Fresh Coffee: Fresh Roasted

When you hear the phase “fresh coffee”, what do you think of? Most people imagine a hot cup of coffee is fresh. While this can be an important factor, a more important one is the quality of the bean.

Coffee beans come from coffee plants raised on farms in various countries. The beans are green when they are picked, prepared, bagged, and shipped to their destination where they are eventually roasted and brewed.

Roasted coffee beans expand, turn brown, and only then do they obtain their flavor and smell. The beans omit gas after the roasting process is complete, and after a few days of rest they are ready to be brewed.

Once coffee beans are roasted, they should be brewed within about 3 weeks. After that point, the quality of the bean significantly declines.

Here are some ways to keep coffee beans fresher, longer:

• Only purchase enough beans to last 3 weeks
• Take the beans out of the bag they came in, and put them in an air-tight container
• Grind beans immediately before you brew them, not when you buy them

Now, I know what you are thinking. What about that entire coffee section in the grocery store shelved with whole bean and ground coffee? Well, those bags are more than likely past their expiration date. My rule is, if there isn’t a "roast date" or a “brew by date" on the bag – the bag is probably no good.

Below is a list of my favorite local coffee roasters with walk-in shops, excellent menus, and bags you can purchase in house or online.

Ipsento (ipsento.com) Metropolis (metropoliscoffee.com) Intelligentsia (intelligebtsiacoffee.com) Alterra (alterracoffee.com)

Have a favorite roaster? Let me know!