Too Much Coffee

Hi All,
I've always tried to wait a week or so after roast date before using beans for espresso as i find it to be quite frothy. Waiting a week seems to give it more consistency and make it easier to control. Using cafetiere however doesnt present any problems, just different results. Anyone got any preferences?

Recently I've grown the habit of really trying to wait one or two days after roast before drinking my coffee. Basically because what happens after day 3 and before day 7-9 is the most interesting, and if I start drinking it right away, I simply don't get over day 4 most of the times

I'd say try it out yourself and see what you like. Try after 12 hous, 24 hours, 36 hours, 48 hours, etc

I personally prefer it straight from the roaster. I klnowsome beans benefit form 'resting' but I just love that freshness.

I like espresso beans to be about 6 days old, and then maybe for just two - three days more. Before this time there is just something missing, can't put my finger on it though.

Recently I took my aeropress and some freshly roasted Peru Grace
Villa Estate on a 10 day trip, so I had to try it every day because it
was the only civilized coffee I could lay my hands on. For the first
couple of days, I thought I'd under-roasted it severely, as there was
an edge to it, a bit greenish. Then it settled out nicely, and at days
four and five it was just superb. After that it was still good, but not
quite at that level. Roast level was very early SC, stopped the Gene
after a couple of audible snaps.

As for espresso, I'm leaning more and more to a longer time. Just
finished today some Limu roasted by my wife while I was away on said trip.
Last shot of the batch was the best, at day 14. Yemen I just hide for 10-12
days before even opening it. Mostly though 7 - 10 days seems good.

I should be receiving a roast+1 delivery next week so i think a diary is in order.i think the variables are easier to control on cafetiere so that will be my weapon of choice.just out of interest whats your use by date? I found a bag unopened thats about 3 months old.might risk that and see what we get

If it was unopened, it should be fine. At least for a day. I find that old coffee kept well packed detoriates really fast after it's opened, but the first few shots from it are most often quite good.

It depends on how I'm gonna brew it. If I'm gonna make it in a press, moka or vac pot or make turkish coffee I find it to be better the fresher it is. Roast and brew!

For the espresso I make with my aeropress I think it gets better after a few days.

I think you've nailed it there Terje. I think the frothyness and gaseous nature of freshly roasted coffee has less of an influence on non-espresso brewing methods

Think it also depends on what type of bag... sealed with a 1-way valve? I'm with Lukas... good for the day you open it.

Espresso-wise, usually days 3-7 can be sweet spots, depending on which origins. Oddly enough, I find this so with S.O... but with blends... days 5-9 have also done well. Maybe it's all in my head

Other brewing methods, I've not tried on day of roast... but day after to day 3-4, usually

On days I couldn't wait for my roasts to 'age' to day 3, I'd grind it earlier than the usual just before pulling the espresso shots, letting it degas with it's larger surface area

Do you really think that the type of bag makes that much difference?

After all, once the bag is opened the clock is ticking.

If unopened and you are storing for a few days, yes, but once opened I doubt it.

The good thing about oneway valves is that if you were so inclined you could suck the air out of the bag each time you have finished with it....apparently

I used fold over paper bags here and it makes no difference in the taste.

espressomattic wrote:The good thing about oneway valves is that if you were so inclined you could suck the air out of the bag each time you have finished with it....apparently

sadly not possible. Since you would also need to reseal the bag each time, and the valve is always close to the top. I suppose you could open the bag from the bottom though...

Roasted beans are best consumed within a week after roasting, well, maybe 10 days.
No need to pack sophisticatedly for a week.
Not so long ago the market thought that vacuums packs were THE thing to keep coffee fresh, even ground coffee . . . .