“How do I store coffee beans” is the most common question we get at The Art of the Bean and Leaf. We tell our customers to store our coffee in an airtight, opaque container and in the cupboard where it is cool and dark. Storing coffee this way preserves the coffee for the longest time and will give a general shelf life of approximately 3 months.
There is a scientific rationale why coffee needs to be stored in an airtight, opaque container and that reason is that air, moisture and sunlight are detrimental to roasted coffee. A high-level overview of these three factors is discussed below.
The first factor that impacts coffee is air. When coffee is in an open container the air will dry the oils in the beans or grinds leading to a stale cup of coffee. Also, coffee acts as an odor absorber so if the beans or grinds are in an open container and are placed near agricultural produce such as an onion then the coffee will taste like an onion.
The second factor that impacts coffee is moisture. The most notorious place to store coffee is in the refrigerator or freezer where moisture is prevalent. As coffee is taken in and out of the refrigerator/freezer this will cause fluctuations in temperature to occur resulting in condensation buildup in the container. The moisture will make the coffee damp if left in the refrigerator or will result in freezer burn if left in the freezer. In either case, the coffee will become unpleasant to drink.
The final detriment to coffee is sunlight or artificial light. As roasted coffee is exposed to light for a period a chemical reaction starts to take place as the light speeds the breakdown of coffee molecules. When this happens, the coffee degrades in terms of a shortened shelf life and loss of flavor.
The Art of the Bean and Leaf hopes this blog is informative. We invite you to try our fresh roasted coffee, which we expertly roast in small batches on a weekly basis. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!