4 Methods for Testing Coffee Bean Freshness | Best Coffee Beans in The World
There’s one sure-fire way of guaranteeing the freshness of every coffee bean you purchase. Simply purchase the best coffee beans in the world from an established and reputable specialist. If this isn’t an option, you leave yourself open to the prospect of taking home a batch of whole bean coffee that’s somewhat subpar.
The thing is, just because the quality and prestige of the coffee bean you buy is up there with the best of them doesn’t necessarily mean the coffee is fresh. The most outstanding coffee is the kind of coffee that is brewed as quickly as possible after the beans have been roasted. The longer the period between roasting time and consumption, the greater the extent to which aromas and flavours deteriorate.
On the plus side, there are ways and means by which the freshness of the best coffee beans in the world can be evaluated, with no real expertise required. That said, by the time you realise you’ve been shipped a bum batch, it’s probably too late to do anything about it. Hence, the importance of buying whole bean coffee from a reputable supplier in the first place.
Nevertheless, if you do want to go ahead and check the freshness of your coffee beans, here’s how to do it:
1) A fresh coffee bean has a glossy appearance
During the roasting process, the intense heat the beans are exposed to draws out some of the flavourful oils and moisture from within the bean. These substances subsequently coat the exterior of the bean, resulting in a glossy appearance. Over time however, this glossy appearance begins to fade and become dull.
2) A fresh coffee bean leaves residue behind
When handling fresh coffee beans, you will notice a certain amount of oily residue left behind after putting them down. You should also be able to see the same residue on the inside of the bag in which the beans were shipped. If there’s no residue to speak of, chances are the beans are not particularly fresh.
3) Fresh whole bean coffee has an intense aroma
All coffee smells nice, but if the best coffee beans in the world are also fresh, then they have the most intense and indulgent aroma imaginable. If the coffee beans in the bag or box do not have a strong and intoxicating fragrance that permeates the surrounding air, it’s unlikely that they are fresh. Fragrance gradually deteriorates from the moment the beans are roasted.
4) Zip-lock bag test for the best coffee beans in the world
Last but not least, you can always try a more scientific test to ascertain freshness or otherwise. Grab a handful of coffee beans, place them in a zip-lock bag, squeeze the air out of the bag and seal it tightly. Leave the bag overnight and check it again in the morning. Fresh whole bean coffee will gradually releases CO2, which should noticeably inflate the bag overnight. If this is the case, the coffee is fresh. If there is no change when you check on the bag the next day, the beans may not be at their best.
To discover the best coffee beans in the world, fresh roasted for you on the day they are shipped, visit Hayman’s online store. We bring you famous and delicious coffees, such as Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, best Kona coffee Hawaii, and Panama Geisha coffee beans (i.e. Gesha coffee). Available as whole bean coffee, best ground coffee, Nespresso compatible pods *, and coffee pods compatible with Keurig K Cup coffee makers (incl. Keurig 2.0 models)** – click here to order now, we offer free worldwide shipping!
* Nespresso® is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., unrelated to Hayman®. Our espresso pods are not created or sold by Nespresso®.
** Keurig and K-Cup are registered trademarks of Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. unrelated to Hayman®. Our pods are not created or sold by Keurig®.