COFFEE BEAN STORAGE
How To Store Coffee Beans

Coffee bean storage is a critical factor to consider for enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Do you buy raw green coffee beans, whole roasted beans, or ground coffee?

In either case, packaging and storing coffee beans or the coffee ground properly is important.

Read and interview about buying and storing coffee beans here.

Coffee beans and ground should be stored in proper packaging, places and temperature in order to retain their freshness and quality.

Not stored as needed, the quality of the beans or ground will deteriorate and they will lose their good tastes and flavors.

Experts differ in their opinion in regard to the best ways of storing coffee beans and ground. However, there are some general rules of coffee bean storage that are widely agreed upon.

Here is some advice on storing coffee beans and ground.

In order to preserve the essential oils and flavors of the coffee beans, they should be stored so as to avoid exposure to heat, moisture, air and light.

To stay fresh and good, the beans should be stored in dark, dry and cool places at room temperature.

Ideally, buy whole, raw green coffee beans, as they remain fresh for longer. Most people, however, buy roasted beans or ground coffee and don’t do home roasting by themselves.

The unroasted green coffee beans need proper storage too to retain their freshness and quality. Once roasted, the volatile oils of the beans are released and the beans start to lose their flavors.

After roasting, the beans are left for some hours before vacuum packing them in order to release carbon dioxide gases.

If packaged before degassing, the quality of the beans may degrade vacuum-sealed bags my burst because of the pressure and expansion.

The freshly roasted beans, however, can be packed shortly after roasting in valve-sealed bags that allow the beans to release its gas yet prevents oxygen from entering the bags and spoiling the air-sensitive beans.

While home roasting is not as common, it is very much recommended to at least grind the beans at home. This way, the coffee is really fresh and can be brewed right after grinding.

If you buy whole roasted coffee beans make sure that they are fresh. Verify when the beans have been roasted. To enjoy really fresh coffee, use coffee beans that have been roasted not more than a week before.

If you cannot get freshly roasted beans, try at least to obtain beans that have been roasted not more than a week or two before and buy only as much as you'll need for up to about two weeks.

Roasted beans are at their best 'till up to a month after roasting.

When you buy roasted whole beans, keep them in proper storage places. Once you open the bag, either transfer the remaining beans to an air-tight canister or, if they are packaged in a heat-sealed foil package, you can keep the beans there, but force out the air and seal the bag tightly again.

Still, if you are like the majority of people, you buy ready ground coffee and do not grind the coffee by yourself. For ground coffee it is even more important to be stored properly, or they will quickly lose their flavors.

Ground coffee, as opposed to whole beans, tends to lose its flavors after about two weeks, so buy only as much at a time as you’ll need for this period of time.

You may want to buy larger quantities of ground coffee in bulk in order to save money, but this will have an effect on the freshness of the coffee.

Store ground coffee in dark, cool places and avoid heat, moisture, air and sunlight. Store the coffee in an airtight sealed ceramic container.

If you hold the coffee in a glass container be even more careful to store it in a dark place, such as in a cabinet, to avoid exposure of the coffee beans to light.

Whether to keep beans or coffee ground frozen is a controversial topic. What seems to be agreed upon, however, is that once taken out of the freezer it is not suggested to freeze the again as this will have a negative impact on the quality of the beans.

Do you have your own coffee bean storage tips? Please do let us know.

Coffee Bean Storage - Coffee Home