Adjusting Espresso Extraction: How Roast Age Affects Performance in the Cup

By Ace Coffee Roasters

Preface

At Ace Coffee Roasters, we’re privileged to serve a community of loyal and discerning customers—people who trust in the quality of our craft and who care deeply about every cup they brew. That trust is something we don’t take lightly. It’s also what motivates us to continuously share the nuances of espresso preparation that go beyond the surface—starting with one of the most misunderstood aspects of great espresso: coffee age.

In a world where “freshness” is often equated with quality, it can seem counterintuitive to recommend letting espresso-roasted coffee rest before brewing. But as professionals who live and breathe coffee science, we know that espresso extraction demands a more nuanced approach. Coffee that is too fresh can be unruly—producing sour notes, unstable crema, and inconsistent results. It takes time for degassing to settle and solubility to stabilize—unlocking the full expression of flavor, texture, and balance that espresso is known for.

The challenge isn’t in the coffee—it’s in the conversation. How do we educate without alienating? How do we advocate for aging while honoring the enthusiasm that comes with a fresh roast date?

Our answer: with transparency, humility, and proven technique. We want our customers to feel empowered—not corrected—when we explain why a shot pulled on day 21 sings in ways that one pulled on day 2 simply can’t. This is part of the broader journey of coffee appreciation, and we’re here to walk that path together.

Because great coffee isn’t just about what’s fresh—it’s about what’s ready.

Introduction

At Ace Coffee Roasters, we recommend using our espresso-roasted coffee between 7 and 21 days post-roast for optimal performance.

This window represents the ideal balance between degassing and solubility. During the first 3–7 days after roasting, coffee releases elevated levels of CO₂ gas, which can disrupt espresso extraction by preventing even water saturation and causing excessive crema or uneven flow. As the coffee stabilizes between days 7–21, it reaches a point where its aromatic structure, tactile balance, and extraction reliability are at their peak.

Beyond 21 days, while espresso may still be drinkable, the coffee’s volatile aromatic compounds begin to degrade, and the shot can lose definition, clarity, and body — particularly in high-precision extractions.

Maintaining this roast age window ensures that our espresso delivers consistent performance, optimal flavour development, and the clean, structured cup profile that defines Ace Coffee Roasters.

At Ace, we live and breathe espresso — not just as a finished cup, but as a living, dynamic process. While green coffee may keep for months and brewed espresso lasts only seconds, the roasted coffee that lands between these stages is in its most volatile state — constantly changing, especially in the first few weeks post-roast.

In this blog, we break down how to interpret, respond to, and ultimately control your espresso extractions through the analysis of coffee roast age — with real-time machine and recipe adjustments. Whether you’re a barista pulling 200 shots a day, or dialling in at home with a La Marzocco GS3, these principles hold true across all platforms.

The Sweet Spot: Roast Age & Espresso Readiness

Optimal Espresso Roast Age:

We recommend using espresso coffee between Day 7 and Day 21 post-roast. This range offers the most balanced solubility, flavour clarity, and crema stability.

Extraction Cycle graph (Time based): 

The graph show espresso extraction intensity across a 35–45 second cycle, segmented by roast age:

• Too Fresh (0–6 days): Higher initial gas pressure, early intensity drops.
• Optimal (7–21 days): Peak flavour and consistent extraction.
• Too Old (22+ days): Diminished solubility, flatter profile.

The shaded areas represent key shot stages:

• Pre-infusion (0–10s)
• Main extraction (10–30s)
• Blond Stage (30–45s)

Extraction Cycle graph (TDS vs Roast Age):

Here above the graph relationship between espresso output weight and TDS (%) across three roast age categories:

• Optimal Roast (7–21 days): Peaks around 36g with the highest TDS—this is where extraction efficiency and flavor clarity are maximized.

• Too Fresh (0–6 days): Slightly lower TDS due to CO₂ interference, peaking earlier at a lower yield.

• Too Old (22+ days): Flattened extraction curve with reduced solubility and lower peak TDS.

Adjusting Espresso Equipment Variables Based on Roast Age

Each espresso machine (manual, prosumer, or commercial) offers a degree of control over how water interacts with the puck. Let’s walk through core variables and how to adjust them depending on how young or old your roast is.

