What To Look Out For When Buying Coffee Beans In Bulk

While any old coffee beans can be ground to prepare an espresso shot or other beverage, having a high-quality option as the foundation will produce the smoothest results. To ensure you're getting the finest beans when buying them in bulk, you should abide by a few rules.

The freshness of the beans is of the utmost importance. Generally, once coffee is roasted, you have two to four weeks before the flavors and aromas will start to decline. Many bags of beans will note a "roasted on" date, which should give you a good idea of how long you have to use the coffee inside. The beans won't be bad outside of that window, but they just won't create superb coffee. There are also periods of time you should wait post-roast to craft the best drinks. Broadly speaking, five days should suffice, but this can stretch up to seven days for espresso and even 11 days for cold brews.

Additionally look at the packaging; beans in bags with one-way valves will last longer. This opening is designed for degassing. That's because roasting triggers a release of carbon dioxide, which could eventually cause the bag to rupture (hence, the need for a mechanism to relieve the pressure). The valve also keeps out unwanted air. One of the mistakes people make when storing coffee beans is allowing in oxygen, which increases the process of your beans becoming stale (aka, oxidation). By keeping out these gasses, the valve delays that process.

While determining the best option isn't entirely black-and-white, it is partly a matter of dark or light. When buying coffee beans, some people commit the misstep of choosing the wrong level of roast. Those exposed to higher temperatures are called dark roasts. These varieties tend to go stale quicker because the increased heat accelerates their release of carbon dioxide. If you're buying in bulk, opt for lighter roasts to maximize freshness, if possible.

Another thing to keep in mind is how you store your coffee. While commercial packaging often has that special air valve, once you break the seal, you risk letting oxidation processes diminish the flavors of your beans. Luckily, there are a number of ways to avoid coffee storage mistakes.

If you want to preserve the flavor for as long as possible, you can store beans in the freezer. You'll need to put them in a vacuum sealed bag. When you want to use them for your next brew, remove the bag and let the beans come up to room temperature on their own. (It's also important to use all of what you thaw rather than refreezing beans, so divide them into manageable portions.) On a more basic level, it's best to leave beans in their original bags, as those are often effective enough in their design to prevent excess air from tainting the cargo held within.