Why You Should Think Twice Before Buying Coffee At The Grocery Store
Oh, the joys of sipping on a fresh cup of joe in the morning. Whether you are a fancy flavored latte drinker or prefer just a simple drip coffee, we can all admit that there is good coffee and then there is bad coffee. While there's something special about going out to a café for great coffee, making some at home is better on the wallet, easier than you think, and can become a treat in itself.
Even when you make coffee at home, there tends to be a difference in the quality. Why is that? Could it be where you are buying your beans? Is it the machine you are using? Well, it's probably a combination of the above; however, there's one thing for sure: You should think twice about buying coffee from a supermarket. Supermarkets tend to place "best by" dates on most things, which includes coffee (Driven Coffee Roasters). That should mean it's fresh right? Maybe.
What to look for when buying coffee
According to Driven Coffee Roasters, 3 to 4 weeks after being roasted, coffee beans tend to start losing their flavor. Java Presse, on the other hand, notes that coffee is at its peak 2 to 3 weeks after roasting. As supermarkets tend to focus on their fresh produce section when it comes to ensuring produce is in a good state, other aisles, such as where the coffee lives, can be overlooked. If you look closely, most coffee companies selling in supermarkets tend to input "best by" dates on their coffees that are months in the future, not weeks.
Instead of purchasing coffee in the supermarket, check out some local roasters or coffee shops. Next time you buy coffee, focus on the "roasted on" date, flavor descriptors, and origin transparency over "best by" if you are looking for the best quality and flavor. In addition, it is recommended to purchase whole beans over pre-ground coffee. According to Coffee Affection, there is a notable change in flavor after only 20 minutes of grinding coffee due to the grounds oxidizing. Given this, think about what's happening to all that ground coffee sitting on supermarket shelves! If you're a lover of your supermarket coffee, keep doing your thing. If you're looking to try something new, however, we hope we gave you some pointers to upping your at-home bean game.