How long to wait after roasting for the best-tasting cup?

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

Hi All,
How many days after a roast do you wait before grinding and making a cup of coffee?

Sometimes I wait a day (sometimes I can't resist and make it on the day!). I usually put the beans in a vacuum-sealed container. However, I left one batch of roasted coffee for about three weeks in an air-tight (non-vacuum) jar - exactly the same beans I've been using for the past three weeks - and the taste was divine! I couldn't believe it was the same batch of coffee. So I'm thinking to wait 2-3 three weeks before grinding the roast I completed today.

Interested to hear your thoughts on this too @Blue Cliff Roaster and @shadow745?

Thanks,
CMM

 

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

PS we used these heavy-duty masks this time to avoid Diacetyl risks lol

 

[shadow745]

Depends on the coffee used, level of development and brew method. I only do espresso and minimum for my taste is 6 days and no longer than 9-10. If a green is new to me I will try at day 2-3, then maybe 4-5 and greens I prefer to give taste/texture with Full City development a 7-8 day peak just works well and I do smaller batches and rotate so each jar opened is in that peak stage.

Good deal with the mask. I am far from concerned with air quality as I always roast outdoors and 95% of the time have straight line wind 5-20 mph. When there is no wind I wear a thick dust mask just in case.

 

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

Depends on the coffee used, level of development and brew method. I only do espresso and minimum for my taste is 6 days and no longer than 9-10. If a green is new to me I will try at day 2-3, then maybe 4-5 and greens I prefer to give taste/texture with Full City development a 7-8 day peak just works well and I do smaller batches and rotate so each jar opened is in that peak stage.

Good deal with the mask. I am far from concerned with air quality as I always roast outdoors and 95% of the time have straight line wind 5-20 mph. When there is no wind I wear a thick dust mask just in case.

thanks shadow745!

 

[Blue Cliff Roaster]

Such restraint! Hats off! I was wondering what other roasters felt about rest time, thanks for putting it out there!
I always have the best intention to let the beans rest for optimum which I have yet to settle on myself.
Mr. Rao says 10 days in one of his books for espresso...I do wait the longest before pulling a shot with fresh roast usually caving around day 4 and honestly I rarely get to day 10 on a batch... so no opinion.
That is just espresso and I only wait to day 4 to reduce the sprinkler effect of my naked portafilter.
If I am doing a Nel drip roast I tend to follow Daibo's instructions and try it out after it cools at a evaluation ratio of 2.5:1.
If I cup a roast I will wait till the next day...or just make a pour over if I am being more realistic.
I guess I like coffee 4-10 days after roasting in general.
I will attempt to stash a jar for a couple of weeks to see if a longer time improves the cup...given the times above.

FYI I am roasting at City to Full City plus. I have heard the lighter roasts benefit from a longer rest but...

 

[shadow745]

Such restraint! Hats off! I was wondering what other roasters felt about rest time, thanks for putting it out there!
I always have the best intention to let the beans rest for optimum which I have yet to settle on myself.
Mr. Rao says 10 days in one of his books for espresso...I do wait the longest before pulling a shot with fresh roast usually caving around day 4 and honestly I rarely get to day 10 on a batch... so no opinion.
That is just espresso and I only wait to day 4 to reduce the sprinkler effect of my naked portafilter.
If I am doing a Nel drip roast I tend to follow Daibo's instructions and try it out after it cools at a evaluation ratio of 2.5:1.
If I cup a roast I will wait till the next day...or just make a pour over if I am being more realistic.
I guess I like coffee 4-10 days after roasting in general.
I will attempt to stash a jar for a couple of weeks to see if a longer time improves the cup...given the times above.

FYI I am roasting at City to Full City plus. I have heard the lighter roasts benefit from a longer rest but...

Rao has a first name like anyone else, bwahaha. Have no clue why people get caught up reading into what others do when every single scenario will vary. What works for Rao might be a weak joke for my use.

