title_body: Shelf life of beans?
upvoted_answer: I think it is generally regarded that beans are still 'fresh' within one month of roasting where the flavour profile of the bean will change over that one month. Dissecting it further, people tend to agree that beans should be at their peak within 2 weeks of roasting. Past a month the bean should show noticeable signs of decline in the flavour profile, losing most of the brighter notes and acidity and providing a much flatter flavour profile as most complex compounds in the coffee would have disintegrated.
  
  You mention that your friend has had those beans for over 4 months, even if measured since the roast date, you can safely say that those beans are stale. At this point there's really no difference between getting rid of them now or later as they should not degrade much further if at all.