When Mark and Lisa Verrochi lost their “three Boston coffee stand leases to large corporate landlords,” they decided to start over — in a small, red, rent-free barn in their back yard.

Out of that barn in Hopkinton, Mass., Red Barn Coffee Roasters was born.

The company soon grew to include 7 locations.

It’s still in the process of expansion, but faces stiff competition:

Red Barn sits in a state flooded with chain coffee stores. Dunkin’ Donuts has 900 stand-alone Massachusetts stores along with 83 combination Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins outlets, while Starbucks has 151 stores and Honey Dew Donuts has 110 locations.

To help this local business stay afloat, visit one of Red Barn’s Cafes in Westboro, Southboro, Hopkinton, Milford or Boston.

Source: Milford Daily News

Roasted coffee is a perishable food – just like fresh produce or artisan bread. The flavor peaks a few days after roasting and diminishes once exposed to air, light, and moisture.

But unlike fresh produce or bread, it’s not always clear when coffee is past its prime. So, how do you know when your coffee beans are fresh? Check for these 4 signs. And remember, whole bean coffee will remain fresh for a longer period of time than ground coffee.

1. Aroma – Envelops you when you open the bag. Deep and intoxicating, intense and fragrant.

2. Oiliness – Essential oils of the beans surface and exhibit a shiny gleam.

3. Bloom – Coffee gases from fresh grounds will bubble and “froth” when mixed with hot water.

4. Flavor – Fresh coffee tastes complex and vibrant, rather than flat and bland.

Of course, one way to know your coffee is truly fresh is to buy from Peet’s Coffee. To ensure the freshest, best-tasting cup, we recommend buying coffee in small quantities frequently (not more than you can drink in 1-2 weeks), storing coffee in an airtight container, grinding coffee beans just before you brew, and drinking coffee within 30 minutes of brewing.

Via Peet’s Coffee & Tea