1. Flow Rate

• Too Fresh: Restrict flow to avoid rapid channeling—achieve this via finer grind or lower pump pressure.
• Too Old: Increase flow rate slightly to encourage solubility in a less soluble puck.

2. Pump Pressure

• Too Fresh: Drop pressure to ~7-8 bar to reduce agitation of the still-degassing coffee bed.
• Optimal Age: 9 bar (standard), unless your espresso machine or profile suggests otherwise.
• Stale: Consider 9.5+ bar if your machine allows it, to encourage deeper extraction.

3. Temperature Control

• Too Fresh: Lower brewing temperature to minimize sourness and excess carbonic acid (91–92°C).
• Stale: Slightly increase temperature (93–94°C) to help dissolve more stubborn, dry compounds.

4.  Pre-Infusion Time

• Too Fresh: Extend pre-infusion (4–8 seconds) to allow the puck to absorb water slowly.
• Stale: Shorten pre-infusion (0–2 seconds) or bypass it entirely to keep the extraction snappy.

Adjusting the Recipe: Grind, Dose, and Yield 

Roast age also demands changes in the espresso recipe, even minute ones, to maintain sweetness, clarity, and balance.

A. Grind Size

• Fresh Roasts: Degassing creates a volatile puck—go slightly coarser to compensate for excess resistance.
• Stale Roasts: Lack of oils and structure often cause quick flow—grind slightly finer.

B. Dose (Dry Weight)

• Too Fresh: Avoid overdosing. Start at 18g for a double shot and adjust ±0.2g as needed.
• Too Old: Increase dose slightly (18.5–19g) to saturate a less soluble puck and maintain resistance.

C.  Yield (Liquid Espresso Output)

• Maintain a 1:2 ratio as a reference (e.g., 18g in = 36g out in 30–40s).
• With older coffees, you might tighten the ratio (e.g., 1:1.8) to intensify flavor and body.

Hourly Adjustments on Bar: Reading the Espresso in Real-Time

Humidity, grinder heat, and bar traffic all impact shot performance throughout the day. Keep your team dialed in by:

• Logging extraction times hourly and noting trends (fast/slow flow).
• Monitoring environmental changes: If humidity drops, coffee dries out, and shots may run faster.
• Tasting every batch: A 1-second variation in a 35–45 sec shot can change the flavor landscape.

Visual Guide: Espresso Shot Progression (35–45 Seconds)

We suggest a frame-by-frame breakdown of espresso shot phases. 

Stage 1: Pre-infusion / First Drips (0–10 sec)

• Fresh Roast: May bubble or sputter due to CO₂ release.
• Aged Roast: Flatter, even start.

Stage 2: Full Extraction (10–30 sec)

• Crema Formation: Golden, consistent in optimal zone. Fresh coffee may produce foamy crema that dissipates.
• Stream Color: Should shift from dark to caramel to pale amber.

Stage 3: Blonding / Tailing Off (30–45 sec)

• Blonding too early? = Underextracted.
• Stays dark past 40 sec? = Possibly overextracted, especially with older coffee.

The Pro’s Routine: Practice Makes Consistency

The most skilled baristas treat espresso like a living material, because that’s exactly what it is. Coffee changes hour to hour. At Ace, we recommend:

• Morning dial-ins
• Mid-shift recalibration 
• End-of-day dose/grind/flow reviews

Every shot should be tasted and logged—not just timed and weighed. Your palate is the final authority.

Ace Coffee Roasters Conclusion:

Espresso coffee, once roasted, becomes a dynamic and evolving ingredient. Its behaviour shifting in response to changes in grind size, applied pressure, pre-infusion, and temperature. For the professional barista, the goal is to continuously adjust these parameters throughout the coffee’s life cycle in order to maximize flavour, balance, and extraction integrity. Always remember these key points:

• Coffee is alive. Understand how roast age alters solubility, gas content, and extraction behaviour.
• Use your tools. Modern espresso machines offer dynamic control. Learn to tweak pressure, flow, temp, and time.
• Taste everything. Hourly adjustments are professional best practices, not just obsessive detail.