Roast date

What it is and what sets it apart: Differs from best-before: marks when aromatic life began. Specialty signal of traceability.

How it is done: Roaster prints the date → you count days post-roast → adjust rest, grind and brew.

Flavours and cup benefits: Lets you hit the aromatic window (often ~4–21 days by method) and avoid staleness.

Technical notes: Look for “roast date”. Distant best-before alone may hide old stock.

Common mistakes: Do not buy blind discounts without a date. Do not confuse roast date with much later pack date.