Recently, a friend asked Qianjie: "Why do you seal the air hole after grinding coffee beans into powder? That way the carbon dioxide inside the package won't be able to escape, right?"

The Meaning of the Degassing Valve on Coffee Packaging

At Qianjie, after the coffee beans are roasted and cooled, we immediately seal and package them, which minimizes the loss of coffee flavor. But freshly roasted coffee beans produce a large amount of carbon dioxide inside them, and this carbon dioxide will continue to be released after roasting is complete. If there is nowhere for this carbon dioxide to escape, it can easily burst the packaging due to excessive internal pressure.

This air hole is actually a one-way degassing valve device. It can release carbon dioxide while blocking outside gases from slipping in through the air hole, slowing down the oxidation rate of the coffee beans. Since this device can release carbon dioxide, coffee flavor can naturally slip away through this degassing valve as well.

Why Seal the Degassing Valve After Grinding Into Coffee Powder?

Because we want to preserve the coffee flavor. When coffee is still a whole bean, the release rate of carbon dioxide and flavor is very slow, but once it is ground, the two immediately let loose, and the release rate is really fast! So after the coffee is ground into powder, it needs to be sealed and packaged immediately, and the air hole that allows flavor to escape must be sealed.

Do freshly roasted coffee beans still need to be rested after being ground into coffee powder?

No need!!!

The purpose of resting beans is to let the coffee beans release part of their carbon dioxide. First, it takes away the harsh sensation of freshly roasted coffee beans, making the coffee flavor rounder and fuller; second, it reduces the effect of carbon dioxide on coffee extraction during subsequent brewing. If the coffee has already been ground into powder, there is no need to rest it anymore, because during transport, the pressure generated by the carbon dioxide inside the package can also make the coffee flavor become rounder, so once you receive the coffee powder you can immediately brew a cup and drink it~

The shelf life and peak flavor period of freshly roasted coffee beans after grinding

In theory, the shelf life of freshly roasted coffee beans is one year, but because the aroma is gradually lost along with the release of gas, the peak flavor period is usually within 40-50 days. When coffee beans are ground into powder, the aroma weakens at an accelerated rate, and the flavor dissipates faster as well. Based on Qianjie's experience, the peak flavor period of freshly roasted coffee beans after being ground into powder is within 20 days.

How do you store freshly roasted coffee beans after grinding them into coffee powder?

/Keep it in a cool, ventilated and dry place

Whether it is coffee beans or coffee powder, avoid storing it in direct sunlight, because high temperatures will speed up the release of coffee flavor, and as a result the coffee's flavor window will also be greatly reduced. At the same time, we need to pay attention to whether the storage location is damp. A damp environment easily breeds bacteria, which will not only give the coffee a moldy taste, but also affect human health.

/Store it completely sealed

Coffee beans can be stored sealed in their original packaging, but coffee powder should be stored in a completely sealed container as much as possible. First, coffee powder oxidizes much faster than coffee beans; second, if it is stored sealed in its original packaging and even a little bit is not sealed properly, the flavor will desperately slip out, so storing it in a completely sealed container is still more reliable.

A few final words

Although freshly ground coffee powder is convenient to use, Qianjie still recommends grinding the coffee beans when you brew ~ and also recommends that when buying, finish one bag before buying the next, after all, the freshness of coffee beans/coffee powder is really important!!
 

Best value everyday pour-over coffee bean recommendations: Qianjie Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gutingding, Qianjie Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Geisha coffee beans

Espresso coffee bean recommendations: Qianjie Classic Blend, Strawberry Candy Espresso Blend

The above coffee beans are now available for purchase at the Tmall "Qianjie Flagship Store", where you can also find 60 kinds of single-origin pour-over coffee beans and espresso coffee beans from around the world. Qianjie coffee beans are freshly roasted and shipped within 24 hours.

Tmall Qianjie Flagship Store link: https://qianjieshipin.tmall.com

Or you can search "Qianjie Flagship Store" directly on Taobao

Qianjie Coffee store address: No. 315 Donghuadong Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou