What is the proper way to store coffee?

Question

I want to start drinking fresh organic coffee, and I read somewhere that it should be stored in a cool, dark place...but not in the refridgerator because the coffee will absorb the smells of other food. Any help?

Answer 1

I always store it in the frezzer because it stays fresh longer. Make sure to keep it in an air tight container though.

Answer 2

Coffee has four enemies: moisture, air, aromas/odors and heat. It is important to keep coffee in an airtight glass/plastic/metal container out of direct sunlight or incandescent light. Avoid aluminum because it will transfer a metallic flavor to your coffee.

It is very important that the container you choose is washed thoroughly on a regular basis (with a light detergent and water). The oils from the beans will transfer onto any surface and will go rancid over time. I recommend washing the container each time you go to refill it with fresh coffee.

Many people store coffee in the refrigerator or freezer, although there is no proof that it will keep the product fresher than at room temperature. I do not recommend this as it will allow condensation to form on the coffee which accelerates the staling process.

As a rule you should only purchase enough gourmet coffee beans to last no more than a month. I recommend purchasing beans and grinding them fresh, just before you brew, to ensure that you are getting the best possible cup of coffee. However, if you choose to grind your gourmet coffee in larger quatities,  you should only grind enough to be used within a couple days of being ground.

If you buy both regular and flavored coffees, be sure to keep your containers clearly marked. Placing a regular coffee in a container that previously contained a flavored coffee could result in the transferring of the flavor and contamination of the regular coffee.

Always keep coffee out of direct sunlight. Exposing the beans to heat will allow the natural oils in the coffee to go rancid (especially if they are dark roasts which have a considerable amount of oil on the surface). Choose a cool place to store your coffee.  In the pantry is usually just fine.

Answer 3

Store whole beans in glass, in a bottom cabinet, it's cooler in that location.  MotherEarth.com sells organic and it's roasted when you order, it has been the most reliable for me so far.

Answer 4

The best way to store it is in a closed container in the refrigerator. Bean coffee will of course keep better than ground coffee. You should not store it longer than 3 or 4 weeks.

The best tasting coffee is coffee that has been roasted within the last three weeks, and ground just before brewing. To get this, I order it directly from the roaster. Of the many roasters out there, I consistently get the best coffee from Don Francisco.

Answer 5

The refrigerator.

Answer 6

Light, moisture and temperature changes are the enemies of coffee.  Therefore, storing it in the fridge exposes it to all 3 when you open the door.  If you store some in the freezer (not recommended) - don't put it back in there once you've taken it out.

I store my beans in the back of an interior cabinet - so it doesn't get the temperature variations in summer and winter as a cabinet on the outside wall would.

Answer 7

I keep mine in the freezer, it keeps just fine.

Answer 8

mason jars in the cupboard or kitchen closet is fine.

Make sure you buy the whole bean and grind just before brewing.

If you buy  ground coffee you lose some of the quality of the bean.

Answer 9

fridge is good