Home » Storing Coffee Beans: Step-by-Step Instructions for Optimal Freshness

Storing Coffee Beans: Step-by-Step Instructions for Optimal Freshness


Storing The Coffee Beans Properly Ensures The High Quality Of The Coffee Beans In The Long Run

 We all want a great cup of coffee. To reach this goal, we always aspire to use fresh coffee beans. Of course, we will not be able to get fresh coffee beans every time we drink a cup of coffee.

 This is what makes us store coffee beans for later use. Although coffee beans are solid and do not spoil quickly, they lose their flavor over time. The solution to this problem is to store coffee beans in the correct and proper way.

 In order for the coffee beans to be stored properly, the coffee beans must retain their distinctive flavor for a long time. Proper storage of coffee beans is by placing them in an air-tight container. This container should be opaque and not allow sunlight to reach the coffee beans. Also, the temperature surrounding this container should be close to the normal room temperature.

The best container for storing coffee beans is the coffee beans themselves. After roasting and grinding the coffee beans, no matter how accurate the storage is, the coffee will continue to lose its flavor over time.

Do Not Store Coffee Beans In A Transparent Container

We all know that coffee beans do not like places that contain high humidity. Also, coffee beans do not like to be stored in a place where sunlight reaches. Therefore, it is always preferable to store the coffee beans in an opaque container so that sunlight or other things are not allowed to reach the coffee beans. You can put it in a transparent container if you are storing this container in a dark place.

Extend your coffee’s freshness! Dive into our Comprehensive Defects Guide for Green Coffee, not only enhancing taste but also understanding proper storage. Explore more: Comprehensive Defects Guide for Green Coffee.

Store Coffee Beans In A Cool Place

A very cold place allows moisture to enter the coffee beans and thus leads to long-term damage. As for the very hot place, it leads to the coffee beans losing the moisture inside, and thus they are damaged. It is always preferable to store coffee beans in a moderately hot and cold place.

Some storage containers are heat and cold resistant and are most suitable for storing coffee beans. You can put the coffee beans in a cold-resistant storage container and then put them in the refrigerator or even in the freezer.

Sometimes the coffee beans are stored near a source of heat such as an oven or gas. A heat-resistant container would be very convenient to store in this condition.

Rubber Stopper Containers Are The Best For Keeping Coffee Beans From Entering Air And Moisture

It is preferable to use a container with a rubber stopper. Because the rubber seal is much better at preventing air and moisture from entering the container. Usually it is the glass containers that come with a rubber stopper. This bowl is very suitable for storing ground coffee beans. Since it is suitable for ground coffee, it will be very suitable if the coffee is green or freshly roasted.

Usually the glass container with the rubber stopper is small in size and not enough to store large quantities of fresh or roasted coffee beans.

Keeping your coffee beans fresh is an art. Did you know the oils in your beans play a crucial role in flavor preservation? Learn the best Storing Oily Coffee Beans Tips to ensure every cup is as delightful as the first.

Coffee Beans Should Be Stored Either After Roasting Or Before

After roasting, coffee beans are more susceptible to spoilage. While the coffee beans are in the raw state, they spoil after a long time. However, in both cases, you should store the coffee beans in an airtight container and in a dark place as soon as possible.

Green coffee beans are characterized by having a higher amount of moisture, and therefore they can stay well for a longer period of time. While the roasted coffee beans have lost a lot of the moisture inside the coffee bean.

The Coffee Beans Absorb The Odors Around Them

This is a fact that many may not be aware of, that coffee beans are distinguished by absorbing the odors around them. This absorption does not mean that the coffee beans will completely change their flavor.

What will happen is that the coffee beans will lose a lot of flavor and at the same time will absorb little of the smells around them. Therefore, it is not preferable to put coffee beans in a narrow place or close to other materials. Always use an airtight container that does not allow air and moisture to enter the container.

Freezing Coffee Beans May Cause A Loss Of Some Flavor

Some prefer to freeze the coffee beans in the freezer, ensuring that in this way, the coffee beans will be preserved for a long time. This can happen if you put the coffee beans in an airtight glass container that is resistant to high temperatures.

  You rarely get a container that does not allow oxygen to enter even a small percentage. Since the freezer is usually a small place. Any amount, even a small amount of odors, enters the glass container, which will allow the coffee to absorb the odors surrounding it in the freezer. This is not desirable at all, especially because we usually put items in the freezer with a smell at the freezing point, such as meat.

Paper Bags Are Not Suitable For Storing Coffee Beans

If you want to store coffee beans for a long time, it is better for you to avoid using paper bags or even plastic bags and the like. Paper and plastic bags may be suitable for storing coffee beans for a period not exceeding a week.

Looking to expand your coffee knowledge? Dive into our comprehensive guide on Clever Uses for Coffee Beans to discover surprising ways to utilize your beans!

Storing Coffee Beans Is Very Important, Especially After Roasting Or Grinding

When roasting and grinding coffee beans, they will lose their flavor very quickly, especially if they are not stored in the correct way. While the coffee beans are green and fresh, they keep for a long time, up to a year, without the need for storage.

