How to store coffee...
It is important to store coffee beans and ground coffee correctly in order to presrve it's flavour and taste and how it is stored depends on how you buy your coffee. | ![How to store coffee...]() |
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Storing green (unroasted) coffee beans...
How green (unroasted) beans are stored will determine how long they will remian fresh and usable.
The length of time green beans can be stored depends on a range of factors, the most important of which are humidity, temerature & air circulation.
Huge variations in coffee storage temperature will cause the flavour to decline rapidly. Ideally, green coffee beans should be stored in a stable environment and used within two years or so.
The ideal humidity is around 50-55% and the ideal temperature around 22o centigrade (72o). It is also important not to put green beans into airtight containers because they need to breathe. It is best to store them in something like a jute sack or a bag, not in plastic, and keep them out of strong sunlight. |
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Storing roasted coffee beans...
Coffee beans that have been roasted gradually deteriorate and are best used within 6 months, but, of cuorse, this depends also on them being properly stored.
To prolong the freshness of roasted coffee beans, they can be stored in air tight packaging in a freezer for up to 12 months and can be used in small quantities as and when required.
However there is much debate about the effect of the moisture that the beans are exposed to as a natural side effect of freezing and then defrosting, and remember that frozen beans should never be ground whilst in their frozen state! The fridge is a better option for storing roasted beans but again they should be stored in airtight containers or in an unopened coffee valve bag, although there may be a similar issue with condensation.
Please keep any storage containers very clean since the oils from roasted beans will build up and may become rancid thus damaging the flavour of the beans. The best plan is to store your roasted beans in airtight containers, in a cool place out of direct sunlight, and to use them as early as possible.
If you are into roasting your own beans, it is recommended that you only roast enough coffee at a time for a week's consumption. |
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Storing ground coffee..
Once coffee is ground, it deteriorates very quickly. Ideally coffee beans should gruond immediately before use but, if you buy your coffee ready-ground, then it is best to buy it in very small quantities and use it as soon as possible after purchase.
Today's ground coffee packaging methods expel oxygen from the packaging to prolong its shelf life, but, once the packaging is opened, the coffee will, of course, be exposed to oxygen and will deteriorate quite quickly. It is advisable to observe the "best before" date on unopened valve bags or pressurised tins of ground coffee. |
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