Old timer at the shop told me to toss my beans after 2 weeks max

Guy named Dave at Portland Roasting Supply swore that beans lose 60% of their flavor compounds after day 14 post-roast. I tested it side by side with some Ethiopian Yirgacheffe I had sitting for 3 weeks. Sure enough, the 2-week-old batch had way more fruit and clarity, the older stuff just tasted flat and dusty. Anyone else find that drastic a drop off or is Dave just a perfectionist?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese17715d ago

Dave is mostly right but that 60% number sounds a bit high. I've done my own testing with a few different roasts and the drop off is more like 30-40% after two weeks, depending on how you store them. If you keep them in a one-way valve bag away from light and heat, they hold up better than just leaving them in the hopper. But yeah, after three weeks you definitely start tasting that dusty cardboard thing, especially with light roasts like Yirgacheffe.

troyjackson15d ago

@reese177 I gotta disagree with you on the 30-40% thing. If I'm being honest, my own taste tests show a way bigger drop off closer to 50-60% after two weeks, even with proper storage in a valve bag out of the light. Maybe your palate is more forgiving than mine, but I can pick up that stale note way before the three week mark, especially with those delicate light roasts.