Ask the Experts Q. How long will my fresh roasted coffee stay tasty in its unopened bag?
A. Large roasters often use some type of preservative process to keep their beans fresher longer in their sealed bags -- for example, Lavazza treats beans with a nitrogen flush before sealing them in their bags to extend their overall life.
But if you're picking up beans from a local roaster, how long does it stay 'fresh' in its sealed bag?
We tested three different batches of Velton's Bonsai Blend, one roasted 6 months before, one roasted 3 months before and one roasted the previous week. And, of course, we filmed it.
What did we notice? The shot pacing was the same on all three batches of coffee, but there was a noticeable difference in the crema and the flavor. The older coffee was much more sour. We think buying beans for use within the month is your best bet.
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