Some coffees discussed on various forums should be considered toasted as some never appear to even make it to 1C. Then some 'enthusiasts' will have the patience to wait 4+ weeks for any usable flavor to develop. Reads like acidic tea if you ask me, but to each their own obviously. The Turd Wave approach as I see it is exactly why I started doing my own roasting. Majority of commercially 'artisan' roasted coffee is just not developed enough for my taste and quite costly as well. Haven't bought roasted coffee in 9 yrs and never intend to do so again.

 

[Blue Cliff Roaster]

Can't argue the fact that roasting is different for everyone, which is a beautiful thing. For me I enjoy experimenting but I also like to gather opinions and techniques from others to test out on my equipment...sometimes they are bupkis but every once in a while I learn something really helpful. I also like to roast in different styles so it is nice to be able to learn how others approach something. I have tried some coffee dropped at 212 deg. and struggled to get something I enjoyed out of it. So much dialing in I felt like I was trying to use a long distance calling card.

One thing that I like about roasting weekly is that I rarely find I have to dial in, my grinding stays pretty consistent which removes a major PITA factor....well unless dialing in is your gig. I typically roast four varieties a week and they all stay put on the dial...particularly nice with espresso.

I am going put a roast in 4 containers and open a new one each week...might have to do two roasts...and see how much difference there is for me as the beans age in. I read post once where the person basically said after a certain time roasted coffees resolve into predictable flavours.... I remember it because the light roasted or 'toasted' beans all resolve to gummy bears and something else. Same for darker roasts they just arrive at their flavour point sooner. Maybe that is what the waiting is for...like chili...better if it sits a while.

But ultimately Coffee Mad Man was curious about others aging/resting practices. I try for 4-10...arrived at independently of what I have read. However I am currently drinking yesterdays roast...so in reality 1-10 days at the Blue Cliff Roaster. Best coffee is the one in the cup.

 

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

Can't argue the fact that roasting is different for everyone, which is a beautiful thing. For me I enjoy experimenting but I also like to gather opinions and techniques from others to test out on my equipment...sometimes they are bupkis but every once in a while I learn something really helpful. I also like to roast in different styles so it is nice to be able to learn how others approach something. I have tried some coffee dropped at 212 deg. and struggled to get something I enjoyed out of it. So much dialing in I felt like I was trying to use a long distance calling card.

One thing that I like about roasting weekly is that I rarely find I have to dial in, my grinding stays pretty consistent which removes a major PITA factor....well unless dialing in is your gig. I typically roast four varieties a week and they all stay put on the dial...particularly nice with espresso.

I am going put a roast in 4 containers and open a new one each week...might have to do two roasts...and see how much difference there is for me as the beans age in. I read post once where the person basically said after a certain time roasted coffees resolve into predictable flavours.... I remember it because the light roasted or 'toasted' beans all resolve to gummy bears and something else. Same for darker roasts they just arrive at their flavour point sooner. Maybe that is what the waiting is for...like chili...better if it sits a while.

But ultimately Coffee Mad Man was curious about others aging/resting practices. I try for 4-10...arrived at independently of what I have read. However I am currently drinking yesterdays roast...so in reality 1-10 days at the Blue Cliff Roaster. Best coffee is the one in the cup.

gummy bears?!
I look forward to your results with leaving the beans for a few weeks!

 

[Blue Cliff Roaster]

Hey I had a similar reaction!!
However at the time I did have a light roasted sample of some greens I had purchased, which I was told had been discharged at 212 deg. C... so for me...blue-rare?? and it did taste better after a month of trying to taste those lovely aromas.
Would I have gone to gummy bears on the flavour wheel?...not how I remember them anyways.
Now if they did I might be inclined to donne my swim trunks and dive into that third wave I keep reading about. Until then I will paddle around the back pond of home roasting...secretly roasting into medium...and sometimes dark!!
Not sure I want gummy bears in my cappucino anyway.