Whole Bean Coffee
This shelf lists coffees their roasters sell as whole roasted beans, ready for you to grind at home right before you brew.
Read more about whole bean coffee
Grinding starts the clock. The Specialty Coffee Association explains that roasted coffee holds carbon dioxide, which seeps out of whole beans over weeks, a process called degassing. Grinding releases the same gas within minutes, and oxygen-rich air takes its place, which opens the way to stale flavors. The National Coffee Association says buying whole beans and grinding them immediately before brewing gives the freshest coffee.
Match the grind to the brewer. The NCA's starting points are fine, like table salt, for espresso; medium, like kosher salt, for a drip machine; medium for pour-over; and coarse, like rock salt, for French press and cold brew. The NCA adds that if your coffee tastes flat or watery, a finer grind should help. If you would rather skip the grinder, see ground coffee or coffee drip bags.
Dark Chocolate, Graham Cracker, Nutty, Citrus
Dark Chocolate, Sweet Tobacco, Honey-Roasted Peanuts
Deep chocolate richness, Toasted hazelnut sweetness, Gentle floral undertone
Ripe, Big, Caramel, Red fruit, Dark chocolate, Citrus
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All coffee collectionsQuestions about whole bean coffee
How long do whole coffee beans stay fresh?
The Specialty Coffee Association says whole bean coffee can reasonably be considered fresh for about 3 weeks after roasting. It bases that on carbon dioxide loss, which runs fast for the first 20 days after roasting and slows sharply afterward. Check the roast date on the bag to count from.
Source: sca.coffeeHow should I store coffee beans?
The National Coffee Association suggests buying smaller batches, moving the beans out of the retail bag into an opaque, airtight container, and keeping it somewhere dark and cool. Its shelf-life table gives roasted beans 1 to 3 weeks at room temperature and 3 to 4 months frozen. If you freeze them, it advises taking out no more than a week's worth at a time.
Source: aboutcoffee.orgDo I need a burr grinder for coffee?
The National Coffee Association recommends one. A burr grinder crushes beans between a moving grinding wheel and a fixed surface, which gives a more consistent grind, so flavors extract more evenly. The NCA adds that burr grinders are less likely to overheat the grounds, which helps keep their oils and aromas.
Source: aboutcoffee.orgHow long does coffee stay fresh after grinding?
Not long. The Specialty Coffee Association says ground coffee might be considered fresh for about an hour after grinding, because the carbon dioxide that whole beans lose over weeks escapes from grounds in minutes. Grinding just before you brew keeps that loss to a minimum.
Source: sca.coffee