How to Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh

Like a banana left on the counter, coffee beans can go bad. This is because of oxidation and loss of volatile flavor compounds.

You can keep the fresh roast taste for a few weeks by following some simple guidelines. Air, moisture and heat are your beans’ biggest enemies!

How to Store Coffee Beans

It’s no secret that Unroasted coffee Beans beans deteriorate quickly. In order to get the most flavor out of your beans, you need to store them properly. However, a lot of people aren’t sure how best to go about it. Many people think they can place their beans in the refrigerator. This is not the best way to go about it.

The key is storing your beans in an airtight, opaque container at room temperature. This will protect the beans from the most formidable enemies: air, moisture, and heat. The air can rob beans of their fresh-roasted taste, and moisture can dilute them too. The heat can also destroy the aroma and flavor of the beans, and light (especially sunlight) can smudge the natural shine of the beans as well.

In fact, storing coffee beans shop beans in the refrigerator can be more harmful than helpful. They could absorb the flavors and odors of other foods in the refrigerator, like cheese and onions which could negatively affect the taste of your barista coffee beans. They may also be exposed to condensation and moisture from the refrigerator’s cold air.

You may want to store your beans in the container that you originally used or in a plastic bag that can be resealable. Be sure to remove all the air prior to resealing the bag, and store it in a cool, dark place. This will help the beans to last a bit longer, but it’s best to use them within 72 hours of roasting.

Storing Coffee Beans in the Fridge

Most people store their coffee beans in the fridge but it’s not the best idea. Coffee beans stored in a refrigerator absorb odors and moisture from food items and negatively impact their flavor. The best place to keep your coffee is a dark cabinet in an airtight, clear container.

If your beans aren’t in a coffee bag with a one way valve, you’ll have to transfer them to an container that is sealed and opaque, like the Coffee Gator canister. It’s important to remember that the fridge may be a bit too cold for coffee, which may impact its taste.

The primary enemies of coffee beans are heat, air and moisture. To maintain the freshness of your roasted beans, keep them in a container that is opaque (not transparent), at the room temperature. A dark, cool, dark pantry is the best place to store them, but a closet or a cupboard can also be used. The storage of strong coffee beans in the fridge can help extend the shelf life of your coffee, but it’s not recommended. The cold temperature can alter the flavor of your coffee and cause it to go through a stale-like process faster. Additionally the food and beverage smells in the fridge can also damage your beans.

Storing coffee beans london Beans in the Pantry

Once the seal on the packaging on your beans has been broken, it’s best to store them in a dark location at ambient temperature and in an airtight container. This will help preserve the aroma, flavor, and freshness of your coffee for a prolonged period (depending on how much oxygen or heat is exposed to the beans). Storing your beans in a cabinet near an oven or counters that are exposed to direct sunlight isn’t the best option as these places can get very hot and accelerate oxidation.

Moisture is a big one because beans can absorb moisture from the air and this could alter the natural flavors. The heat can also accelerate the process of oxidation because the bean can alter the molecular structure which creates their distinctive aromas. The heat also strips the bean of its natural oils, causing them to lose flavor.

If you keep your beans in the resealable single-way valve bag that they came in, or in an airtight opaque container that is equivalent in size, they’ll be fresh for approximately one week. They can go longer if you store them in the freezer, however you have to be careful as the beans may be affected by freezer burn and they can also absorb food odors that are floating around in the freezer them.

Storing coffee beans in the freezer

If you’re shelling out 20 bucks or more for a haute bag of coffee beans it’s important to be aware of how long they’ll last and what the best ways are to keep them. Coffee is sponges that absorb moisture, aromas and flavors. Keeping it in a cool, dark place in an airtight opaque container will help keep the flavor protected. You can also freeze your beans, but be careful when doing this it’s best to move them into an Ziploc bag prior to freezing them to avoid burning in the freezer.

While freezing isn’t ideal however, it can be beneficial in the event that you’re strapped for time or you are traveling and want to take a cup of your favorite coffee with you. Frozen coffee beans are not as fresh and have a less distinct flavor than beans stored in the refrigerator or pantry.

As you can see, it’s best to use your beans in a lickety-split fashion, but sometimes we do not have the luxury of. Properly storing your coffee beans will extend their shelf-life three times if you’re using them in a cool dark place in a sealed airtight container. You might be amazed by how much better the coffee will taste as compared to beans that had gone to rot in the fridge or freezer.