Freshly roasted coffee: what is degassing and when to drink coffee after roasting?
AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING IS GREEN COFFEE
Coffee beans are the buds inside the cherries of the coffee plant. However, it takes alot of time and work to produce the final product, the coffee drink . While an apple can be eaten immediately after it is picked from the tree, coffee must be processed, roasted and ground in order to enjoy it in our favourite form. Moreover, if you have had the opportunity to take in the aroma of unroasted or green coffee, you will know that its aroma is more reminiscent of fresh produce and green peppers than a freshly brewed cup. Theroasting process takes care of that .
As with any food, freshness greatly affects the taste of coffee. And because coffee beans are the seeds of cherries, and as with any fruit, fresh tastes better than old. Notonly that, but theway coffee is picked, processed, dried, stored and shipped has a huge impact on the life of the whole bean and its resulting taste.
Once harvested, green coffee beans have a shelf life of about a year. Green coffee must be well stored. The beans lose their water content over time, which means they dry out over time. They are susceptible to external moisture, flavours and odours that can affect the final taste of the coffee.
Green coffee is dried to a moisture content of between 9,5 and 10,5 %. This and other factors help unroasted coffee to remain stable and free from the negative effects that too much moisture can cause. Ideally, it is best to roast the coffee as soon as possible after it has been picked.
DEGASSING OR WHY NOT TO USE COMPLETELY FRESH ROASTED COFFEE
So let's get to the main point. Why shouldn't we use freshly roasted beans to make coffee? During roasting, many different chemical reactions take place in the coffee beans. Complex carbohydrates are broken down into smaller molecules and the beans begin to brown, producinglarge amounts of water vapour and carbon dioxide.
When you hear or see the first crack of a coffee bean, or first crack, it is actually the accumulation of gases that causes enough pressure to break the cell wall of the bean. However, the development of gases continues throughout the roasting process.
Carbon dioxideis important in coffee because it plays an important role in its quality.
- It is an indicator of freshness.
- It plays an important role in storage and packaging.
- It influences the extraction process.
- It is involved in the formation of crema.
- It can influence the flavour profile in the cup.
If the coffee is too degassed or degassed, its flavour is less intense. So the right time is when the coffee is degassed, but not completely. Gas that is still being released is an indicator of freshness, but when it is too fresh, it prevents full extraction of the coffee grounds. In filtered coffee, the gases are visible in the form ofbloom or blooming. In espresso preparation, the gases seem to impede the flow of water, making extraction slower; this is also seen in the form of a thicker crema.
HOW LONG AFTER ROASTING CAN I BREW MY COFFEE?
As you already know, the coffee needs to rest to release the gases, but how long do I need to wait? We don't want all the carbon dioxide to disappear, because the right amount of carbon dioxide will prevent the coffee from tasting stale and bland. How long after roasting it will be, however, depends on several factors. Generally, somewhere between three days and two to three weeks after roasting is considered a good time to brew coffee. However, every coffee is different and the required degassing time varies. The type of roasting, the form of processing or the method of preparation also have an impact on the ideal time for consumption.
WHEN CAN I USE BEANS BY BREW TYPE
If you're using beans for drip or French Press coffee, you can use it after a shorter time from roasting than espresso, as early as3 days. This is because the coffee has a longer contact time with water.
It is the bubbles that form on the coffee bed during blooming that release carbon dioxide. This shows how important the blooming phase is. Old coffee that has run outofCO2 probably won 't actually bloom for you. You won't have anything to grow it from.
You can watch an example of blooming in our video.
Espresso is special and needs even more time to rest. You won't see freshly roasted espresso that's been prepared. Degassing is very important for the taste of the coffee and also for the preparation. That's why the minimum time to use the beans is 5-7 days after roasting.
THE EFFECT OF THE PROCESSING METHOD ON THE DEGASSING OF THE COFFEE
Washed, dry or honey. Even the way coffee is processed can have an effect on degassing. Dry-processed coffees need a little more time to off-gas than washed coffees. So dry-processed coffees need about 3-5 days before they are suitable for brewing.
ROASTING GRADES AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE DEGASSING OF FRESHLY ROASTED COFFEE
Roasting grades go hand in hand with preparation types. When the coffee is dark roasted, it is roasted for a longer period of time, during which more gases also escape. This also shows that dark roasted beans are more disturbed. With light roasting, more beans remain intact. This means thatlighter roasting may require longer evaporation. If roasting is uneven, this can lead to the formation of layers within the grain. These can decompose at different times depending on their stage of development, and this changes the rate of gas escape.
STORAGE OF ROASTED COFFEE
How to store coffee is a much talked about topic, but that's because it is very important. That is, if you want to enjoy the best of what's in the beans and not throw away the work of everyone who got the best out of the beans.
To prevent the aroma and flavour from escaping, you should store your coffee in a closed container, preferably a vacuum coffee jar, in a dry place without direct light, and not too much heat. Under no circumstances, however, should you store coffee in the fridge, where it will absorb all other odours and lose its flavour and aroma.
Coffee should also ideally be stored in bean form, and you should also grind it up right before brewing. Ground coffee loses its aroma much faster. Thus, the most ideal combination is to buy smaller quantities of coffee and more often so that you can consume it at the best time. In addition, smaller quantities at more frequent intervals allow you to taste more new coffees.