Good coffee beans deserve a good place to be stored. Air, light, moisture, and fluctuating temperatures make beans go stale faster. These are three common mistakes and what you can do instead.
Mistake 1: keeping your everyday beans in the fridge
Coffee beans easily absorb odors. If you take them out of the fridge, condensation can also form on the beans. That’s not good for the flavor. So the fridge isn’t ideal for beans you use every day.
Better: store your beans in a cool, dry place with a stable temperature, for example in a kitchen cupboard that isn’t next to the oven.
Mistake 2: leaving the bag open
Air, especially oxygen, is the biggest enemy of freshness. An open bag lets the aromas escape and the beans oxidize.
Better: seal the bag tightly, or put the beans in an airtight jar. Ideally, choose a jar that also keeps out light. For example, the Airscape Classic 250g or the Fellow Atmos Vacuum Canister.
Mistake 3: grinding months in advance
Ground coffee has a much larger surface area than whole beans and therefore oxidizes faster. If your coffee is already ground, it will lose its flavor more quickly.
Better: grind your beans just before brewing.
How to store your beans properly
- Cool: choose a place with a stable temperature, not next to the oven.
- Dark: keep your beans away from light.
- Airtight: seal the bag tightly or use an airtight jar.
Also buy small bags and use your beans within two to six weeks of roasting. That’s when they taste their best.
Read more
- All about storage: Storing coffee: how to keep your beans fresh for longer.
- How fine should you grind? Read How fine should I grind?
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