Coffee lovers are always looking for the freshest beans, but what about how to store coffee beans once they’re opened?
In this post, we’ll show you how to store your beans so that you can enjoy them for longer without compromising on the taste.
Top Tips For Storing Coffee Beans
- Store your coffee in an airtight container. Beans stored in a bag or open container will lose their freshness and flavour much more quickly than those sealed tightly.
- Ensure no moisture can get inside and damage the coffee beans.
- If you use an airtight container, make sure it has an oxygen absorber in it as well.
- Keep your coffee away from sunlight. Heat causes the oils of the bean to break down, which leads to a stale taste.
- Store coffee beans in a cool, dry place.
- Keep your coffee beans away from light and air – this will keep them fresh for longer.
- Use a dark container to store your beans.
- Label the container with the date of purchase, so you know when they were last used.
How Long Do Coffee Beans Last?
If stored correctly in an airtight container, coffee beans will last for 2-3 months before quality begins to suffer.
If you don’t use an airtight container and the beans are kept in the bag they came in; they will last for up 1 to 2 weeks.
Can You Freeze Coffee Beans?
You can freeze coffee beans if you don’t think you will use them in the above timeframes. However, the flavour of frozen coffee beans isn’t quite as good as that of fresh beans.
The best solution is to buy smaller batches of coffee beans, but this isn’t always practical, or economical, and so freezing them is the next best option.
The best way to use frozen beans is to grind them when you need them rather than defrosting, or, if you are using a bean to cup coffee machine that automatically grinds the coffee, just defrost enough beans on a day by day basis.
Always label your storage container with the date of freezing, so you’ll know exactly how old your beans are when it’s time to use them.