How to Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh

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

The good coffee beans news is you can preserve fresh flavors for several weeks by following a few simple guidelines. Your beans' greatest enemies are moisture, air, and heat!

How to store Coffee Beans

It's no secret that coffee beans degrade rapidly. To ensure the best flavor from your beans, it is essential to store them properly. Despite this, many aren't sure how best to store their beans. Some think they can just put their beans in the fridge but that's not the most efficient way to do it.

The most important thing is to store your beans in an airtight and opaque container at room temperature. This will protect your beans from their biggest enemies: air and moisture. The air can strip the beans of their fresh roast flavor, and moisture can dilute the beans as well. Heating can also ruin the aroma and flavor of the beans. light roast coffee beans (especially sunlight) can also diminish the natural shine of the beans.

In fact, keeping coffee beans in a refrigerator could be more harmful than beneficial. They may absorb the flavor of other foods, such as onions and cheese in the fridge and alter the flavor of your espresso. They may also be exposed to moisture and condensation from the cold air in the refrigerator.

It is possible to store your beans in the original container or in a plastic bag that can be resealable. Be sure to remove all the air from the bag prior to sealing it and storing it in a dark, cool area. This method will also help the beans to last longer, however it is best to use them within 72 hours after roasting.

Storing coffee beans in the Fridge

Many people store their coffee beans in the refrigerator, but this isn't an ideal idea. coffee beans bulk buy beans stored in a refrigerator absorb moisture and food odors and negatively impact their flavor. The ideal place to store your coffee is the dark cabinet, with an airtight, transparent container.

If your beans don't come in a coffee bag with a one way valve, you'll have to move them into an container that is sealed and opaque, like the Coffee Gator canister. It's important to keep in mind that the fridge could be a bit cold for coffee, which could alter the taste.

The most common enemies of good coffee beans beans are heat, air and moisture. To maintain the freshness of your roasted beans, place them in an opaque container (not transparent), at ambient temperature. A dark, cool, dark pantry is a great storage space, but a closet or a cupboard is also acceptable. Storing coffee in a refrigerator will help extend its shelf life, but it's not recommended. The cold temperatures can alter the taste of your coffee and cause it to get stale faster. The smells of food and water in the refrigerator can also cause damage to your coffee beans.

Coffee beans are stored in the Pantry

Once the seal on the packaging on your beans has been broken, it is best to store them in a dark area at the temperature of room and in an airtight container. This will preserve the flavor, aroma and freshness of the coffee for a time (depending on the extent of exposure to heat, oxygen, and moisture). Storing your coffee beans near an oven or kitchen counter space that is exposed to direct sunlight can be an undesirable idea. These places can get extremely hot and accelerate the process of oxidation.

Moisture can be a significant aspect, since beans absorb moisture in the air. This can weaken the natural flavors. Oxidation can also be accelerated by heat, as beans degrade the molecular structures that provide them with their aromas and flavors. Heat also strips the bean of their natural oils which causes them to lose taste.

If you keep your beans in a resealable one-way valve bag that they came in, or in an airtight container that is equivalent, they will stay fresh for approximately one week. They may last longer if you put them in the freezer, however you should be aware since the beans may be affected by freezer burn and they could 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 to purchase an expensive bag of coffee beans it's important to know how long they'll keep and what the best methods are to keep them. Coffee absorbs aromas, moisture and flavors therefore storing it in an opaque airtight container in a cool, dark place will help to preserve the flavor. You can also freeze your beans, but be cautious if you do this, you should transfer them to an Ziploc bag before freezing to avoid freezer burn.

While freezing isn't the best option, it can be helpful if you have a short amount of time or if you're planning to travel and bring along your favorite roast. However, the coffee beans that are frozen aren't as fresh and will have a less bland flavor than beans that were stored correctly in the fridge or pantry.

As you can see, it's best to use your beans lickety-splitt but sometimes we do not have the luxury of. Storing your coffee beans properly can extend their shelf life by at least three times if you keep them in a cool, dark place in an airtight opaque container. You might be amazed by how much better the coffee will taste when contrasted with beans that had gone to rot in the fridge or freezer.