The "optimal enjoyment period" refers to the best period for tasting coffee beans after roasting is complete. During this time, because there is not too much carbon dioxide blocking the way, and the coffee's flavor compounds have not yet been lost in large amounts,we can brew coffee with the richest aroma and obtain the most complete flavor experience.But did you know? Besides coffee beans, freshly ground and freshly brewed coffee also has an optimal enjoyment period. It is actually the same principle as with coffee beans: because coffee's aroma is volatile, after brewing we need to drink it before the aroma dissipates in order to get the most complete experience. The difference from coffee beans, however, is that coffee is also affected by temperature.As Front Street Coffee often shares, the temperature of coffee affects our taste buds, and at different temperatures, our perception of different tastes varies. Flavors also balance one another, so when the intensity of those flavors changes, the drinking experience can be very different.Not only that, changes in temperature can also have a certain effect on some of the substances in coffee, causing the mouthfeel to change. So after the coffee is brewed, Front Street Coffee generally recommends drinking it as early as possible.But many times we cannot finish the coffee quickly, so some friends may be curious: "How long after brewing is it best to finish the coffee?"So today Front Street Coffee will do an experiment to see how long after brewing it is best to finish the coffee!In this experiment, Front Street Coffee will brew two beans of different roast levels, then taste them at different time periods and different temperatures to see what differences coffee has in different states, and just how long after brewing it is best to finish it.Likewise, the beans selected for this experiment are still one dark-roasted coffee bean and one light-roasted coffee bean. They are, respectively, from Front Street Coffee's bean list: Front Street Sumatra · PWN Golden Mandheling(left)andFront Street Yirgacheffe · Gutingding(right).The brewing parameters are as follows:Grind size: 75%~80% passing rate on a No. 20 sieveCoffee-to-water ratio: 1:15Brewing water temperature: 92°C(light roast)/88°C(dark roast)Brewing method: three-stage pour (30ml + 120ml + 75ml)We will not go into too much detail about the brewing process here, so let's go straight into the tasting sharing!Right after brewing, the coffee's temperature is in the 60~65°C range.Gutingding's performance is that the aroma is very prominent; just leaning in a little allows you to catch the aromas of floral notes and lemon. The taste is very balanced, the mouthfeel is smooth, and the flavors captured include white florals, lemon, apricot, berry, and oolong tea;Golden Mandheling likewise has a very prominent aroma, a balanced taste, and a very full-bodied mouthfeel. In terms of flavor, it has the aromas of chocolate, nuts, and caramel, the sweetness of cream, and a slight spice finish.After 10 minutes, the coffee's temperature drops to the 50~55°C range. The experience of both is not greatly different from before, both with prominent aromas and a smooth mouthfeel. The only difference is that Gutingding's acidity has begun to increase slightly.By the 20th minute after brewing, the temperature has dropped to the 45~50°C range, and the coffee begins to show obvious changes. When leaning in, it no longer has the rich aroma it had before, clumped oils can be seen on the surface, and the mouthfeel is relatively less smooth. As for the flavors, although they are still prominent, they are not as obvious as before.At the 30th minute, the coffee's temperature drops to the 40~45°C range. In terms of aroma and mouthfeel, it is the same as the previous stage, with no great change. What begins to change is the coffee's taste. Gutingding's acidity starts to become obvious, and it is already difficult to catch the floral notes when drinking it; the flavors are more of the sweet-and-sour fruits such as lemon, apricot, and berry. Golden Mandheling is the same: its bitterness starts to become obvious, and its flavor expression is black chocolate, nuts, cream, and caramel.By the 40th minute, the coffee's temperature drops to the 37~40°C range. The performance of the two cups is exactly the same: they have completely lost their pungent aroma, and the mouthfeel is also slightly inferior, no longer so smooth. Although the bitterness and acidity of the two cups have not increased further, there is no longer much flavor expression.By the 50th minute, the temperature of the two cups has not changed. But their performance in flavor, mouthfeel, aroma, and taste is no longer outstanding. Although it is not hard to drink, it cannot be called good either. So we can consider that after the coffee is brewed, 50 minutes is already itsoptimal enjoyment periodlimit(under normal standing conditions).In summary, we can know that under normal circumstances, coffee is best finished within 50 minutes after brewing, so that we can ensure a high-quality tasting experience throughout.Then at this point, many friends who previously did not follow Front Street Coffee may be curious: since coffee is not so good after it cools down, can it regain its deliciousness after being reheated?The answer is naturally no! Front Street Coffee has shared many related articles before and done many experiments, and the final results are invariably the same: although reheated coffee can taste a bit more balanced, because its aroma has already dissipated, reheated coffee cannot return to being as delicious as when it was just brewed.If everyone wants to extend the "optimal enjoyment period" of brewed coffee, then Front Street Coffee would more recommend using the method shared in the article"Just One Trick to Keep Coffee's Aroma Lasting Longer", by means such as "covering" or placing it in a thermos to reduce the speed of aroma dissipation and temperature drop, so that the coffee's aroma is retained for a longer time and the optimal enjoyment period is thus extended~ The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
