaiian Coffee?
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