Hi, my name is Richard, Wholesale Manager at Pablo & Rusty’s. With years of experience working closely with cafes across the country, I’ve developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by cafe owners.
Understanding coffee freshness: Why it matters
Before we explore how long coffee stays fresh, it’s important to understand freshness's impact on your brew. Freshly roasted coffee starts its life filled with complex flavours and aromas and you want to do all you can to keep them in your cup. However, as soon as the coffee is roasted, the beans begin to deteriorate. This is primarily due to oxidation, where exposure to oxygen breaks down the oils and flavour elements in the coffee. Additionally, roasted beans release CO2, a gas that initially protects them from oxygen exposure. As CO2 escapes over time, the beans become more vulnerable, accelerating the staling process. Oxidation and CO2 release factors explain why coffee can shift from fresh and flavorful to dull and flat if not consumed in time. The golden rule? Always store your opened coffee in an airtight container..
Why P&R flush the coffee with Nitrogen?
To maximise the freshness of unopened coffee, choosing nitrogen-flushed coffee is your best bet. While it may not always be advertised on the bag, we’re letting you know here: at Pablo & Rusty's, all our coffees are nitrogen-flushed. This process involves replacing oxygen in the packaging with nitrogen, an inert gas that prevents oxidation. Nitrogen flushing extends the shelf life of coffee by locking in those intricate flavours and aromas, while also keeping the beans dry; moisture is another enemy of coffee freshness.
Freshness timeline: So when does coffee taste best?
Around 10 days to four weeks after roasting is what we call the "peak flavour window." During this period, the beans have released much of their CO2, allowing the coffee’s full flavour profile to develop. This is when coffee reaches its optimal balance of aromas, acidity and body.
As time progresses beyond the peak flavour window, the coffee will gradually lose its vibrancy. It’s still drinkable but the flavours start to fade and the coffee may taste flatter and less complex. By six to eight weeks post-roast, much of the coffee's original character will have naturally diminished.
Maximising freshness: Storage is key
The good news is that you can prolong freshness with proper storage practices, which can make a significant difference in preserving your coffee's flavour and aroma. The three biggest enemies of roasted coffee are light, oxygen and moisture. To combat these, store your coffee in a dark, airtight container to minimise exposure and keep it in a cool, dark place, away from heat and strong odours.
Grind on demand: Preserve freshness
And here’s the big one: always grind on demand! Avoid using pre-ground coffee and instead, grind your beans just before brewing. Pre-ground coffee exposes a larger surface area to air, accelerating the staling process. As a result, the grinds lose their fragrance, leading to a brewed coffee that can taste flat. When the natural oils in coffee oxidise, the flavour of the brew shifts from pleasant to unpleasant. By grinding on demand, you keep those flavours locked in until the moment of brewing, ensuring a fresher, more enjoyable cup. At Pablo & Rusty’s, we recommend using Grind by Weight grinders, which are designed to provide precise and consistent grinds, helping you maximise the freshness and quality of every brew.
The P&R advantage: Freshness from source to cup
At Pablo & Rusty’s, delivering the freshest coffee possible is at the heart of everything we do. Our commitment to quality begins with carefully selecting high-grade green coffee and is carried through with precision roasting techniques to bring out the unique flavours of each origin. To ensure you’re always getting the best, we include clear and visible roast dates on all our packaging, giving you full transparency. With Pablo & Rusty’s, you can trust that every bag is packed with peak freshness and nitrogen flushed, ready to provide an exceptional coffee experience in every cup.
Got questions about coffee age, contact us.
