Coffee Storage

You have some great beans but how do you store coffee to keep all those flavors and aromas fresh? First, let’s learn a little bit as to why coffee begins to lose its flavor after being roasted. The moment coffee is roasted it starts to go stale, that’s why it is recommended to enjoy your coffee as soon as possible after roasting (up to 4 weeks). Coffee goes stale not because of time but because of oxidation. The more time oxygen is in contact with the beans the more their flavor and aroma will degrade.

Milk can go bad, but coffee beans will just not taste as good. So, can you brew up that coffee that has been sitting out on a shelf for six months? Sure, just don’t expect much. But why go down that road? Here is a quick guide to storing coffee and how to lock in the aroma and flavor.

How to keep coffee fresh

Because you bought that great single-origin coffee to drink you have to open the bag and after that, the oxidation process begins. The best way to stave it off is to store your roasted coffee beans in a cool dry place. Apparently, coffee beans were not meant to be stored in Thailand because it is constantly hot and humid here! But don’t fear there are things you can do.

Use an airtight coffee canister (airscape makes a great coffee canister but they are a little expensive. Airtight and non transparent like this container will work.)
Use a container that is not clear. Sunlight can also degrade the quality of your precious beans.
Store the container in a location that does not sit in the sunlight.
Buy the right amount. Get to know how much you drink and how quickly you will use your beans. If you are a solo casual drinker, then maybe all you need are a couple hundred grams per week. I go through about 250 – 300 grams per week.

Don’t freeze your coffee beans

Lots of people ask about freezing their beans but really this is not a good approach because your beans will get condensation (moisture) on them when you open and close the container which begins the brewing process. And if you do not have a truly airtight container then the coffee will soak up the tastes and odors of the other food in the freezer – fish flavored coffee with a hint of strawberry anyone? Besides, if you buy the right amount then you should not need to store your beans for long periods of time.