How Soon after Roasting, can you Grind & Enjoy !!

Oct 27, 2010
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How Soon after Roasting, can someone Rush to the Grinder,
Do up a Batch of their Favorite Brew, and Enjoy the goodness of the Fresh Fresh
Cup of Coffee.

The other day, I was at a Local Roasters, it smelled Great, even from down the Street,
and seeing it come out Fresh, and going into the Final Process,
I was Ready to Start Grabbing !!

Are their several School"s of thought on this.

Rick. 8) me grabbing, and Me Drinking :)
 

shadow745

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Aug 15, 2005
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I never use beans the same day roasting takes place. I like to time my order for the roaster so I pretty much run out as the fresh roasted beans age several days. For drip coffee I like to let the beans rest at least 2-3 days to mellow out a bit. My favorite bean for drip is Ethiopia Sidamo and I find it has quite an expolosive bloom if used right away. I've even let it rest for a week or so and still have problems with the bloom. This is when the ground coffee expands the instant the heated water hits it and can run over the filter wall getting grounds in the brew. I use a pourover BUNN brewer and have found what really helps with this is pouring a small amount of water into the brewer so it flows gently onto the grounds, allowing some expansion/saturation. Once this small amount runs through I add the remaining amount for that batch and all is well as it then can flow fast with no running over.

For espresso I use a fairly light roast compared to typical espresso roast levels. For this reason I have found it best to let our espresso rest a minimum of 5 days if at all possible. Any earlier and it has too much of a roasted grain smell/taste. Then at about day 7 it mellows out nicely and has the taste and texture I really look forward to.

Rest periods (I have found anyway) depend on the roast level and brew method used. Later!
 

Ellie

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Dec 27, 2004
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We have several customers who time their visit to our shop to coincide with their favorite coffee having been roasted within the last hour or two. They love it!! I have to admit, even though I agree that the beans really should rest for a day or two...the bloom is bloomin' huge when brewed right away, and the oils need a little time to settle in...but there really is something joyful about really really fresh roasted coffee!!

Ellen
 

shadow745

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Aug 15, 2005
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Depends on the brew method. People think super fresh is best, but every bean origin/roast level I've tinkered with benefits from some rest, at least 2-7 days for me. Bloom is good as it is a proper indicator of freshness, but let those customers try using beans that are hours old for espresso. Bet they won't do it twice!

This also depends on the roast level. Lighter roast levels definitely need more time to rest in order to bring out a mature taste and all the bean has to offer.
 

Heckie

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Feb 23, 2011
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I've found espresso should age after roasting for about 3-5 days before preparation. I usually try hit that mark and then go with it for 7-10 days after that. If it's sensible, sometimes it doesn't always work that way. :) Drip coffee, different story!
 

ArabBeaker

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Sep 19, 2008
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Entirely up to you. Don't let anyone try and convince you, you shouldn't drink freshly roasted coffee !

I'm usually home roasting, a batch ahead so I don't run out of beans, but occasionally I do run out and have to trot out to the garage early in the morning and roast a batch just so I can come back inside and have espresso.
I would certainly sooner have coffee this fresh, than none at all, but my preference is to leave freshly roasted beans for two to three days.
 

alphawave7

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Mar 23, 2011
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The bean/blend will dictate its optimal peak of aroma and flavor (rest period), often based on roast profile and final roast degree. Still, like Arab, I'm often pressed into action and pull CO2-ridden shots straight outta the roaster, in a pinch. Not the 'best', which requires rest, trial and error on nearly every batch. :)
 

alsterling

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Aug 11, 2006
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Rick... (if we're talking espresso brewing) I love this question and subject, as it comes up frequently when I'm chatting with roasters. The cycle of aging for roasted beans varies a bit. But I'd bet that most coffee people would recommend 3 days minimum for beans to outgas. And then depending on the bean, and as was said by others, you may find a change in the flavor profile during the next two to three weeks. And YES..... I said three weeks. There are some beans, like Malabar Gold, that actually "get better with age." I've talked to Dr. John at Josuma coffee, the trademark holder of Malabar Gold, and he shares that many consumers of his coffee have noted, as I have, enhanced flavors toward the second or even third week out of roast. I should add that I operate a test-espresso bar, and when roasting small batches, store my roasts in a refridgerator, in screw top plastic storage jars. Over the past six years I've experimented with both cold storage and freezing methods directly out of roasts. I've had great success with both. But again, I'm running a test area, not a retail area. If retail, and if you're properly managing your inventory, rotation of bean inventory should ideally be one week. But it does take planning. And as a home roaster, inventory control is certainly as important as it is to a coffee retailer...... unless you want to run down to your favorite shop and buy their blend at $12 a bag. (?)

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By alsterling at 2011-03-26
 
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