How long is coffee good after sell by date?

Coffee's "best by" date is more of a guideline than a hard deadline. While the flavor will start to decline after that date, it's not necessarily "bad" to drink. Here's a general breakdown:

Whole Bean Coffee:

* Within 1-2 weeks after the "best by" date: Flavor will be slightly diminished, but still enjoyable.

* 1-3 months after the "best by" date: Flavor will be significantly weaker, and the coffee may have a stale, dull taste.

* Beyond 3 months: The coffee will likely be noticeably stale and the taste may be unpleasant.

Ground Coffee:

* Within 1 week after the "best by" date: Flavor will start to fade.

* 2-4 weeks after the "best by" date: Flavor will be noticeably weaker.

* Beyond 4 weeks: The coffee will likely be stale and taste unpleasant.

Factors that affect coffee shelf life:

* Storage: Proper storage in an airtight container, away from heat, light, and moisture, can significantly extend shelf life.

* Roasting: Darker roasts generally have a longer shelf life than lighter roasts.

* Grind: Ground coffee loses flavor more quickly than whole beans.

How to tell if coffee is stale:

* Smell: Fresh coffee should have a strong, rich aroma. Stale coffee will smell dull and weak.

* Taste: Fresh coffee should have a bright, complex flavor. Stale coffee will taste flat and dull.

* Appearance: Stale coffee may have a faded color or a grayish tint.

Important Note: While drinking slightly stale coffee is unlikely to cause any harm, you may want to avoid coffee that is significantly past its "best by" date, as it may be more likely to have off-flavors and might even have a slight rancid taste.