This is a very good, well-produced video which came out late last night. In it, barista trainer and coffee book author Petra Davies Veselá does a great job covering the importance freshness has when it comes to getting the best coffee possible. Much of the video I agree with.
[Fresh Coffee Now!]
My only disagreement lies in drip coffee being 'too fresh' to brew. Personally, I see no problem brewing coffee which is literally just out of the roaster. While this may cause some problems in batch brewers, it's possible to pre-grind coffee this fresh several minutes in advance to avoid having coffee 'blow up' in your brew basket.
As for my thoughts on the one-way valve: While this is important for letting CO2 escape the bag, it's not necessarily going to help keep your coffee 'fresh.' It is true that the valve will prevent oxygen from getting to your coffee and oxidizing it; but your coffee will naturally tend to de-gas -- and this is where you're losing flavor. That is what Veselá means when she says buying coffee off the shelves which has been sitting for half-a-year or more is not good. Even though it has been sealed, it will NOT be fresh; and if it has already been ground -- forget it!
After opening the bag, your coffee will be exposed to oxygen. Veselá says that you'll want to use your coffee within a week. Personally, I think two to three weeks beyond the ROAST DATE is fine -- but that's why buying directly from the roaster is so important for the best tasting coffee.
Finally, she mentions not to buy too much coffee in advance. The way I calculate how much coffee I use is as follows: I use 20 grams of coffee per cup whenever I brew, and I know there are 340 grams in one 12-ounce bag. That means each bag contains about seventeen (17) cups of coffee.
With this in mind I know that if I'm brewing two cups per day -- one for me and one for my wife, for example -- I'll have enough coffee for eight and a half days. If, however, I tend to brew three cups per day -- two for me and one for my wife -- I won't have enough coffee to get through five days.
That's why for such customers, I recommend ordering at least two bags from us. It's a great way of cutting down on shipping costs which makes buying specialty coffee much more affordable!
I hope these tips help. Please comment should you have any questions. I'd love to answer them.
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