Buying coffee beans shouldn’t feel like revising for an exam. You just want something that tastes great at home, works with your brewer, and doesn’t cost the earth. The good news: you can make dramatically better choices with a handful of simple rules — no jargon, no snobbery.
This guide is designed to help you pick beans you’ll actually enjoy, understand why roast dates matter, and make your coffee taste more like it does in your favourite café.
1) The one thing to prioritise: roast date
If you only check one thing on a bag, make it the roast date.
Coffee doesn’t “go off” immediately after roasting, but it changes fast. Freshly roasted beans release carbon dioxide (called “degassing”). During this period, flavours settle and the coffee becomes easier to brew.
A simple rule of thumb:
- 0–3 days post-roast: Often too fresh for many home setups. Can taste sharp, gassy, or be hard to extract evenly.
- 4–21 days post-roast: The sweet spot for most filter brews and many espresso setups.
- 3–8 weeks post-roast: Still drinkable if stored well, but flavours fade and sweetness drops.
- 2+ months post-roast: You’ll likely notice dullness, papery notes, or a flat finish.
So when you’re buying: choose beans that were roasted recently, but not necessarily yesterday.
2) Whole bean vs pre-ground: what you gain (and lose)
If you want the biggest improvement for the least effort, buy whole bean and grind just before you brew.
Why? Grinding massively increases surface area, which accelerates staling. Pre-ground coffee can lose a chunk of its aroma and clarity quickly, especially after opening.
If you need pre-ground (no judgement — busy lives are real), do this:
- Buy smaller bags more often.
- Reseal tightly and store cool, dark, and dry.
- Choose a grind size matched to your brewer (ask us if you’re unsure).
3) Roast level: choose for your taste, not your ego
People sometimes treat “light roast” as the only serious choice. Ignore that. The best roast is the one you enjoy and can brew consistently.
- Light roast: Often brighter, fruitier, more acidic. Can be stunning on filter but requires good technique.
- Medium roast: Balanced sweetness, comforting, versatile. Great place to start.
- Dark roast: More bittersweet, roasty, chocolatey. Works well with milk and forgiving methods.
If you drink mostly milk drinks, a medium to medium-dark roast often gives you that chocolate/caramel backbone that stands up in a flat white.
4) Origin and flavour notes: how to read the bag without overthinking
Flavour notes aren’t ingredients — they’re shorthand for what the coffee reminds you of. Think of them as a “direction of travel”.
A quick decoder:
- Chocolate / caramel / nutty: Usually easy-drinking, low-fuss, crowd-pleasing.
- Citrus / berry / floral: More bright and aromatic. Lovely, but can read “sharp” if under-extracted.
- Stone fruit / jammy / tropical: Often sweet, juicy, and fun.
If you’re new to buying fresh beans, start with chocolate/caramel/nutty notes, then explore brighter profiles once you’re comfortable.
5) Match the coffee to your brew method
Not all coffee behaves the same across brewers. Here’s a practical match-up:
- Cafetiere (French press): Go for medium roasts; chocolate/nutty notes shine. Use a coarser grind and longer brew.
- AeroPress: Extremely flexible. Medium roasts are forgiving; brighter coffees can be brilliant.
- V60 / pour-over: Lighter and medium roasts can sparkle, but need a decent grinder and attention to pour.
- Espresso machine: Works across roast levels, but darker roasts are easier to dial in; lighter roasts can be incredible if you enjoy acidity.
- Moka pot: Medium to medium-dark tends to work best; aim for sweetness over “burnt” intensity.
If you’ve ever thought “my coffee tastes sour”, it’s often under-extraction (too coarse, too cool, too fast). “Bitter” is often over-extraction (too fine, too hot, too long). Your beans matter, but your grind is the steering wheel.
6) Storage: keep it simple and avoid the common traps
Good storage keeps your coffee tasting like coffee (not like “cupboard”).
Do:
- Keep beans in the original bag if it has a one-way valve, or in an airtight container.
- Store in a cool, dark cupboard.
- Buy the amount you’ll use in 2–4 weeks.
Avoid:
- Clear jars on the counter (light + heat = faster staling).
- Constantly opening and closing a huge bag for months.
- The fridge (moisture and odours aren’t your friend).
Freezing can work if done properly (portioning, airtight, minimal thaw cycles), but for most households it’s more faff than it’s worth. Better: buy smaller, fresher.
7) A simple buying checklist (print this in your head)
When you’re choosing your next bag:
- Roast date within the last 3–4 weeks.
- Whole bean if possible.
- Pick a roast level that matches how you actually drink coffee.
- Choose flavour notes you’re likely to enjoy.
- Buy a size you’ll finish while it’s still at its best.
Want a recommendation?
If you tell us:
- your brew method,
- whether you drink it black or with milk,
- what you usually like (e.g. “chocolatey”, “bright”, “strong”),
…we can point you to a bag that fits. Coffee should feel like a daily upgrade, not a project.