Roasting date & resting

Coffee enthusiasts often wonder about the magic that happens after coffee beans are roasted. One of the crucial steps in this process is “resting” the coffee. After the intense heat of the roasting process, coffee beans contain trapped carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. Allowing the beans to rest for a period of time—typically a few days to a week—enables this CO2 to escape gradually.

Resting serves multiple purposes in the journey from bean to cup. First, it prevents the coffee from tasting overly acidic or effervescent immediately after roasting. But more importantly, it’s a critical phase where the beans quietly develop their flavors and aromas. During this period, the coffee reaches its peak in terms of taste and aroma, offering a more balanced and nuanced cup.

This is why we use coffee bags with gas release valves and we mark two dates on the coffee bags:

• in black, you have the roasting date and in red you have the optimal time to prepare and serve your coffee. The period between the 5th day and the 30th day after roasting offer the best timing. Day 1 to 5th, the beans develop the aromas slightly, and the CO2 content is high, making the extraction a bit acidic and if extracting espresso, a significant quantity of foam will be present on top.

Myth busting, the crema on top of the espresso is… CO2 based 🙂

From the 30th day to the 45th, the aromas decrease.

The beans will remain in proper condition for 6-9 months after roasting, depending on the way you store the coffee.

Myth busting, the coffees that offer a long shelve time are being given a boost of aroma after the roasting (a kind of spraying aroma on the beans) and are packed in neutral environment (oxygen is taken out of the bag and replaced with a small quantity of neutral gas such as E941 Nitrogen) allowing the content to have a long shelve life.

Next time you savor a cup of freshly roasted coffee, remember the importance of patience in the process. Resting the beans is like letting a fine wine age gracefully, allowing the flavors to bloom and captivate your senses with each sip.

Note:

• if you brew any pour-over, you may start using the beans from day 3; grinding the beans and pouring water in the process of extraction will release the CO2 (and will not be present as crema like in espresso; the extraction time in pour-over will allow the coffee grinds to evacuate CO2 rapidly).