# Degassing days



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

I'm getting mixed messages about how many days to let beans degas after roasting, before using them. I thought 2 days was best, but recently I've seen and heard that after 10 days the beans will be at their best. For example, this extract from the article Glenn linked to recently.










I have to say, I often find that 2-4 day old beans struggle to get out of the portafilter spouts without turning into big blebs of CO2, but then settle into a nice stream after a week or so.

Of course, it comes down to what I find to be best, but I just wondered what others think.


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

I try to plan my roasts so that I'm using during the 3rd to 5th day after roast - and it seems to suit my needs.

But this is yet another area that I've done very little research on. I suspect that here, yet again, there are a myriad of variables other than the beans themselves. Not just the depth of roast, but the method (gas, electric radiant, electric convection) would all seem to have a part to play, before even considering the cooling.

Damn. It gets even more confusing. It's almost enough to drive me back to the Nescaff! (Sorry, I don't really mean that, I'm just so weddinged-out that I'm not thinking straight)

It gets even more confusing because we've just had some friends from Italy staying. They brought over some beans from a local roaster. Franco is a sommelier in a Michelin-starred restaurant and the beans are what they use in the restaurant. They were sealed in a cardboard container with a metal ring-pull, but the roast date was November 2010, and the roast was much darker than I would ever contemplate. Much to my surprise they have made some superb espresso, completely contrary to all my expectations. The mysteries just deepen.


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Sorry, I'm farting out 20 questions per minute lately!! Please feel free to return to looking at the royal cleavage... or lack thereof


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

Keep 'em coming! it's great to have pre-conceptions challenged.


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## Combercoffee (Feb 12, 2011)

I remember reading somewhere that some roasters "flush" the roasted beans with a chemical which keeps them "fresh".

I got a kilo bag of Attibassi coffee recently which surprised me as to it's freshness and excellent flavour. It's the first coffee I've made here that reminded me of coffee I used to get when I worked in Italy.

Can anyone explain this properly?


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

There's no one size fits all answer here

I let most coffee I purchase settle for a few days after receiving it and open about 7-10 days past roast (if I know it has been bagged same day as roasted)

Some coffees I have had recently have been best at 21+ days past roast (up to about 28 days before the quality/taste drop off sharply

But also if a coffee has not been sealed within hours of roasting I have been able to pull decent shots the next day (left to breathe overnight)

Although this was still best 2-3 days past roast


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

Glenn said:


> But also if a coffee has not been sealed within hours of roasting I have been able to pull decent shots the next day (left to breathe overnight)
> 
> Although this was still best 2-3 days past roast


That's interesting, because I've always left my roasts open to the air for 24 hours after roasting. I can't recall if I was ever told to do this - but it seems to work for me.


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

Incidentally I recently tried my first ever brew on the same day as roasting. Pretty tasty, although definitely better after a days rest. I've had coffees (that for particular brew methods) I enjoyed most the day after roast, and others that I prefered in their second week. As Glenn says, there is no absolute answer - but I think it's worth opening and trying immediately (assuming this doesn't interrupt other beans) and then seeing where to go.

A lot of it is down to your preferred flavours, your choice of brewing method and technique.


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