Friends and customers frequently as us "how long does your coffee last"?

I wonder if they do not know in general, or if there is something specific to my coffee which is different to all other coffees that it may last for a different length of time. I always give them the benefit of the doubt by assuming they mean this as a general question, however direct it towards my coffee as it is the one they are interesting in purchasing at the time of the question.

So, I usually tell them "a couple of minutes, then I make myself another."

Humour (or feeble attempt) aside, here is the long answer...

Freshness is the key to a great coffee!!

If you start with stale coffee, the best equipment and barista in the world will not improve it.

In a perfect world, for the perfect cup, one would roast and grind the instant before brewing.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could have an espresso machine which stores green beans?
At the push of a button it would roast, cool, grind and brew straight into the cup.
Due to the time this process would take, it is as realistic as keeping the cow in the machine to supply the freshest milk for that perfect cappuccino!

Nevertheless, the old saying of 'fresh is best' still stands.

The rule of thumb for freshness is:

Green beans - will last in a cool dry locatrion for up to 3 years prior to roasting.
Roasted beans - will last up to 3 months in a air tight container stored in a cool location (this is debatable, let us not get started...).
Ground beans - will last about 3 minutes (or 3 seconds depending on how fussy you are).

Once the roasted bean has been ground, the aromas, flavours and caffeine start to evaporate. You need to capture all of these properties as quickly as possible. The best medium for capturing these highly prized essences is... hot water.

Home Grinding

Everyone ought to go to their local electrical retailer and buy a good home grinder.
Be prepared to spend up to $70 for a good home grinder, although you can get good ones for around $50 if you shop around.
We do not sell home grinders, so there is no hidden agenda here to upsell you another Ay! Karamba product.
My focus is to help you get the best result possible, at home.

Keep the grinder on the kitchen bench next to your favourite coffee machine.
Pop in a serve of beans, grind, transfer to the machine and brew. With a little practice each day (or several times a day) you should be able to get the dose right and the time down.
If the phone rings while you are doing this, IGNORE IT. Get your priorities right for goodness sake! If it is important they can leave a message or ring back later.

Espresso Machines

The best solution is to have one of those espresso machines which have a built in grinder. One word of advise however, is not to fill the hopper right up. Why? Simple:
The machines keep themselves warm, this keeps the beans in the hopper warm. Warm beans go stale quicker by losing aroma, flavour and caffeine. Additionally, these hoppers are not perfectly airtight. Sure, the lid is on snug, but it is far from a vacuum.
At home, I toss in a good handful or two (depending on how thirsty I am and how many guests I have) before brewing. A little extra effort I know, however, all of these little things add up to a big difference.

There are good brands of espresso machines and there is rubbish out there as well. Basically, you get what you pay for.

Good European brands are amongst the best. There are some Chinese (or Mongolian) made machines which have a European sounding name, but that is as far as the quality goes. I have read on forums that some of these machines did not last beyond making 15 coffees, and 15 BAD coffees at that. Before buying a machine you have never heard of, read some forums and reviews, think twice, and then go back to a well known brand anyway.

In summary, the 'Just In Time' approach works well in coffee preparation.

To your health!
Harald.