Meeting the new trend of aged coffee

Usually, when it comes to coffee, we know that the fresher it is, the better. In recent years, the fashion of "aged" coffee has come to stir this belief!

The use of aged coffee has spread over the last few years in the context of the well-known "third wave" of coffee, which explores sophisticated varieties of coffee, different brewing methods, and loves experimenting with the coffee beans in order to produce different and original flavors. Taking the batter of wine and whiskeys in some way, whose aged bottles have a special flavor profile and expensive prices, the concept of aging has gone into coffee - with sometimes controversial results.

It is no exaggeration to say that the first coffee tasted by the Europeans in the 16th century was in fact aged cofffe. Coffee trade was passing through Moka's port in today's Yemen, and the journey to European cities was long over, and this situation did not change when coffee cultivation was extended to south-east Asia. The coffee was naturally aged, both because of the time it took for the trip and the salty sea air to which it was exposed, and the Europeans had become accustomed to such an extent that when the opening of the Suez Canal made travels shorter, there were not a few Europeans who were displeased with the taste of the new, fresher coffee - with the result that several importers deliberately let the coffee age in harbors’ warehouses. Of course, over time, consumers have appreciated the properties and flavor of fresh coffee, and the early taste of coffee has been forgotten, only to revive a few years ago.

How does aged coffee taste?

Aged coffee has nothing to do with stale coffee, which usually lacks aroma and has a flat flavor. Coffee tasters describe the taste of aged coffee as special, lower in acidity, sweet, with smoky notes and aromas of wine and wood. Of course, the aged coffees’ flavor depends on its variety, but also on the process of aging – often, coffees sold as “aged” are simply stale, while it is not uncommon that the proper process of aging is not followed or that is implied in the wrong varieties. All of these factors affect, of course, the taste profile of the final product. There is, however, the contradiction: the coffee lovers who claim that aging is just marketing trick that creates luxury products from nowhere, imitating wine, whiskey and cheese.  

Which coffee is better for aging and what's the aging proccess?

Generally suitable for aging are green (uncooked) coffee beans belonging to varieties with strong body and low acidity, such as coffees originating from Indonesia and India, while aging of coffee beans from the Central America is also commin, acquiring intense sweetness due to the process. The process of aging can last from six months to three years and requires constant technical testing and continuous tasting so that the beans do not end up stale and tasteless. Still, a special technique and knowledge is needed to properly roast the aged coffee beans in order to properly render the perfumes that the aging process has done to them - usually, dark roast is preferred, but lighter ones are also not rare. Several producers or even roasters prefer to age coffee in oak barrels, similar to the ones used for whiskey, and it should be noted that aging time should be carefully chosen, as regardless of variety or process, aging beyond one interval soothes the taste of coffee.

In recent years, our coffee choices are truly countless, allowing us to extend our tasty sensory to areas that a few years ago would have been unthinkable. On the other hand, international mania for good coffee has created luxury, expensive products that have more hype than substance. If you are given the opportunity to taste old coffee, dare it - as long as you are sure that you are not paying stale coffee for gold! Besides, the magical world of coffee is full of tasteful experiences for every one!