How to Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh

As with a banana left on the counter for a few days, coffee beans turn bad. This is due oxidation and loss of flavor compounds that are volatile.

You can preserve the fresh roasted flavor for a couple of weeks by following some simple guidelines. Heat, humidity and air are your beans' worst enemies!

How to keep coffee beans safe? Beans

It's not a secret that coffee beans lose their flavor quickly. To get the most flavor out of your beans, you must to store them properly. Many people are confused about how to go about this, however. Many people believe that they can just put their beans in the fridge but that's not the best way to go about it.

The most important thing is to store your beans in an airtight and opaque container at room temperature. This will protect your beans from the two biggest enemies: air and moisture. Air can rob the beans of their fresh roast flavor, and moisture can dilute them as well. The heat can also degrade the flavor and aroma of the beans, and light (especially sunlight) can smudge their natural shine as well.

In reality, storing coffee beans in the refrigerator can be more harmful than useful. They can absorb the flavors of other foods, like onions and cheese in the fridge which could affect the taste of your coffee. They could also be exposed to condensation and moisture from the frig's cold air.

Instead, think about storing your beans in the container they came in, or in a bag that can be resealable. Make sure to remove all the air from the bag before sealing it again, and then store it in a cool, dark area. This will allow the beans last a bit longer, but it is recommended to use them within 72 hours after roasting.

Storing Coffee Beans in the Fridge

Most people store their coffee beans in the fridge, but it's not an ideal solution. Coffee beans stored in the fridge absorb odors from food and water which can adversely affect their flavor. The best place to store your coffee is a dark cabinet in an airtight and transparent container.

A coffee bag that has one-way valves will work just fine in the fridge However, if your beans aren't in this sort of packaging you'll need to move them into a tightly sealed and opaque container such as a glass jar or the Coffee Gator canister mentioned above. The fridge might also be too cold for the coffee beans online, which could affect the taste.

Air, heat and moisture are the primary enemies of coffee beans. To preserve their roasted freshness it is recommended to store your beans in an airtight and opaque (not transparent) container at temperatures of room temperature. A dark, cool, dark pantry is the best location to store them, however a closet or cabinet is also acceptable. Storing coffee in the refrigerator will help extend its shelf life, but it isn't recommended. It could alter the flavor of your coffee and cause them to become stale more quickly due to the cold temperature. In addition the food and moisture smells from the fridge can cause damage to your beans.

Storing Coffee Beans in the Pantry

Once the seal has been broken on the beans, it's best to store them in a dark area at room temperature in an airtight container. This will keep the flavor, aroma and freshness of the coffee for a time (depending on the amount of exposure to heat, oxygen and moisture). Storing your beans in a cupboard near an oven or counters where they are exposed to direct sunlight isn't a good idea because these places can become very hot and will accelerate the process of oxidation.

Moisture is an important factor because the beans can absorb moisture from the air, and this could alter the natural flavors. Oxidation can also be accelerated by heat since the beans can disintegrate the molecular structures which give them their flavors and aromas. Heating also strips the beans of its natural oils, which results in them losing taste.

If you can keep your beans in a resealable one-way valve bag they came in or in an airtight, opaque container to it, they'll stay fresh for about a week. They can last longer if you place them in the freezer, however you should be aware because the beans could be prone to freezer burn and they can also absorb odors of food that are floating around in the freezer along with them.

Storing coffee beans in the freezer

If you are spending $20 or more on a bag of gourmet specialty coffee beans beans, it is important to understand the best method to store the beans. Coffee is like sponges and absorbs moisture, aromas and flavors. Therefore, keeping it in a cool dark space in an airtight container can help keep the taste secure. You can also freeze your beans, but be careful when doing this, it's best to transfer them to the inside of a Ziploc bag prior to freezing them to avoid burning in the freezer.

While freezing isn't a good idea but it can be helpful in the event that you're strapped for time or traveling and want bean to cup coffee beans (click through the following post) take some of your favorite coffee with you. Coffee beans frozen in the freezer aren't as fresh and have a weaker flavor than beans stored in the refrigerator or pantry.

As you can see, it's best to use your beans as a whole but sometimes we just don't have that luxury. If you store your coffee beans in a dark, cool location in an airtight, opaque container the shelf life of your coffee beans can be extended by as much as 3 times. Give the idea a go (be sure to follow the above guidelines carefully) you may be surprised by how much better the coffee will taste as compared to the dull, lifeless beans that went bad in the fridge or freezer.