How to Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh

As with a banana left on the counter coffee beans are prone to going bad. This is due to oxidation and loss of volatile soluble flavor compounds.

The good news is you can preserve the fresh roasted flavors for a few weeks by following a few simple tips. Heat, humidity and air are your beans' greatest enemies!

How do you store coffee beans

It's no secret that chocolate coffee beans (please click the following page) beans lose their flavor quickly. In order to get the best flavor of your beans, it's important to store them in a proper manner. Many people are unsure of how to best do this, however. Some people believe that they can put their beans in the refrigerator. This is not the best way to go about 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 greatest enemies which are air, moisture and heat. Air can rob the beans of their fresh roasted flavor, and moisture can dilute them too. The heat can also destroy the aroma and flavor of the beans, and light (especially sunlight) can destroy their natural shine too.

In fact, keeping coffee beans in the refrigerator can be more harmful than beneficial. They could absorb the flavors of other foods, such as cheese and onions in the fridge which can affect the flavor of your espresso. They can also be exposed by the cool air in the refrigerator to moisture and condensation.

Consider storing your beans in the original container or in a plastic bag that can be resealable. Make sure to push out all air prior to sealing the bag and then store it in a cool, dark area. This can make the beans last a bit longer, however the best time to use them is 72 hours after roasting.

Coffee beans are stored in the Fridge

Most people store their beans in the refrigerator but it's not an ideal idea. Coffee beans stored in the fridge absorb odors from food and water which can adversely affect their flavor. The best place to store your coffee is in a dark cabinet that is sealed with an airtight, transparent container.

A coffee bag with a one-way valve will work just fine in the fridge however if the beans weren't packaged in this type of container, you'll have to transfer them to a sealed and opaque container, such as a glass jar or the Coffee Gator canister mentioned above. The fridge might also be too cold for the coffee, which may affect the taste.

The main enemies of coffee beans are heat, air and moisture. To ensure freshness of the coffee beans, you should store your beans in an airtight and opaque (not transparent) container at the room temperature. A cool, dark pantry is the perfect location to store them but a closet or a cabinet is also acceptable. Storing coffee in a refrigerator will extend the shelf life of your coffee, but it isn't recommended. It can alter the flavor of your brew and even cause them to go stale more quickly due to the cold temperature. The moisture and food smells in the refrigerator can affect the coffee beans.

Storing Coffee Beans in the Pantry

When the seal on the packaging of your beans has broken, it's best to keep them in a dark location at the temperature of room and in an airtight container. This will keep the aroma, flavor and freshness of the coffee for a long time (depending on the degree of exposure to oxygen, heat and moisture). Storing your coffee beans near an oven, kitchen counter or other area where they are exposed to direct sunlight can be an undesirable idea. These places can get extremely hot and accelerate the process of oxidation.

Moisture is a big one because beans absorb moisture from the air. This could alter the natural flavors. It can also accelerate the process of oxidation since beans can break the molecular structure that creates their aromas. Heating also strips the beans of their natural oils, which causes them to lose flavor.

If you are able to keep your beans in a resealable one-way valve bag that they came in, or in an airtight, opaque container that is similar and fresh, they should last for approximately one week. They can go longer if you store them in the freezer, but you should be cautious since the beans may suffer from freezer burn and they could also absorb food odors floating around in the freezer them.

Storing Coffee Beans in the Freezer

If you're spending $20 or more for bags of premium coffee beans, it's important to know the best way to store the beans. Coffee absorbs aromas, moisture and flavors and placing it in an opaque airtight container in a cool, chocolate coffee beans dark place will help to preserve the flavor. You can also freeze your beans, but be careful if you do this, make sure to move them into a Ziploc bag prior to freezing in order to avoid freezer burn.

While freezing is not ideal it can be helpful if you have a short time frame or you're planning to travel and bring along some of your favorite roast. Frozen coffee beans are not as fresh and have a less intense flavor than beans stored in the refrigerator or in the pantry.

It is recommended to consume the beans as soon as possible however, we do not always have that luxury. If you keep your coffee beans in a dark, cold container that is airtight and opaque container, their shelf life can be extended by as much as 3 times. You may be surprised by how much better the coffee will taste when contrasted with beans that are rotten in the freezer or fridge.