On a more specific level, oxygen causes coffee cells to break down, lose their physical and chemical structure, and become less and less flavorful. It causes flavourful coffee to decay into bitter, ashy beans.
Oxygen is known to cause the decay of natural and good things. Without carbon dioxide inside the beans, space is available for oxygen and other gases to enter. You want to preserve them until the moment your lips touch your mug filled with delicious coffee. The list of possible aroma experiences goes on and on. Rose, blueberry, jasmine, star anise, and melon are all flavours that can occur from aromas. Our brain then interprets these aromas as flavours. When we sip coffee, these oils release aromas that interact with our sense of smell through small openings in the back of our throat. These aromatic oils are largely responsible for some of the most vibrant and sweet flavours we experience in coffee.
This makes these oils available for rapid evaporation. Aromatic Oils EvaporateĪs gases push towards the outside of the bean, they carry some of the natural aromatic coffee oils with them. This release of gas causes a few things to happen. Once they’re roasted, coffee beans begin to release carbon dioxide that was once trapped within the cell walls. Fresh coffee is the best coffee, so buying directly from roasters is ideal. Rich fruity flavours, complex spice notes, and sweet aromas are all available in fresh coffee but eliminated in stale coffee.
Stale coffee beans are bitter and lifeless.įresh coffee, on the other hand, is bursting with ripe flavours, pleasant textures, crisp acidity, and a refreshing sweetness. Dry lemons have little flavour and no juice. Just like any agricultural product, coffee beans are best when they are fresh. Coffee beans are the seeds of small cherries that grow on coffee plants. It’s important to remember that coffee beans are agricultural products.