How to Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh

Like a banana that is left on the counter coffee beans can turn bad. This is due to oxidation and loss of volatile flavor compounds.

The good news is you can preserve the fresh flavors for up to a week with a few simple guidelines. Air, moisture and heat are your beans' worst enemies!

How to keep coffee beans safe? Beans

It's no secret that coffee beans are degraded quickly. In order to maximize the flavor of your beans, it's important to store them properly. Many people are unsure of how to go about this, though. Some people think that they can simply put their beans in the refrigerator. This isn't the best option.

The key is to keep your beans in an airtight, transparent container at room temperatures. This will protect your beans from the most formidable enemies: air, moisture, and heat. Moisture and air can both take away the beans' fresh-roasted flavor, and moisture can also weaken them. The heat can also ruin the flavor and aroma of the beans. light roast coffee beans (especially sunlight) can also affect their natural shine.

It's not a great idea to store luxury coffee beans (recent trademarketclassifieds.com blog post) beans in your refrigerator. They may absorb the flavor of other food items, like onions and cheese in the refrigerator, which will alter the taste of your coffee. They may also be exposed to moisture and condensation due to the cold air in the refrigerator.

Instead, you can store your beans in the container they came in, or in a bag that can be resealable. Be sure to remove all the air prior to resealing the bag, and keep it in a cool, dark place. This can also make the beans last for a longer time, but the ideal time to use them is within 72 hours after roasting.

Storing coffee beans in the Fridge

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

A coffee bag that has a one-way valve will work perfectly in the fridge However, if your beans didn't come in this type of packaging you'll need to transfer them into a tightly sealed and opaque container, such as a glass jar or the Coffee Gator canister mentioned above. It's important to note that the fridge could be a little too cold for coffee, which may affect the taste.

Moisture, heat, and air are the primary enemies of coffee beans. To preserve the freshness of their roast, it is recommended to store your beans in a airtight, opaque (not transparent) container at the room temperature. A dark, cool and cool pantry is the best location to store them, however, a closet or cupboard can also be used. Storing coffee in the fridge can help prolong the shelf life of your coffee, but it isn't recommended. The cold temperature can alter the flavor of your coffee and cause it to deteriorate faster. The moisture and food smells in the refrigerator can also cause damage to your coffee beans.

Storing Coffee Beans in the Pantry

After the seal of packaging on your beans is broken, it's best to store the beans in a dark, dry place at the temperature of room and in an airtight container. This will preserve the flavor, aroma and freshness of the coffee for some time (depending on the extent of exposure to oxygen, heat, and moisture). Storing your coffee beans near an oven, kitchen counter or other place where they are exposed to direct sunlight may be not a good idea. These places can get very hot and accelerate oxidation.

Moisture is a major factor since beans are able to absorb moisture from the air and this can dilute their natural flavors. Heat can also accelerate the process of oxidation since beans can alter the molecular structure which gives them their distinctive aromas. Also, heat deprives the bean of its natural oils, causing the flavor to fade away.

If you keep your beans in the resealable one-way valve bag that they came in or in an airtight, opaque container, they will stay fresh for approximately a week. They can be kept longer in the fridge but be careful as they could be prone to freezer burn or absorb any odors from food in the fridge.

Storing coffee beans in the freezer

If you're shelling out 20 bucks or more to purchase the finest coffee beans, it's essential to be aware of the length of time they'll keep and what the best ways are to keep them. Coffee is sponges that absorb moisture, aromas, and flavors so keeping it in a cool dark place in an airtight opaque container will keep the flavor secure. You can also freeze your beans but be careful if you decide to do this, it's best to transfer them to a Ziploc bag prior to freezing to avoid freezer burn.

Although freezing isn't ideal, it can help if you have a short period of time, or if you're traveling and wish to bring along your favourite roast. Frozen coffee beans are not as fresh and have a less distinct flavor than beans stored in the refrigerator or pantry.

As you can see, it's ideal to use your coffee beans in a lickety-split fashion, but sometimes we aren't able to afford that. If you store your coffee beans in a dark, cool location in an airtight, opaque container, their shelf life can be extended by up to 3 times. You might be amazed by how much better the coffee will taste in comparison to beans that were rotten in the fridge or freezer.