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Everyday Beans Podcast - Mostly About Coffee and Other Stuff
It's about coffee, food, life and what other randomness I feel that'll be helpful to the common coffee drinker or to anyone who likes to be entertained by a stranger, briefly.
Everyday Beans Podcast - Mostly About Coffee and Other Stuff
Debunking Fresh Coffee: 9 Months Later
In this thought-provoking episode, I dive deep into a topic that's often considered taboo in specialty coffee circles: old coffee. I share my experience tasting and analyzing a nine-month-old coffee that I personally roasted, challenging the conventional wisdom about freshness in specialty coffee. Through this exploration, I discuss how we might be overemphasizing the importance of ultra-fresh coffee and potentially alienating regular coffee drinkers in the process.
In this episode, listeners will learn practical tips for brewing older coffee, including adjusting ratios and brewing parameters, as well as gaining insights into how to approach coffee with a more open mind. I also share valuable perspectives on how to bridge the gap between specialty coffee enthusiasm and everyday coffee consumption, making this episode essential listening for both coffee professionals and enthusiasts who want to develop a more nuanced understanding of coffee freshness.
For good tasty coffee, check us out at: everydaybeans.com
For tips, tricks and still trying to figure it out: https://www.youtube.com/@everyday-beans
[00:00] Today we're recording before 6 AM on December 11th, 2024. I've been doing this for almost a year now, podcasting for about 14-15 months, and the video content for almost a year.
[01:30] Today we're going to talk about old coffee. Are we blowing the importance of freshness out of proportion when it comes to specialty coffee?
[02:45] This coffee I'm drinking is nine months past the roast date. I roasted it myself and gave it to a business that sells other products. The coffee is either my Brazilian or Mexican coffee, nine months off roast.
[04:00] What's interesting is that the ground coffee and whole bean versions taste very similar at this point. The Mexican coffee tends to have more layers and characteristics compared to the Brazilian coffee I roast and sell.
[05:15] Here are some tips about old coffee. First, if someone gifts you coffee, be grateful. They're acknowledging your hobby. Second, after three to four months, coffee is considered really old.
[06:30] With older coffee, you don't have to worry about bloom. The coffee bed doesn't react the same way to brewing techniques. It has a distinct lingering smell that focuses on one or two notes rather than a complex profile.
[08:00] You can't brew it the same way as fresh coffee. You need to brew it stronger - if you usually do a 1:15 ratio, go for 1:10. If you do 1:18 or 1:20, try 1:14. The coffee doesn't have the same intensity it had when fresh.
[09:45] Have fun experimenting with old coffee. Try those crazy recipes you see online that you wouldn't want to risk with expensive fresh coffee. Share it with others without telling them it's old - use it as an opportunity to understand their palates.
[11:30] Are we overemphasizing freshness in specialty coffee? To some extent, yes. The beauty of specialty coffee is that we rarely experience old coffee, but that might limit our understanding.
[13:00] When we talk about freshness, what does fresh really mean? Even extremely fresh coffee isn't always ideal as it's still working out its kinks and improves with a little age.
[14:45] Specialty coffee people often focus on getting rid of coffee quickly, wanting to present it in its best light. That's part of our pride and honor in the industry.
[16:00] As I drink this nine-month-old coffee, I'm realizing there's a limit. Three to four months should be the limit for any coffee. You have to adjust parameters and brew stronger to get similar characteristics.
[17:30] Let's not criticize people who drink older coffee. Instead, we can be mindful and help them understand what fresh coffee offers while appreciating that all coffee has its place.
[19:00] This coffee is still presentable and drinkable. While it's not perfect, even fresh coffee isn't 100% perfect. We always have to manipulate coffee to get the best results.
[19:45] Closing thoughts: Whether you like old coffee or not, give it a try. Think about everyone involved in getting that coffee to you - the producers, exporters, importers, roasters. Keep an open mind and keep the conversation going.