Ever heard of stale coffee? You might confuse it with aged coffee. However, where aged coffee can be very positive for the taste, it is different from stale coffee. 

Stale coffee

The cause of stale coffee is the chemical reaction called oxidation. You can compare stale coffee to iron getting exposed to oxygen for too long and becoming rusty. A similar thing happens to coffee getting stale. The roasted beans are exposed to oxygen for too long and get a different flavor. Besides oxygen, there are of course other elements from the environment that can contribute to coffee tasting bad. For example, moisture or heat. 

Fresh coffee

One of the reasons why roasters vacuum-sealed their coffee, is the environmental elements that can affect the flavor of the coffee. Something else that can help with containing the quality and freshness of the beans, is using whole beans instead of grounded once. Grounded beans should be brewed as soon as possible and accelerate the process of coffee getting stale. 

Taste of stale coffee

The difference between good coffee and stale coffee is the fact that stale coffee tastes just like coffee. However, with good coffee, you taste the sweetness, fruity notes, chocolate taste, and so on. Coffee that is sealed the right way and is not already grounded retains their flavor and aroma better.

Any questions or would you like to find out more about roasting and coffee? Check out our knowledge base.