How to Store Coffee Beans Right For The Freshest Coffee

Your coffee's freshness starts with the beans. Whether you prefer to grind your own or purchase them ready to brew, how you store your beans will have an enormous impact on the taste and flavor of every cup. Regardless of whether you're roasting your own beans, making cold brew, or making coffee with an espresso machine, these storage tips are important to ensure optimum freshness for your coffees. There are several factors of optimal coffee storage that you'll want to keep in mind as you cultivate the perfect storage method for keeping your fresh roasted coffee beans fresh for as long as possible.

The major elements to consider are moisture, light, temperature and air. When you strike the perfect balance among all four, you'll have a coffee bean storage solution that makes every cup a great tasting coffee.

The greatest debate seems to be between whether you should store coffee in the pantry or freezer. While a refrigerator is known to keep things fresh for long periods, it might not provide adequate temperature and ventilation for the best roast.

The pantry has limited light and a stable temperature in most cases, but depending on your home, the moisture could be off, negatively impacting the aroma and flavor of the beans. Personally, we opt for an airtight coffee canister.

How To Store Coffee Beans

The environment has the greatest impact on the freshness and quality of your coffee beans. From the moment you open your coffee bags, air exposure begins to impact the coffee flavour. If you don't keep your coffee protected from too much oxygen exposure, carbon dioxide will slowly deteriorate their quality. When coffee bean oils come into contact with air, the oils become rancid and the flavour is affected.

Storing coffee beans in products like an airtight canister allows you to limit the exposure of oxygen as well as prevent condensation from moisture. Temperature fluctuations outside won't impact your beans as much when they're properly sealed, so you can enjoy freshly roasted coffee every day, no matter what the room temperature may be.

The best thing to do is divvy up your coffee into a daily-use coffee container and a airtight canister for preservation. The larger canister can be kept shelved in a pantry with these storage conditions: little to no light, heat and practically zero moisture. The drier and darker, the better for storing coffee. Although some sources say that the fridge or freezer is actually the best way to store your coffee beans, the risk of deterioration from moisture, heat and temperature fluctuations is much higher in these scenarios.

As a last resort, you should only freeze coffee beans for up to a month in an air-tight plastic bag. Paper bags as a container are not effective for optimal quality as they allow for too much air flow and cause freezer burn.

How Long Do Coffee Beans Last In The Bag Once Opened?

Quality beans will last a maximum of two weeks once opened. Ground coffee that's sealed in a canister can last for well up to a month. Sealed beans that are still in their original packaging should keep for between six to nine months from their original roast date; when they're unground and unopened, they're able to maintain their compounds better and stay fresh even as time passes.

Storing coffee beans in a canister will guarantee freshness and maximize the overall quality of the roast. Make sure to keep your beans completely airtight and out of any well-lit areas. It's pantry or bust in this case, unless you plan on freezing ground coffee for a little while.

Should You Vacuum Seal Coffee Beans?

If you're going to store your coffee beans properly at home, then vacuum sealing plastic bags will help preserve their quality. This can be a bit of a hassle for some though, which is why we suggest making the process as easy as possible and using an airtight coffee canister.

Can You Store Coffee In The Fridge Or Freezer?

In an airtight bag, ground coffee can last for up to a month in the freezer, but two weeks will typically be the max that any good coffee stays fresh in the fridge. While you certainly can put it there with the right materials, it's better to opt for the right storage devices and the pantry instead.

Should I Store Coffee Beans In The Fridge?

Despite the fact many people swear by keeping their beans in the fridge, you should only place yours there if there's some reason why your pantry is not a suitable spot. Dampness from refrigeration and exposure to aromas from other foods being stored in close quarters can negatively impact the quality of your roast.

To avoid ever having to go the fridge route, you can buy smaller amounts of fresh roasts that are meant to last between five to 14 days. If you buy your coffee pre-ground, then smaller portions are even more important due to their increased susceptibility to oxygen exposure. If you like to grind your own coffee beans, then leave them whole until you're about to brew a cup. The fresher the grind, the better flavour you'll get.

Can You Freeze Coffee Beans To Keep Them Fresh?

Once the seal on your coffee beans' original packaging is broken, the clock is ticking. Quality will gradually decrease over the next two weeks, but your favorite blend can lose all its flavor even faster if it isn't stored properly. The freezer might be a dark space, but it is also filled with other food items that can permeate your roast. Coffee beans absorb aromas and flavours around them, so without an airtight container, the taste and quality will rapidly go down if they are refrigerated or frozen.

What Is The Best Container To Store Coffee?

Our Fellow Atmos vaccum coffee canister is designed specifically to preserve your beans, but we also have other canisters designed to give you greater flexibility with size and design.

The Hario coffee bean canister comes in two sizes that can store between 200 to 300 g of fresh coffee. The sleek Hario glass is accentuated with a simple black lid and lever that always looks sleek and keeps your whole beans fresh. The Friis Coffee Vault is uniquely built to continually vent excess carbon dioxide from your beans and keep your beans tasting their best for as long as possible.

Buying different canisters to suit your needs and preferences is also suitable and recommended in most cases. Depending on the type of coffee you like, how frequently you use it and whether you buy in bulk, a vacuum canister is optimal for everyday use while a larger vault model can be used to store your supply over time. See Barista Warehouse's range for more coffee gear and get your coffee accessories shipped to anywhere in Australia!