How to Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh
Like a banana left on the counter for several days, coffee beans can go bad. This is caused by oxidation and loss of flavor compounds that are volatile.
The good news is that you can preserve the fresh roasted flavors for several weeks by following a few easy tips. Your beans' greatest enemies are moisture, air, and heat!
How to store Coffee Beans
It's not a secret that coffee beans deteriorate quickly. To maximize the flavor of your beans, it's essential to store them properly. Many people are unsure of how to best do this, though. Some believe they can simply put their beans in the fridge, but this isn't actually the best way to go about it.
Keep your beans at room temperature in an opaque, airtight container. This will shield your beans from the two biggest enemies: moisture and air. The air can rob beans of their fresh-roasted flavor and moisture could weaken them too. Heat can also destroy the aroma and flavor of the beans. Light (especially sunlight) can also affect their natural shine.
It's not a great idea to keep coffee beans in your refrigerator. They could absorb the flavors of other foods, such as cheese and onions in the refrigerator which can alter the flavor of your espresso. They are also exposed to cold air from the refrigerator to moisture and condensation.
Instead, coffee bean suppliers near me can store your beans in the container they came in, or in a resealable bag. Be sure to blow out all the air prior to sealing the bag again, and keep it in a cool, dark location. This will also make the beans last for a longer time, but the optimum length of time to use them is 72 hours after they have been roasted.
Storing coffee beans in the Fridge
Most people store their coffee beans in the refrigerator but this isn't an ideal idea. Coffee beans stored in a refrigerator absorb moisture and food smells, which can negatively affect their flavor. The best place to store your coffee is a dark cabinet in an airtight, transparent container.
If your beans don't come in a coffee bag with a single-way valve, you will need to transfer them into containers that are tightly sealed and opaque, like the Coffee Gator canister. The fridge could also be too cold for the coffee, which could affect the taste.
The primary enemies of coffee beans are heat, air and moisture. To keep the freshness of your beans, place them in a container that is opaque (not transparent), at room temperature. The ideal place to store them is a dark, cool pantry, however cabinets or a wardrobe will also work. It is not recommended to keep coffee in the refrigerator. It can prolong its shelf-life, but you might want to consider it. It could alter the flavor of your beverage and cause them to become stale more quickly due to the cold temperature. The moisture and food smells in the refrigerator can also affect the coffee beans.
Storing coffee beans in the Pantry
Once the packaging seal on your beans has been broken, it is best to store them in a dark location at ambient temperature and in an airtight container. This will preserve the aroma, flavor and freshness of the coffee for a while (depending on the extent of exposure to heat, oxygen and moisture). Storing your beans in a cabinet close to an oven or kitchen counters that are exposed to direct sunlight isn't a good option as these places can get very hot and accelerate the process of oxidation.
Moisture is a major factor because the beans can absorb moisture from the air and this could alter the natural flavors. Oxidation is also enhanced by heat since the beans can destroy the molecular structure that provide them with their aromas and flavors. Heating also strips the beans of their natural oils which results in them losing taste.
If you are able to keep your beans in the resealable single-way valve bag that they came in or in an airtight container that is similar to it, they'll stay fresh for approximately one week. You can store them longer in the fridge, but be cautious as they may suffer from freezer burns or absorb any food odors in the fridge.
Storing Coffee Beans in the Freezer
If you're paying 20 dollars or more for an expensive bag of coffee beans it's important to know how long they will keep and what the best ways are to store them. Coffee is like a sponge and can absorb moisture, aromas and flavors, so keeping it in a cool, dark space in an airtight container can help keep the taste safe. You can also freeze your beans, but be careful when doing this, it's best to move them into the inside of a Ziploc bag prior to freezing to avoid freezer burn.
While freezing is not ideal it could be beneficial if you have a short period of time, or if you're planning to travel and bring along some of your favorite roast. Coffee beans frozen in the freezer aren't as fresh and have a less pronounced flavor than beans that are stored in the refrigerator or in the pantry.
It's best to use the beans as quickly as you can however, we may not always have that luxury. Properly storing your coffee beans can extend their shelf life by up to three times, if you store them in a cool, dark location in an airtight container. So go ahead and give the idea a go (be sure to follow the above guidelines carefully) you might be surprised at how much better the coffee will taste as compared to the dull, lifeless beans that have gone bad in the freezer or fridge.