Coffee Freshness: Why is it so important?
Who doesn't like to drink a good cup of coffee? With which we can start our day or any occasion and enjoy that moment. Soft, sweet, bitter, intense, with milk, with ice, as a cocktail..., in a thousand ways. But do we really know how to maintain coffee freshness? An interesting question that does not usually cross our minds and that from now on we must pay close attention to.
In case you didn't know, coffee oxidizes when it comes into contact with air. In short, we must consider several aspects to take advantage of the maximum exponent of quality in our coffee. Something that we can evaluate as follows: Unroasted green lasts 8 to 12 months. Roasting without grinding takes approximately one month, while grinding takes 15 minutes.
It should be noted that, once the coffee is ground, there are more particles in contact with free air. This causes the exponential acceleration of its oxidation process. For example, after 24 hours of being ground, coffee has already lost 50% of its organoleptic properties (aroma and flavor). This does not mean that the drink will make you feel bad, but its quality will disappear.
On the Internet we can find endless tips and recommendations to preserve the coffee freshness. Not all of them are true and instead of helping us, they can cause harm and the result would be a less vibrant drink.
Fortunately, Incapto Coffee has all the answers. We will be in charge of guiding you from this moment on, so that you can store the coffee correctly, from home and of course, maintain its freshness.
Why is it so important to keep coffee fresh?
Each product has specific care in order to preserve its properties. For example, meat and chicken should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage. The same happens with cheese, while other products such as fruits, the ideal is to place them in a shady and cool place. As you will see, there are many tips that help with the preservation of our food.
As the winner of the 2019 world cupping championship, Daniel Hobart, once pointed out, coffee has an expiration date. But this does not mean that it will make us sick, which is good and bad news at the same time. Because our health is probably not at risk but it is not advisable to consume an old product either.
As you will see, it is a very delicate product that requires specific care. If we ignore it, that exquisite coffee that we are used to enjoying will lose its optimal quality. Resulting in a simple and less delicious cup. A typical coffee sign rusty and aged, we will see it just when preparing an espresso. Although even if we comply with all the parameters, the cream will come out white and not with that caramelized tone.
It is necessary to highlight that coffee is a food that, like the rest. It reacts negatively with the simple act of being exposed to the outdoors, making it stale and uninviting as the days go by.
What should I do to preserve it correctly?
Since Incapto Coffee, we invite you to comply with the following recommendations. In order to keep intact the coffee freshness, correctly and from the comfort of your home.
Store your coffee in the right place
As we have highlighted previously, storing the product in the ideal place is the key to preserving each of its properties. Because factors such as light, humidity and heat cause coffee to go rancid quickly. That is why our experts invite you to save it somewhere cool, dark and dry.
You're probably wondering: Where should I put it? We recommend that you put it in a closet or pantry if you have one. Ensure that these places are far enough away from a heat source, for example, an oven.
It is also essential to keep it away from spices or any other products with a strong smell. In case you didn't know, coffee is hygroscopic, that is, it usually absorbs everything in its environment, including humidity, aromas and oxygen.
The packaging
When you are going to choose a coffee, it is important to look at which bag it was packaged with. Incapto Coffee, considers that the best option is to select a valve container. Which causes the gas, typical of roasted coffee, to come out and no air to enter to prevent oxidation.
If the bag does not have a valve, there is a good chance that the packaging has a small hole somewhere. Where gas will come out and at the same time oxygen will enter.
Avoid exposure to oxygen
Once the coffee package is already opened, try to store it in an airtight container to prevent air from entering. This would prevent it from going rancid for longer.
If the package the coffee comes in has an airtight seal, it will be of great help. Otherwise, it is advisable to store it in another container where the product is not at risk. Try to expel all the air from the bag. Either in its original packaging or a new one, so that as little oxygen as possible remains inside and does not cause damage.
Incapto Coffee, does not stop at demonstrating its commitment to the environment and the correct conservation of coffee. That is why we take care of packaging each of our specialties in bags that have the necessary layers without aluminum. Helping to keep the product at its optimal point, but at the same time not being a problem when recycling them.
Our objective is not to support the deterioration of the planet, for that reason we do not use 250g packages, but only 500g and 1000g. If you prefer a 1kg container, each cup of coffee you make will be cheaper. This would significantly reduce the waste you previously generated.
Other recommendations to take into account could be to vacuum pack the coffee. A procedure that can be done with a special machine that is responsible for extracting all the air, leaving a little or absolutely nothing. In fact, you can opt for vacuum packaging that is available in online stores.
Grind a small amount of coffee!
Keep the coffee freshness, it is our responsibility, and it all starts from the moment of purchase. Experts in the field recommend that lovers of this drink buy only the right amount. That is, only the one that you will use for at least a week. Since most people usually buy large bags, which means that fresh coffee will remain unused for longer.
But it is usually difficult to get small packs, don't worry! The solution is to grind your own coffee. A method that you can do quickly and easily with the super automatic coffee maker of Incapto Coffee, which you can find in our product catalog.
Knowing the roasting date is important
When buying coffee, we must check when the roasting was done, you will surely ask yourself, what does this have to do with it? It turns out that it is the key piece for keep it much fresher from home and consume a quality drink.
Once the product is subjected to this procedure, various gases appear, including carbon dioxide, in the internal part of the grain. That is why it is advisable to let the coffee rest for four to seven days so that it degasses.
For example, if you want something of quality and for immediate consumption, you can buy a coffee that has been roasted between 8 and 21 days. Specialists assure that we can consume and enjoy the most of coffee freshness even up to a month after the roasting date. This does not mean that after this time you will not be able to consume it, on the contrary, if it is possible. With the only difference that it will not be a quality cup. In Incapto Coffee, we roast coffee every Monday so that our clientele can enjoy a fresh, quality product.
Don't store it in the refrigerator!
If you are one of those who usually keeps coffee in the refrigerator to “keep it fresh” You are making a very serious mistake. This will act like baking soda, so it will absorb all the odors from everything around it.
So if you want to enjoy a delicious cup, without unknown flavors, avoid this. But if you put it in the refrigerator, you will have to remove the air from inside the packaging. Otherwise, your cup of coffee will taste like shrimp, meat, chicken or any other food you store there.
Source:
