The coffee beans’ greatest enemies are air, moisture, heat, and light.
Four Key Factors That Age Coffee Beans and why coffee bean storage is important.
MOISTURE – coffee beans, whether roasted or green, are hygroscopic, which means that they will absorb moisture from the air or anything else around them. Most of the flavors and the caffeine in roasted coffee are soluble in water, so exposure to moisture will degrade the quality of your espresso.
OXYGEN – coffee has a naturally high oil content and air exposure causes the coffee to oxidize which will cause it to lose its flavor over time.
SUNLIGHT – UV light is a mutagen that affects coffee (and other foods) by causing the breakdown of the natural chemical compounds.
HEAT – Temperatures above approximately 75 degrees F (25 degrees C) will speed up the aging process of coffee. Heat brings the oils to the surface quicker and escalates the release rate of carbon dioxide.
Overexposure to any of the above factors will age your beans very quickly, fast-tracking the staling process as CO2 escapes and the bean oils dissipate.
It’s these oils, but also the CO2, that you want to extract from the beans to make beautifully crafted crema-topped espresso.
After approximately 4-6 weeks of being roasted, the naturally occurring oils within the beans will migrate to the surface and the beans will also darken in color.
While this is OK to a point, exposure to the atmosphere in this state will spoil the coffee very quickly. It will also eventually lose large amounts of CO2, which is required to create a crema when you make a coffee.
The crema is the copper-colored emulsification of oils and CO2, which should appear thick and tightly packed on top of an espresso shot. If there is no crema then your beans are definitely too old!
Coffee Bean Storage Tips
The “magic time” for the freshness of coffee is actually roughly 4-14 days after roast. Freshness can be extended to a month or more if you store your coffee well.
- Store coffee beans in a cool, dry place. Coffee should be stored in an airtight container away from heat and direct sunlight, so a cool pantry is the perfect place.
- Use your coffee beans within 4-6 weeks after the day they have been roasted. Or within the first 2 weeks if you purchase ground coffee.
- Buy small quantities regularly. Purchase what you would use in 2-4 weeks to ensure your beans are fresh and you are producing flavourful coffee.
- Top up your hopper regularly. If you use a grinder – most hoppers on grinders are not airtight, so keep your beans stored correctly and top up your hopper each day.
Henceforth please read at https://javamomma.com/best-coffee-bean-storage-tips-for-fresh-coffee/
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