This post is to help you get the most out of your coffee by keeping it as fresh as possible.The following are the 3 most common storing methods and my take on each one:
The Refrigerator
Lots of people think that storing coffee in the refrigerator is a great idea since it’s a cool, dark place. This couldn’t be further from the truth, primarily because, since coffee is porous, it tends to absorb the tastes and smells of substances around it. So, if you store coffee in the fridge along with the frozen pizza and asparagus, the beans will likely start tasting like those things, too, after just a few days… and who wants that?
The Freezer
Technically, you can store coffee in the freezer. The only way this method of storage somewhat works is if you place your coffee in an airtight bag in the freezer and only place it there once and defrost it only once. Repeatedly taking frozen coffee out of the freezer (for example, to make coffee daily) is bad for the beans (moisture, freezer-burn, etc.). I don’t recommend this method, but if you choose to do this, after you’ve taken the coffee out of the freezer the first time, never put it back in (see the next heading on what to do with it!).
Airtight Container
Using an airtight container is the absolute best way to store coffee. Oxygen is the enemy of coffee, and keeping it airtight keeps air from contacting the beans (except, of course, when you open it to make coffee). The other piece of this is where to store the coffee in the airtight container. I recommend storing in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or closet in the kitchen.
Remember to store your coffee as whole beans (not grounds) and grind it just seconds before brewing. Coffee stays fresh for approximately 10 days after it is roasted, so don’t buy more coffee than you can use within 1 – 2 weeks. It’s better to buy more often, in smaller batches (such as with a subscription service) than to buy coffee in bulk and store it. Following the above advice should help you keep your coffee fresher longer! Ken
6 Responses
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Ken, Finding this article was timely since I was intending to purchase a large bulk coffee to hedge any coming economic hard times. I was informed by a co-worker that in the near future there would be food rationing such as was during the great depression. The purchase of things sugar,flour,cornmeal,ad dry beans was recommended. Would canned coffee fall into the same storage category. Or would this store longer since it is sealed from oxygen. Baring the taste would not be as great as fresh ground. But, the goal was to have coffee at a time it may not be economical to purchase. Any ideas on this Tnx
James, very interesting – I haven’t heard anything about rationing (yet at least). I think it’s perfectly fine to buy items such as sugar, flour, etc. in bulk if you’re a little worried about the economy – you’ll use these things eventually anyway! Coffee, however, is a whole different story. Buying coffee in bulk is never a good idea, even if it is vacuum sealed. Reason is, vacuum sealed coffee can stay fresh for up to 10 days. Storing roasted coffee any longer than that (such as a few weeks or months) and it may taste somewhat fresh the very first time you open the package (though not usually), but the quality and freshness will decline very quickly (within a matter of a few hours). I’d recommend buying only enough coffee which you can consume within 7-10 days (a coffee subscription service can help automate this so you don’t have to go out and physically buy the coffee every time you run out). As far as there being a shortage with coffee, anything’s possible, but I’m not seeing any indications of that, at least not right now. Ken
Usually when people end up giving me coffee gift baskets and gourmet coffee samplers around the holidays, I use them to absorb odors in my fridge. Coffee is definitely not as cheap as baking soda, but it beats just throwing that nicely packaged stale coffee in the trash.
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