Aging and drinking time.
SPECIALTY COFFEE BEANS × AGING
Specialty Coffee × Aging
It is generally said that coffee is best enjoyed between two days and two weeks after roasting, after which it begins to oxidize and becomes unpalatable, but this is a general rule and does not necessarily apply, especially when it comes to specialty coffee.
First of all, there is no clear definition of the best time to drink coffee or its expiration date, and the period varies depending on the roaster and shop.
This time, we will explain, in as simple terms as possible, the best time to drink specialty coffee, its expiration date, and its aging process.
What is aging?
This refers to letting coffee sit for a certain period of time after roasting (aging).
The aging period allows unnecessary gases generated during roasting to be released, preventing the gases from interfering with the extraction process and allowing you to enjoy the changes in flavor components over time.
It is often said that coffee tastes best two days after roasting, and this can also be said to be aging for two days.
Drinking time and expiration date
Drinking time and best before date are largely determined by the roasting approach and roast level.
For example, when lightly roasted, less gas is produced and cell destruction (due to the glass transition phenomenon, etc.) is not as advanced as when darkly roasted, so the aroma and flavor components are less likely to escape and the coffee remains drinkable for a longer period. As the roasting process progresses, the amount of gas produced and cell destruction also progresses, so the aroma and flavor components evaporate more quickly along with the release of gas, and as a result, it is thought that the period during which darkly roasted coffee can be enjoyed is shorter than that of lightly roasted coffee.
The way light roast and dark roast coffee powder expand is different, so you can intuitively understand the above.
The " best time to drink" is the period when the flavor is most enjoyable, including the aging period. It is still delicious after this period, but the aroma and flavor will gradually be lost and replaced by negative components, so try to drink it before the expiration date (in whole beans, from the roasting date: light to medium roast: 60 days / medium-dark roast and above: 45 days) . If you cannot drink it within the expiration date, we recommend freezing it.
At THE WORD COFFEE, our current approach to roasting is that when stored at room temperature (in bean form), light to medium roasts are best enjoyed 1 to 3 weeks after roasting, while medium-dark roasts and above are best enjoyed 2 days to 2 weeks after roasting.
As mentioned above, the best-before date and expiration date depend on the roasting approach. Please keep in mind that the best-before date and expiration date set by THE WORD COFFEE are limited to coffee roasted by THE WORD COFFEE. And even if the coffee is roasted by us, if the roasting approach changes, the best-before date and expiration date will naturally change.
To summarize briefly, because specialty coffee is of high quality, many roasters focus on the unique flavor of the beans, and as a result, it is often served as a light to medium roast, so it can be enjoyed for a relatively long period of time, including the aging period.
Everyone has different expectations and tastes for coffee. You might find that the coffee tastes sweeter after the second week than after the first, or that you'll notice a new flavor after the third week. Ageing coffee allows you to find the flavor you like best, which is one of the ways to enjoy specialty coffee.