How to Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh

Just like a banana that's left on the counter for a few days, coffee beans go bad. This is due oxidation and loss of flavor compounds that are volatile.

The good news is that you can preserve those fresh roast flavors for up to a week by following a few easy guidelines. The elements of heat, moisture and air are your beans' worst enemies!

How to Store Coffee Beans

It's not a secret that coffee beans degrade quickly. In order to get the best flavor of your beans, it's important to store them in a proper manner. However, many people are unsure of how best to store them. Many people think they can simply put their beans into the fridge. This isn't the most efficient method.

The key is to keep your beans in an airtight, transparent container at room temperature. This will protect your beans from their biggest enemies: moisture and air. Air and moisture can cause beans to lose their fresh-roasted flavor, and moisture can also dilute them. The heat can also degrade the flavor and aroma of the beans, and light (especially sunlight) can ruin the natural shine of the beans as well.

It's not a great idea to keep coffee beans in your refrigerator. They can absorb the flavors of other foods like cheese and onions in the refrigerator and alter the flavor of your espresso. They can also be exposed to moisture and condensation from the refrigerator's cold air.

Instead, you can store your beans in the container they came in or in a resealable bag. Be sure to remove all the air from the bag before sealing it, and store it in a cool, dark place. This will allow the beans to last a bit longer, however it is best to use them within 72 hours of roasting.

Coffee beans are stored in the Fridge

The majority of people store their beans in the refrigerator however it's not a good idea. Coffee beans stored in the fridge absorb odors from food and water and can negatively affect their flavor. The best place to keep your coffee is in a dark cabinet that is sealed with an airtight, transparent container.

A coffee bag with an one-way valve can work just fine in the fridge however if the beans aren't in this type of packaging you'll have to transfer them to a sealed and opaque container like a glass container or the Coffee Gator canister mentioned above. The fridge could also be too cold for the coffee, which could alter the taste of the bulk coffee beans.

Moisture, heat, and air are the primary enemies of coffee beans. To ensure freshness of the gourmet coffee beans beans, you should store your beans in an airtight and opaque (not transparent) container at room temperature. The ideal place to store them is a dark, cool pantry, but an armoire or cabinet will also work. Storing coffee bean company in a refrigerator can help prolong its shelf life, but it's not recommended. The cold temperature can alter the taste of your coffee and cause it to become stale quicker. The smells of food and moisture in the refrigerator can also damage your coffee beans.

Storing coffee beans in the Pantry

Once the packaging seal is broken on the beans, it's recommended to store them in a dark place at room temperature in an airtight container. This will keep the flavor, aroma and freshness of the coffee for a long time (depending on the amount of exposure to oxygen, heat, and moisture). Storing your beans in a cupboard near an oven or kitchen counter where they receive direct sunlight isn't a good idea because these places can become extremely hot and Coffeebeans (lovewiki.Faith) accelerate oxidation.

Moisture is one of the main reasons because beans can absorb moisture from the air, and this can reduce their natural flavors. Oxidation can also be accelerated by heat since the beans can disintegrate the molecular structures that give them their flavors and aromas. Also, heat deprives the bean of its natural oils, causing them to lose flavor.

If you can keep your beans in the resealable, one-way valve bag that they came from or an equivalent airtight opaque container then their freshness will last approximately a week before they begin to deteriorate. You can store them for longer in the refrigerator, but be careful as they could be prone to freezer burns or absorb any odors from food in the fridge.

Storing coffee beans in the freezer

If you are spending $20 or more on bags of premium coffee beans, it is important to understand the best way to store the beans. Coffee absorbs aromas, flavors, and moisture therefore storing it in an airtight container in a cool, dark area will help preserve the flavor. You can also freeze your beans, but be cautious if you do this, it's best to transfer them to an Ziploc bag prior to freezing in order to avoid freezer burn.

Although freezing isn't the best option but it is a good option when you're running out of time or are traveling and would like to take some of your favorite coffee with you. However, unroasted coffee beans beans frozen will not be as fresh and will have a more mild flavor than beans that were stored correctly in the refrigerator or in the pantry.

As you can see it's ideal to use your coffee beans in a lickety-split fashion, but sometimes we just don't have that luxury. The proper storage of your coffee beans can extend their shelf life by up to three times, if you're using them in a cool dark place in an airtight opaque container. You may be surprised by how much better the coffee will taste when as compared to beans that had gone to rot in the freezer or fridge.