Can Coffee be too fresh?

Can your Coffee be too fresh?
Having worked in the coffee industry nearly all my life, a term often bandied
about in the coffee industry is ‘freshly roasted coffee’ and we at Butterworths
sometimes are asked; Is your coffee roasted to order or words to that effect. This
is a little confusing and I feel needs to be addressed. Lauren’s experience as a
barista certainly will help explain this topic.

The coffee bean is a complex thing, it goes through a series of changes from it’s
cherry form before it creates the perfect cup. One of these changes is extremely
important for a consistent brew, and it only takes place after the coffee has been
roasted – RB

Freshly roasted coffee may smell amazing, but it can be incredibly erratic and you
won’t experience the full range of tasting notes and mouth feel you would once
you have allowed your beans to “rest”.

Resting is when you leave your Coffee to sit in the open air for a number of days,
this allows the CO2 that has built up from the roasting process to escape, and
ultimately enhances every flavour to create the ideal coffee. So allowing your
beans to de-gas will ensure that you have consistent quality when brewing. It is
generally recommended to wait 7-10 days from the date of roasting before you
brew with it if the coffee has been cooled, bagged and sealed in an airtight bag. –
LS

It is important to note, that at the highest levels in coffee, National & amp;
International competitions, of which we have had the experience to roast for,
coffee will not be used by experienced/winning competitors if the coffee is
literally fresh from roast. When Howard Barwick used our Peru Tunki coffee to
achieve 3rd Place at the UK Barista Championships he would only use coffee that
was at least 10 days from roast date to ensure maximum flavour development in
the bean. Our highest level outlets, like FOLK, will also ensure they have stock
that is rested and developed before using and to unlock the flavours? Grind your
coffee when (and only when) needed.
So, buy beans in a sealed bag with a roast date on and try to open and begin
using from 10 days up to 3months from roast date. Once opened, reseal between
uses and try to buy weekly for maximum flavour.