Resting, degassing, and the date on the bag
When a bag is actually at its best, and why the answer differs by method.
The first week
Freshly roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide, which fights water and makes filter coffee taste sharp and foamy. Days three to ten are usually the awkward window.
Espresso is the opposite: it needs three to seven days of rest to pour without gushing.
Fresh is not a date. Fresh is a window.
The far end
Most coffee is at its best between two and six weeks, and perfectly drinkable at three months. After that the sweetness goes first.
A bag with no date is not necessarily old, but you have no way to know, and that is the actual problem.
Disclosure: this article contains no affiliate links. Prices and dates checked in October 2026. Our methodology.