What is Aged Coffee?
Aged coffee may sound a little unappetizing, but it actually is an intricate process that is similar to the way that you would age fine wine. When I first heard the term, all I could think about was stale coffee sitting out for so long that it tasted bitter, but it is quite the opposite! You do not need to shy away from the term “aged coffee” because it provides a professional way to change the delicate flavors of the coffee product overall.
Aged coffee is when the coffee is stored in warehouses for years at a time, most of the time on purpose. This does sometimes happen on accident, but this type of aging will work to reduce the acidity of the beans and increase their body overall. When beans are stored and aged in this way, it causes a dramatic difference of their flavor profile. This is something to look out for if you want to try a different type of Java that uses aging to change the flavor outcome.
It is very difficult to find a high quality coffee that has been aged, and many coffee producers do not even adhere to this practice because Java is such a fast export that is in high demand. Java is actually the second most traded commodity in the world next to oil, so it only makes sense that coffee producers want to push out their beans as fast as possible. However, if a coffee exporter does take the time to age their beans, then it will give an amazing quality to the final product that is unlike any other. This also does cause the price of this Java to increase slightly because of the time that was invested in it. If you’re looking for aged coffee, then you do need to keep in mind that not all aged coffees will be up to par.
Proper aging should take place in a tropical climate so that the beans can be constantly exposed to moisture. Many exporters will age their beans during the monsoon season so that there is enough moisture in the air to compensate to keep the beans from drying out. This will cause the flavor of the bean overall to be much deeper yet more mellow so that you will not be experiencing the tanginess on your tongue that you would with a coffee with bright acidity.
The aging process can take from 2 to 3 years, and it will allow the bean to naturally change so that the body is improved. Again, this is exactly why this type of coffee preparation is so rare because it does cost more to house the green coffee beans for an extended amount of time. It will cause their quality to greatly increase, but there is care that needs to be taken for all of the bags of beans to be rotated evenly to allow the coffee to breathe during the aging process. If you are true coffee lover, and you have not yet tried this type of preparation, then put it at the top of your list!