So if moisture reaches the green coffee beans, they will spoil very quickly. As we mentioned previously, in all cases, whether the coffee beans are roasted, ground or green, proper storage is inevitable.

Coffee Storage Essentials

 Here we will review all methods of storing coffee, whether it is green, ground or roasted.

First: Steps To Store Green Coffee Beans

Usually there is no need to store fresh green coffee beans. The reason for this is that the coffee bean casing is solid and preserves the content of the coffee bean. But if moisture reaches the green coffee beans, it will lose the coffee’s flavor and may sometimes lead to rotting. So when you get the experts, be sure to follow these steps when you want to stock them:

  • The First Step: the higher the temperature at which the coffee beans are located at room temperature, the better. High heat will lead to loss of moisture inside the coffee beans. Or high cold will lead to the penetration of moisture inside the coffee beans in a larger amount and thus lead to damage to the coffee beans.
  • The Second Step: It is always preferable to keep the fresh coffee beans in a bowl. It does not matter if this container is airtight or not. But it is important that it be in a dry place. Mostly a burlap bag is used to store green coffee beans.

The burlap sack is a fabric of cloth and is widely used for storing and collecting agricultural crops such as rice and barley.

Second: Steps For Storing Roasted Coffee Beans

Roasted coffee beans retain their flavor for a period not exceeding a week if they are not stored. When roasted coffee beans are stored immediately after the roasting process, they will remain for a long period of more than six months. When you get roasted coffee beans and want to roast them, here are these steps:

  •  Step One: It doesn’t matter how dark or light the roast is. You should store the roasted coffee beans before three days have passed after the roasting process.
  • Step Two: Use an airtight container, preferably glass or even plastic. This container must not allow air or moisture to enter the interior.
  • The Third Step: keep this container in a place of medium temperature, preferably at room temperature.
  • Fourth Step: The more dry and not wet the place you keep this bowl, the better.

Third: Steps For Storing Ground Coffee Beans

Ground coffee beans lose their flavor very quickly. Usually, if you put the ground coffee beans in an open place, they will lose their flavor after three hours. Hence the importance of storing ground coffee beans immediately. I will show you some steps that you should follow when storing ground coffee beans:

  •  The First Step: You must store the ground coffee beans immediately after the grinding process.
  • Step 2: Use an airtight container to store the ground coffee beans. It is not preferable that this bowl is made of plastic. It is better to look for a glass container that does not allow air and moisture to enter the container.
  • The Third Step: This container containing the ground coffee beans should be kept in a place away from other foodstuffs that produce an odor such as fish and meat. Because it is difficult to find a container that prevents the entry of air by 100 percent. Ground coffee beans are known to absorb odors around them to a large degree.
  • Step Four: Always keep this container in a dry place, away from moisture. Because, as we mentioned earlier, no container is 100% sealed. Thus, the presence of this pot in a humid place allows the entry of a small part of the moisture into the pot and after a long time the humidity will be able to affect the flavor of the coffee.
  • Step 5: Each time you open this container of ground coffee, you are reducing the shelf life of the coffee flavor inside the container. Therefore, always make sure to get an airtight container that is small and suitable in size.

Roasted or Raw? You Choose!

Do you like your coffee bold and rich like chocolate, or prefer a gentle hint of flowers and fruits? That’s the choice between roasted and unroasted beans. Roasted beans bring strong flavors, perfect for a hearty brew.

Unroasted beans offer a delicate taste, creating a refreshing coffee experience. It’s all about what you crave in your cup! Learn more about these coffee beans in our guide: Roasted Vs. Unroasted Coffee Beans.

Authors

  • Betty Pritchard

    From Madison, Wisconsin, Betty is a coffee aficionado turned writer. A UC Davis graduate in Sensory Analysis with a Food Science certification, she’s a Good Food Award recipient. Hosting a podcast and crafting coffee art, her journey spans from college vending to elite cafés. A pour-over devotee, Betty’s expertise and passion make her essential to Coffeescan’s team.

  • Donald Anderer

    Denver-born Donald blends mountain vibes with coffee artistry. A Rhode Island School of Design alum, he paints with coffee and captures its essence with certified food photography skills. Favored brew? The intense Ristretto. Coffeescan’s artistic soul.

  • Fikru Assefa

    Born in Sidamo, Ethiopia, Fikru combines a Harvard History degree with certifications in Coffee Culture. Adept in traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremonies and a lover of Drip Coffee, his expertise offers readers a deep dive into coffee’s rich tapestry. Join him on a caffeinated journey at Coffeescan.com.

  • Ronald Naughton

    From San Diego, Ronald is the Senior Coffee Editor at Coffeescan.com. His journey began in a city café, leading to a Coffee Science degree from UC Davis and a professional brewing certification. Recognized by the Food Bloggers Awards, he claims to identify a bean’s altitude by taste. Affogato enthusiast and coffee connoisseur, Ronald ensures Coffeescan’s content is rich and precise.