Coffee and Bean Storage

People often bring their coffee home from the store in a folded over bag. Since it is purchased at the store this way, they assume that it is an acceptable method to store the coffee/beans if they fold the bag tight enough. This, however, is not a good practice for storage. If you are one of these “bag” people, read further so that you can enjoy a better, fresher cup of coffee.

The fundamental fact remains: coffee must be fresh. Your tasting experience will depend on it. The full body and depth of a fine coffee’s aromatic flavor are derived from this complex interaction of hundreds of different chemical compounds locked up and sealed within the coffee bean. Once roasted, these compounds become highly volatile.

The first thing to be aware of when purchasing beans is:  If the roast date is not marked on the bag OR the roast date is more than 7 days ago, it is not fresh.

Second, remember that any coffee, which will not be consumed within 3 days, should be refrigerated or frozen. The flavor quickly degrades as exposure (see factors below) causes evaporation and deterioration of oils and compounds held in the bean.  This process of degradation is unavoidable, and begins the moment the roasting process finishes…before they ever come home to you!

The four factors that degrade the flavor of the bean are:

• air
• moisture
• heat
• light

Therefore, it is imperative that you properly store the beans immediately in an airtight container and make sure to keep them cool. For optimum freshness you will also need to consume them within a few days.  Most coffee experts recommend two days.

The most efficient way to store the beans/coffee is in a container with a one-way valve, thus preventing air from entering and being sealed in with the beans. Use this method if you want your cup to deliver all the robust, exotic flavor contained in these wonderful beans.

Now that you have the basic idea on what is required for getting your fresh beans home, you will want to decide on the container that is right for you.