Recommended Coffee Storage

In this article, we will cover various tips for keeping your coffee fresh and stored away without taking up too much space. First, let's go over the circumstances which cause your coffee's fast track to staleness.

Whole Bean Coffee vs. Pre-ground Coffee

Regardless of whether you have whole-bean or pre-ground coffee, there are both ideal and there are less effective ways for storing your coffee. That being said, whole bean coffee will remain fresher for much longer than pre-ground coffee. This is because ground coffee has a larger surface area that is accessed by the surrounding oxygen. When it comes to freshness, buying whole-bean coffee and grinding your coffee fresh is the superior method.

Oxygen

Similar to other foods or dry goods, your coffee is subject to degrading the longer it's exposed to oxygen. Keeping your coffee sealed from open oxygen, to prevent rapid degradation, should be your number one goal. This will help keep the aromas and freshness packed inside the coffee for longer, so you won't worry about coffee goin stale too quickly. Coffee beans are also porous, so it's important to keep it sealed to prevent traveling odors from attaching themselves to your precious beans.

 

Light

The UV rays of light will naturally degrade your coffee beans, if directly exposed. This means regardless if your coffee is being kept in a clear glass jar or out in the open, your coffee is not safe from going stale. 

Temperature

Constant temperature fluctuation can impact the your coffee's freshness, too. Keeping your coffee in a cool, dark environment is important to optimize its longevity. Be sure to keep your coffee out of the heat at all costs if possible in order to prevent the coffee oils from rapidly becoming rancid. Keeping coffee out of the light will better regulate the temperature if there isn't a particularly cool environment to store your beans.

 

Moisture

Rather than worrying about your coffee going stale, moisture can affect the integrity of your coffee's freshness and flavor. Funky flavors can develop if your coffee beans are not sealed properly and they're kept in a moist environment for too long.

 

DIY Coffee Storage to Improve Longevity

• Opaque/Tinted Glass Jar with a lid that ideally has a gasket to seal the contents
  • If your jar must be clear, keep it in a space out of the light, such as a pantry or a dedicated coffee storage cabinet.
• If accessible, vacuum sealing your coffee and storing it in the freezer can keep its freshness longer if you have too much roasted coffee on hand.
• If all you have is a sealable plastic baggy, it's better than nothing! Keep it out of the light, if possible.

 

Upgrading your Coffee Storage 

Airscape Classic (Starting at $37.50 at Planetary Design)

Fellow Atmos (Starting at $69.95 at Fellow Products)

Summary

We have learned the importance of keeping your coffee in a cool and dry environment, in a sealed container, where no light can access your coffee beans.

To be clear, it's totally okay for your coffee to touch open air, but keeping it sealed while storing is important to proper preservation regardless of what container you use.