# Sticky  Resting coffee - why and how long .



## Mrboots2u

This question of resting coffee comes up quite a lot and I seem to post the same link each time , so I'd thought I'd start a thread that perhaps can become sticky to point people to.

I'll attach a couple of the resources that reference a few different opinion .

lime a lot of knowledge and advice in coffee there is no absolute truth in how long you should rest your coffee for, in general though most people say some period of rest for coffee is a good idea , especially for making espresso .

Of course I know roasters that drink stuff fresh from the roaster so it's down to preference and taste as always.

I tend to rest ( not use ) a bean until two weeks for espresso as per the Gwilliam Davies video linked , square mile sat up to three weeks. But it really is up to you, have a look at the resources linked and try and. Are your own mind up.

why. Fresher beans can be a pain to dial in for espresso and can for me exhibit a harsh , bitter tonic water like taste .

please free free to comment below on what you do.

lastly I see people asking for opinions on how long a particular coffee or origin from a roaster should rest for , again me I do the same thing for all beans.






https://www.lacabra.dk/blogs/news/we-should-be-resting-our-coffee

https://www.squaremileblog.com/2020/02/21/red-brick-and-freshness/


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## Sean1ucc

So how do you freeze the coffee in time at the 10-14 day mark? Otherwise the alternative is trying to order weekly for only what you will consume in a 5-7 day period


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## ratty

I freeze very little coffee but always have around 500g frozen for emergencies. I freeze after degassing from 7 to 10 days resting.

I use Vacu Vin containers otherwise, and keep the beans under vacuum seal in a non heated room in the house. I use these again after degassing the beans in the original bag.

I don't have a problem keeping beans this way up to at least 6 weeks.

I have various sized Vacu Vin containers, (now they've been bought out by Tomorrow's Kitchen). Expensive initially but I have collected quite a few over the years some new and some from ebay bidding. I've been using Vacu Vin for 30 years, originally used as wine stoppers to keep wine fresh in the bottle after opening and not finishing the bottle. There seems to be other manufacturers of vacuum containers nowadays. I cannot comment on their products. The plastic vacuum bags sold as Sous Vide bags that I use in the freezer, I have had limited success with. Around half of them lose the vacuum whilst frozen and so need regular watching.

I remove a few days supply of beans from the Vacu Vin container at a time and keep them next to the grinder in a small Airscape container.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vacu-Vin-Coffee-and-Tea-Storage-Container-with-Vacuum-Pump-Medium-1-30-Litre/332303047240?hash=item4d5ece1a48:g:UyIAAOSwqfNXoP~Y


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## urbanbumpkin

I don't freeze much coffee and I've not much to add to this other than I freeze beans in batches of approx 80-100g. 
This allows me to use frozen beans within 2-3 days. In my experience I've found that frozen beans seem to deteriorate rapidly in a week -10 days after they've been taken out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## JackHK

La Cabra just change the resting time from 21 days to 14 days for espresso 😁, I am not agree even La Cabra's beans peaks after 6 or 7 days in my taste, some times notes are disappearing in 8 day also La Cabra's coffee


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## Kimmo

JackHK said:


> La Cabra just change the resting time from 21 days to 14 days for espresso 😁, I am not agree even La Cabra's beans peaks after 6 or 7 days in my taste, some times notes are disappearing in 8 day also La Cabra's coffee


 They still have 21 days on the stickers.

I saved a unopened bag for four weeks and it was a disappointing experience.

As you said their coffees peak at 6-7 days. I have been subscribing their beans for a while and will cancel it soon. Next months Columbia's might be the last ones.

I freeze beans earlier in original bags and wasn't really satisfied with the results. I will try something else in near future.


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## JackHK

Kimmo said:


> They still have 21 days on the stickers.
> 
> I saved a unopened bag for four weeks and it was a disappointing experience.
> 
> As you said their coffees peak at 6-7 days. I have been subscribing their beans for a while and will cancel it soon. Next months Columbia's might be the last ones.
> 
> I freeze beans earlier in original bags and wasn't really satisfied with the results. I will try something else in near future.


 Then I think they do not update there whole website completly
Try look inside example here 14 days 😉 https://www.lacabra.dk/products/los-pirineos-semi-carbonic-maceration-petites


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## Kimmo

JackHK said:


> Then I think they do not update there whole website completly
> Try look inside example here 14 days 😉 https://www.lacabra.dk/products/los-pirineos-semi-carbonic-maceration-petites


 Yeah, I have seen that. On the boxes the info is still 21 days for espresso.

I should get a batch later this week. These I will start using straight away.

Out of interest no resting after the shipping time which isn't that long to Sweden.

I have always liked La Cabra coffees. Light and bright.

I only brew espresso and I have a feeling that the La Cabra beans will give more as a filter brew.


