When shopping for coffee, most people check the origin, the roast level, and maybe the flavor notes. But there is one detail that trumps them all: the roast date.

Coffee is a perishable product. Unlike wine, it does not improve with age. From the moment beans are roasted, a countdown begins. Carbon dioxide slowly escapes, taking aromatic compounds with it. Oils oxidize. The bright, complex flavors that make specialty coffee special gradually fade into a dull, generic taste.

Think of roasted coffee like fresh bread. Day one is incredible. Day seven is still good. Day thirty? You would rather have something else.

This is why at Mosanko we print the roast date prominently on every bag. We want you to know exactly how fresh your coffee is. We recommend consuming our blends within 30 days of roasting for the best experience, and our specialty single-origins within 21 days.

Next time you reach for a bag of coffee, flip it over. If there is no roast date, only a "best before" date months in the future, that is a red flag. Great coffee does not need to hide its age.