The Truth About Coffee Freshness and Storage

The following content highlights the essential truths about coffee freshness and its storage.

Why Freshness of Specialty Coffee Matters

Fresh specialty coffee is the secret ingredient to preserving the aroma and flavor of your favorite drink. Once you start roasting the beans, they start to lose their freshness as oxidation kicks in. This activity also paves the way for coffee’s natural oils and flavors to come down, resulting in a stale taste. To ensure the specialty coffee is all kept fresh, you need to start with storing it correctly. You can follow the below guidelines to have a fresh cup of coffee every day for the rest of your life.

Best Ways to Store Specialty Coffee

1. Use an Airtight Container - Coffee easily wicks up moisture, odors, and air, which can have a direct impact on its taste. To avoid this, keep your variety coffee in an opaque, airtight box. Stainless steel or ceramic options that have vacuum-sealed lids are excellent choices.
2. Keep It in a Cool, Dark Place - Know that heat and light boost coffee’s aging process. So, it is important to never store coffee near the stove, microwave, or in direct sunlight. Instead, you can place it in a pantry or cupboard where the temperature is optimally balanced.
3. Whole Beans vs. Ground Coffee - Whole beans will remain fresh longer than ground coffee since the grinding exposes additional surface area to oxygen. We recommend you buy whole-bean specialty coffee from the shop and grind only what you require. This helps to safeguard the natural flavors and enhance its shelf life.
4. Avoid the Refrigerator - If you think that keeping your coffee in the refrigerator helps maintain freshness, you may be wrong here. The fridge’s changing temperatures and humidity can often result in condensation, which will definitely impact the beans’ integrity. So, it is best to keep your variety coffee in a dry and cool place.