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## JackHK

Kimmo said:


> Yeah, I have seen that. On the boxes the info is still 21 days for espresso.
> 
> I should get a batch later this week. These I will start using straight away.
> 
> Out of interest no resting after the shipping time which isn't that long to Sweden.
> 
> I have always liked La Cabra coffees. Light and bright.
> 
> I only brew espresso and I have a feeling that the La Cabra beans will give more as a filter brew.


 Also only mostly espresso here, I also like La Cabra, but its depends on which beans there have


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## JackHK

Kimmo said:


> Yeah, I have seen that. On the boxes the info is still 21 days for espresso.
> 
> I should get a batch later this week. These I will start using straight away.
> 
> Out of interest no resting after the shipping time which isn't that long to Sweden.
> 
> I have always liked La Cabra coffees. Light and bright.
> 
> I only brew espresso and I have a feeling that the La Cabra beans will give more as a filter brew.


 I just received new coffee from La Cabra 🥰 looks intresting, the date on La Cabras coffee seems to be tailored to the individual beans 😉 I will still keep my standart and start use for espresso on 6 day after roast


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## Kimmo

JackHK said:


> I just received new coffee from La Cabra 🥰 looks intresting, the date on La Cabras coffee seems to be tailored to the individual beans 😉 I will still keep my standart and start use for espresso on 6 day after roast
> 
> View attachment 51274


 The Illubabor is with new info. Fazenda has the old info.


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## Kimmo

I got my subscription today. I seriously want to try the Illubabor


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## JackHK

Kimmo said:


> The Illubabor is with new info. Fazenda has the old info.


 I don't think, I believe La Cabra tailor made info for each bean, maybe we need to ask them directly to find out


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## Kimmo

JackHK said:


> I don't think, I believe La Cabra tailor made info for each bean, maybe we need to ask them directly to find out


 That would be interesting to know.

How's the Illubabor?


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## Kimmo

One of the best La Cabra I have tasted.

Berry note was upfront and I really liked that. Day 10 after roast they sadly disappeared.

The bag has been open for 3 days. Totally different coffee.


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## HBLP

Honestly I'm pretty shocked by the responses above. I've been subscribing to La Cabra for over a year now and to me they absolutely taste best and most representative of the tasting notes after 3-4 weeks of rest. Flavour can pop in the first days but is generally muddled and uninspiring. After 3-4 weeks, flavour separation and clarity is getting really good and it stays like that until the 6-7 week mark for me.

This is 80-90% filter fwiw.

I think it could depend a lot on technique. If you do preinfusion in espresso or blooming in filter, excess co2 might not screw extraction as much. La Cabra themselves and I do a 4 X coffee weight first pour which seems to cause real issues if the beans are not well rested.


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## newdent

I just bought some coffee straight from a local roaster and noticed when I got home that one of the bags was coming up to 1 month since roasting. Without naming the place, should I be asking to swap them with fresher beans?

It's my first time trying a new origin (Nicaragua), I certainly know how a Brazilian looks and tastes when it's a bit stale, should the same apply here (talking espresso here)? I don't know enough about the various origins and roasting processes to know if some stuff is justified in waiting this long.

The roaster seems very friendly, I'm sure I could just ask them and they'd be honest, I'm just being typically British and trying to avoid unnecessarily offending anyone. 😅 Thanks.


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## 4085

@newdent The word 'fresh' has no legal meaning matey. You could say to them (how big was the bag?) that you buy beans and use them in strict rotation and by them supplying something a month past roasting it causes you problems, and would they mind exchanging them.....


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## newdent

dfk41 said:


> @newdent The word 'fresh' has no legal meaning matey. You could say to them (how big was the bag?) that you buy beans and use them in strict rotation and by them supplying something a month past roasting it causes you problems, and would they mind exchanging them.....


 I realise that I have no leg to stand on with claims of it being stale but with my normal coffee I definitely notice a change in flavour as the coffee ages, even after 2 weeks. At 1 month I'd be expecting the coffee to start channeling more too, less oils seems to effect puck integrity. I've never received such an old bag of coffee before. I bought some light roast filter from one of the Scandinavian roasters which was about 3 weeks old but assumed it needed the rest.

It's only a 250g bag, I plan to start on it this week, just wondering if there's a chance I'm not getting the coffee at its best, I wouldn't want to miss out! I'm sure the roaster would swap but just wanted to check if I'm worrying over nothing?


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## DavecUK

newdent said:


> I realise that I have no leg to stand on with claims of it being stale but with my normal coffee I definitely notice a change in flavour as the coffee ages, even after 2 weeks. At 1 month I'd be expecting the coffee to start channeling more too, less oils seems to effect puck integrity. I've never received such an old bag of coffee before. I bought some light roast filter from one of the Scandinavian roasters which was about 3 weeks old but assumed it needed the rest.
> 
> It's only a 250g bag, I plan to start on it this week, just wondering if there's a chance I'm not getting the coffee at its best, I wouldn't want to miss out! I'm sure the roaster would swap but just wanted to check if I'm worrying over nothing?


