What is a coffee crop year?

The crop - often written as Cosecha on bags and export documentation - refers to the specific harvest year in which the coffee was picked, processed, and prepared for export. It tells you when the coffee was made, not when it was shipped or when you bought it.

Crop year matters because green coffee freshness degrades over time. The brightness and complexity of new-crop coffee start to fade after 12–18 months, transitioning towards the flat, papery character of past crop. Knowing the crop year tells you exactly where in that freshness window you are.

Different origins harvest at different times - Brazil typically May to September, Ethiopian origins October to February. Two bags with the same crop year label might be six months apart in actual age depending on origin, which is worth bearing in mind when comparing lots.