One sure sign your coffee is fresh roasted

How do you know your coffee is fresh roasted? 

There are several ways to tell if you coffee is fresh roasted.  The smell, the roast date on the package, and the bloom.

What is the bloom? 

When roasted coffee is fresh it is said to off-gas.  This off-gassing is the release of carbon dioxide.  This can be witnessed when you brew a pour over, Chemex, or French press.  When you add hot water to the ground coffee in the filter, it lets off gas and expands and "blooms" releasing bubbles and puffing up.  This takes about 60 seconds. 

What is considered fresh roasted coffee? 

Coffee is best used within a month of the roast date. However, with espresso brewing it is best to allow it to rest and off-gas, waiting 3-5 days before brewing.  

Ways to ensure your coffee is fresh.

• Don't buy grocery store coffee.  Who knows how long they've been sitting on the shelf?  There are fewer decaf drinkers than regular drinkers. The turn-over of decaf on the shelves is even slower than regular. 
• Know your roaster.  We always have the roast date stamped on every bag.
• Store your coffee away from air, moisture, and light.  These 3 things stale your coffee quickly.  Keep it in a cool, dark place such as a pantry away from the oven/stove. An opaque vacuum sealed canister is a good choice for storing your coffee or in the opaque, one-way valved Talking Crow coffee bag. 
• Only buy whole bean coffee and grind just before you brew.
• Buy only the amount of coffee you can drink in a month.