Why freshness matters in coffee

Unlike perishable items like produce or dairy, coffee is technically shelf-stable, meaning it won’t spoil in the traditional sense. It won’t turn sour like milk or wilt like greens. However, just because coffee beans don’t spoil doesn’t mean they stay at their best indefinitely. Over time, they don't expire, they just lose their aroma and flavor.

Freshly roasted coffee beans are at their peak flavor. A few days after roasting, the beans are bursting with complex aromas when all the vibrant oils take rise to the surface, offering a full spectrum of flavors when brewed.

But as days turn into weeks and months, these qualities diminish. The oils degrade, the delicate aromas fade, and the beans lose their signature flavors.

At Don Pablo Coffee, we understand the importance of freshness. That's why your coffee is bagged and shipped right after roasting, ensuring you receive our specialty coffee beans at their prime.

Unlike grocery store or other coffees that might sit in a warehouse for months or even over a year, our beans reach you as fresh as possible. Unless you roast them yourself!

Proper storage is crucial for maintaining the freshness of your coffee beans. Here are some tips:

• Airtight Container: Store your beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry place to protect them from oxygen, which speeds up staling. Or, just use the handy Don Pablo Coffee resealable bag.
• Room Temperature: Keep the container at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
• Avoid the Fridge or Freezer: Contrary to popular belief, storing coffee beans in the refrigerator or freezer can introduce moisture and odors, and adversely affect the flavor.

Even with the best storage practices, the fresher the coffee from the roaster, the better it will taste. That’s why we recommend purchasing smaller quantities of beans more frequently and grinding them as needed.

It is a little extra work, but well worth the effort. Over time, any difference in the quality and freshness of the beans will become very noticeable. Try it for yourself!