Fresh roasted coffee has lively, fragrant, and flavorful characteristics. But over time, those characteristics fade.
If you grab a bag of whole bean from the grocery store, check for “Roasted On” or “Best By” dates. If there are none, chances are the beans are stale. You can test for freshness by giving the beans a gentle squeeze. If they are fresh, the beans will puff up from an outgassing of carbon dioxide.
1. Look for a Glossy Appearance
Freshly roasted coffee has a beautiful, glossy appearance that can give it away as being truly fresh. This is because a large amount of oils and natural compounds come to the surface of freshly roasted beans, giving them a slightly oily appearance (this is more prominent with darker roasts than lighter). This will fade over time, but if you see that your coffee has a glossy sheen, it’s likely very fresh.
Coffee is at its peak freshness, flavour and aroma straight after it’s been roasted. However, it needs to rest and “degas” for a few days before it’s ready to be brewed. This is why it’s important to buy your coffee from a small, local roaster, who may sell their products in smaller batches and rotate them regularly. This way, you can be guaranteed that you’re always getting the very best fresh roasted coffee possible.
A quick test to see if your beans are fresh is to grab a handful and squeeze them gently. If the beans are oily and leave a residue on your hand, they’re most likely fresh. If you can’t feel or see any residue on the beans, they’re probably stale and need to be thrown out.
You can also check for a fresh batch by looking at the packaging. If the bag that your beans are in is heat sealed and does not have a valve, it’s likely been sitting on the shelf for too long. Fresh roasted coffee needs to release gases to stay fresh, so it’s important that your packaging allows this. Alternatively, if your coffee is in a canister with an air valve, this means that the beans are definitely fresh.
2. Check for Oily Residue
You might think that a sheen or oiliness is a fail-safe way to tell whether or not a bag of beans is fresh, but this doesn’t always work. This sheen is a result of the natural oils produced by the bean during the roasting process. When the roasting is done, these oils disappear. However, if the bag you’re holding has a noticeable sheen or oily residue on it, then this is a good sign that the coffee was roasted recently.
This method can be especially helpful when shopping for a new bag of coffee from the grocery store. Since most grocers don’t stamp the bags with a “Roasted On” date, it can be difficult to know how long the beans have been sitting on the shelf before you buy them. Look for a “Best By” date instead, or a label that states that the beans were roasted within the past two weeks.
Another thing to keep in mind is that oily beans will often clog up your grinder and your brewing equipment. This is due to the fact that the oil in these beans can cause a sticky residue when it comes into contact with water. In order to avoid this, you might need to experiment with a different grind setting or brewing technique to see what works best for you and your coffee machine.
When you are ready to stock up on your favorite coffee, choose a bag from a local or online roaster that prides itself on its freshness. Then, grab one of our 10, 20 or 30 ounce coffee patriot style tumblers so you can seize the day and conquer those caffeine cravings with unstoppable energy!
3. Check for a Roast Date
Coffee beans are shelf-stable and don’t spoil like milk or produce, but that doesn’t mean they last forever. Regardless of when they were roasted, even the highest quality beans can begin to taste stale. Fortunately, there are some clues you can look for to determine if your beans are past their prime.
The first and most obvious indicator of staleness is the smell. Stale coffee will have a musty or rancid scent and may also be dull in flavor. If your coffee has one of these scents, it’s time to grab a new bag.
Another important factor to keep in mind is the roast date. While it may seem that buying a bag of coffee roasted the day you plan on drinking it would be your best bet for freshness, high-quality beans actually reach their peak quality and flavor about a week after roasting. This is due to a process called degassing, wherein the carbon dioxide gas that builds up inside of the beans during the roasting process is allowed to escape.
In some cases, you may be able to see the roast date printed on the bag of whole bean coffee you’re buying. In other cases, you may only be able to find the date on the package’s “Best By” label. In either case, check for the roast date on the label as it is a good indication of how fresh your coffee will be.
The roast date is the date on which the whole beans were roasted. This is a helpful indicator for how long your coffee will stay fresh, but keep in mind that factors such as packaging, storage, and degassing also play a role. That’s why it is always better to buy from a small, local roaster who can guarantee the freshness of their products.
4. Check for a Valve
The one-way degassing valves fitted into coffee bags help keep roasted whole-bean coffee fresh. They ensure that moisture, oxygen, and bacteria can’t get in, but they allow carbon dioxide to escape—a natural byproduct of the roasting process. When coffee is vacuum-sealed in a bag, this CO2 needs somewhere to go or the bag will start to puff up like a balloon and potentially pop.
The problem is that this air replaces the CO2 inside the beans, causing them to lose flavor over time. As a result, many coffee-roasters use degassing valves to protect their beans from oxygen and ensure that the flavor of the roast stays consistent and high.
You can spot the presence of a valve on a roasted bag by looking for the little spout in the bottom. A spout will be more prominent on darker roasts, as these have undergone a longer roasting process and are thus more oily. The valve is also an excellent way to tell if your coffee has been roasted recently.
However, this isn’t always necessary for home roasters, especially if they access their coffee frequently and will be grinding it shortly after purchase. Instead, they can simply store the coffee in an airtight container and it will be just as fresh.
Some roasters may also opt to flush their bags with nitrogen before sealing them, which can help slow the oxidation process even further. Nitrogen is a non-toxic and asphyxiant gas that is inert, meaning it won’t affect the quality of the beans. This is a good way to ensure that your coffee stays fresh and tasting its best for as long as possible. However, it’s worth mentioning that this is not a foolproof method and you will still want to check for the other signs of freshness mentioned in this article.
5. Check for a Label
When beans are exposed to heat they release a bunch of gases, and this is one of the signs that coffee has been recently roasted. Look for a bag of whole beans that is heat sealed and has a valve. The beans will puff up from the outgassing of carbon dioxide, which is an indication that they have been freshly roasted.
The name of the roaster should also be present on the package, and this is a sign that you can trust the quality of their product. You should also be able to read the species and variety of the beans, which will tell you what kind of flavor profile to expect. There are many different species of beans, from the classic Arabica to more exotic varieties like Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha and Pacamara, and each will have a distinct flavor profile that you can enjoy.
Some companies and roasters don’t mention the roast date on their packages, so you could be purchasing stale coffee that was roasted weeks or even months ago. To get the best possible flavor, choose beans that were roasted in the last week or two.
Among Chris’ recommendations is this: If you’re unsure about how fresh your coffee is, you can put it to the test by sealing half a cup of beans in a resealable plastic bag and leaving it on the counter overnight. If they are fresh, the bag will puff up from outgassing, while a stale bag will remain flat. This simple experiment will help you avoid wasting money on stale coffee that has lost its flavor and can’t be used to make a delicious cup of joe. By using these tips, you’ll be sure to buy the best quality roasted coffee at your local grocery store or specialty coffee shop!
