There are many different opinions when it comes to proper coffee storage. In this article, we explain what's really true and why it's generally better to buy coffee as whole beans.
Why is proper storage so important?
How your coffee tastes depends on many factors such as quality, origin, roast, or preparation. There are also a few things to consider when storing coffee so that it doesn't lose its flavor too quickly after roasting.
Roasted coffee is a fresh product and loses its aroma over time. Contact with oxygen leads to the oxidation of the oils, fats, and waxes contained in the coffee, causing the coffee to lose its aroma after some time and even taste rancid.
Therefore, avoid contact between coffee and its natural enemies: oxygen, moisture, heat, and light.
Whole beans, please!
It is therefore advisable to consume the coffee quickly after opening. After opening the coffee packaging, aroma loss can be prevented by optimal storage and the selection of the right coffee packaging.
Buy coffee as whole beans, because ground coffee quickly loses its aroma. That's why we recommend buying coffee as whole beans. This way, coffee can be stored more effectively without sacrificing flavor.
Pay attention to freshness
Consume your coffee beans within 4 to 6 weeks. Our recommendation for pre-ground coffee: use it within 2 weeks at best. Otherwise, most of the flavor will have already evaporated.
You should also grind your coffee fresh and only put as much into the grinder or machine as you will consume in the next few hours.
The right place
Coffee does not tolerate air, moisture, heat, and light. Make sure that your coffee packaging is well sealed and store it in a dark, dry, and cool place if possible. For example, on a kitchen shelf, in a drawer, or in the pantry – not in the refrigerator!
Pay attention to the packaging!
Your coffee packaging should have an aroma valve. The valve allows coffee gases to escape without air entering the package. Coffee releases carbon dioxide (CO2) in the first few days after roasting, so coffee should degas for a few days after roasting before it reaches you. The aroma valve on the package allows CO2 to escape, but no outside air can enter the package.
In addition, the packaging should refer to a roast date, which tells you how fresh your roasted coffee really is.
In a nutshell
Here are the most important points from this article again: Only buy as much whole bean coffee as you will consume in the next 4 – 6 weeks. Store the beans in a well-sealed package in a dark, cool, and dry place – never in the refrigerator.