How coffee degassing after grinding is influencing extraction TDS?
Coffee degassing is a major subject of interest recently by many baristas and coffee enthusiasts. Essentially the hot topics are coffee degassing, CO2 formation, CO2 release, coffee freshness, and optimal consumption time. There is a clear link between coffee properties and the release of CO2 during different stages from roasting to consumption. Most of all it is curious how coffee freshness or CO2 release rate is influencing the extraction and taste. With my previous experiments, I already proved and showed that CO2 can’t directly influence the coffee taste but can have an influence on coffee extrication if not released properly. If you want to read my research on this topic please follow the link HERE. It is important to control the CO2 levels in the coffee bean to optimize the extraction process and improve the quality of the coffee brew. Even though the molecule of CO2 is one of the smallest inside the bean, it has a huge impact on almost all processes happening during roasted coffee's “lifespan”.
The idea itself for this experiment came from one of my followers - @angelica_luizz. She was interested in the optimal time needed for coffee degassing after grinding. Especially if the coffee is recently roasted and it doesn’t have enough time to degas gradually by itself with time. Many things could be measured, but for this experiment, I wanted to check after grinding how coffee degassing time is influencing the extraction process and extraction TDS.
A few effects are happening right after coffee grinding, but I’ll focus on two:
1. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) release
2. CO2 release
These are two events that are quite different but still relevant to the final brew result. On one hand, we want to release CO2, because it could mess up with the extraction. On the other, the more time passes, the more VOCs are lost leading to less aroma and taste in the final beverage. So, the most reasonable question is: “Is it good or bad to leave the coffee degassing after grinding?” This question is more valid for freshly roasted coffees, that still contain a lot of CO2. Well established is the optimum consumption period for different roasts and different preparation methods. But what is happening if I have a fresh coffee and I don’t want to wait for 1-2 weeks before consumption? Can I speed up the degassing process without influencing the loss of aromatic compounds?
You can read the full article on my Patreon page HERE or visit www.patreon.com/npcoffeescience. At the price of a single espresso per month, you can read all my experiments, work-in-progress projects, future ideas, and allow me to continue my work. Thank you!