 If it's in a decent PTE foil bag with a good valve, it should be fine. I hope when you got it that you squeezed all the gas out of the bag and taped up the valve.

One of my roast sharers came over and snaffled a few more bags about 4 weeks post roast, didn't bother him, and I've still bags to open (5 weeks now)....I don't use a valve...which helps enormously, but I think the coffee will be fine.


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## Like Medium Strong Coffee

Important thread @Mrboots2u! Thank you.

Ours falls under two categories.

1: Most of the beans are frozen. we rest them for a week, puncture the packet, get as much air out as possible, sticky tape the punctured area + the one-way valve and freeze.

If we need to draw the beans, we draw 250g, wrap it tightly in a bag, leave it over night and put it on an airscape container. The rest will be frozen for another time.

We have drawn beans, which were frozen 3-6 months ago. They all stayed as fresh as a bag rested for two. Of course, we aren't a super taster, but did not see any difference on the cup.

2: If we want to use the recently delivered beans, they are rested for at least 2 weeks.

However, we do find the light-roasts benefitting from a longer resting period of 3 weeks.

Thanks!


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## Rob1

Drinking coffee I roasted nearly three months ago now. Still tastes just fine but just about starting to not pull properly. Bagged up when still a little warm from the roaster and kept in a cool cupboard.


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## newdent

DavecUK said:


> If it's in a decent PTE foil bag with a good valve, it should be fine. I hope when you got it that you squeezed all the gas out of the bag and taped up the valve.
> 
> One of my roast sharers came over and snaffled a few more bags about 4 weeks post roast, didn't bother him, and I've still bags to open (5 weeks now)....I don't use a valve...which helps enormously, but I think the coffee will be fine.


 Thanks Dave. It isn't a foil packet but decided to roll the dice and use them. Didn't notice any visible issues on the naked shot, I did have to grind finer than for my usual Brazilian beans but not significantly so. I freeze my beans once rested and grind them whilst frozen. I know some people recommend not doing that but I notice no issues and very quickly get them back in the freezer. I have read articles/watched videos which claimed more consistent grind when grinding from frozen but I can't say I've tested myself, I do it for retaining freshness and I've usually got 3 or more different beans on the go, so it takes quite a while to get through them all.

Think it'll take me a few days to bring the best out of these beans, there seems to be a dark chocolate finish that I'd rather wasn't there but think I'm going to have to live with that!


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## DavecUK

newdent said:


> I freeze my beans once rested and grind them whilst frozen. I know some people recommend not doing that but I notice no issues and very quickly get them back in the freezer. I have read articles/watched videos which claimed more consistent grind when grinding from frozen but I can't say I've tested myself, I do it for retaining freshness and I've usually got 3 or more different beans on the go, so it takes quite a while to get through them all.


 I would freeze the beans before resting....then remove the bag when ready to use...allow the bag and beans to come up fully to room temp before opening. This avoids moisture condensing onto the beans. Of course, if you're going to rest them anyway before opening, no chance of condensation..

If I was going to use smaller quantities, I would decant into separate bags before freezing.


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## NewboyUK

If a shot is coming out of the spout very thick and frothy - is this a sign on beans that are too fresh or something else?


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## -Mac

It depends. How long have you rested the beans?


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## liam_415

Mrboots2u said:


> This question of resting coffee comes up quite a lot and I seem to post the same link each time , so I'd thought I'd start a thread that perhaps can become sticky to point people to.
> 
> I'll attach a couple of the resources that reference a few different opinion .
> 
> lime a lot of knowledge and advice in coffee there is no absolute truth in how long you should rest your coffee for, in general though most people say some period of rest for coffee is a good idea , especially for making espresso .
> 
> Of course I know roasters that drink stuff fresh from the roaster so it's down to preference and taste as always.
> 
> I tend to rest ( not use ) a bean until two weeks for espresso as per the Gwilliam Davies video linked , square mile sat up to three weeks. But it really is up to you, have a look at the resources linked and try and. Are your own mind up.
> 
> why. Fresher beans can be a pain to dial in for espresso and can for me exhibit a harsh , bitter tonic water like taste .
> 
> please free free to comment below on what you do.
> 
> lastly I see people asking for opinions on how long a particular coffee or origin from a roaster should rest for , again me I do the same thing for all beans.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Resting Coffee
> 
> Red Brick and Freshness - Square Mile Coffee


I personally think around a week, week and a half is fine, but it depends on the beans, roast and the brewing method you'll use too. Also I find darker roasts tend to hit that sweet spot at around 1.5-2.5 weeks after roasting.


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