Need Inspiration? Try Looking Up Coffee Beans Fresh
How to Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh As with a banana left on the counter for a few days, coffee beans go bad. This is due to oxidation and loss of volatile soluble flavor compounds. The good news is that you can preserve those fresh flavors for a few weeks with a few simple guidelines. Your beans' greatest enemies are moisture, air, and heat! How to Store Coffee Beans It's no secret that coffee beans break down quickly. To enjoy the best flavor of your beans, you need to store them in a proper manner. Many people are confused about how to best do this, though. Some people believe that they can simply put their beans in the fridge. This isn't the best option. The key is storing your beans in an airtight, opaque container at room temperature. This will protect your beans from the two biggest enemies: air and moisture. The air can rob beans of their fresh-roasted taste, and moisture can dilute them too. The heat can also degrade the aroma and flavor of the beans, and light (especially sunlight) can destroy their natural shine as well. In fact, keeping coffee beans in the refrigerator could be more harmful than useful. They could absorb the flavors of other food items, like cheese and onions in the refrigerator which can alter the taste of your espresso. They are also exposed by the cool air in the refrigerator to moisture and condensation. Consider storing your beans either in the container that you originally used or in a plastic bag that can be resealable. Be sure to remove all the air prior to sealing the bag and store it in a cool, dark and dry place. This method will also help the beans to last longer, however it is recommended to consume them within 72 hours of roasting. Coffee beans are stored in the Fridge Many people store their coffee beans in their refrigerators but this isn't an ideal idea. Coffee beans in the fridge absorb odors and moisture from food items and can negatively affect their flavor. The best place to store your coffee is in a dark cabinet that is sealed with an airtight, transparent container. A coffee bag that has a one-way valve will work perfectly in the fridge however if your beans didn't come in this type of packaging you'll have to transfer them to a tightly sealed and opaque container, such as a glass canister or the Coffee Gator canister mentioned above. It's important that you note that the fridge might be a bit cold for coffee, which may alter the taste. Moisture, heat, and air are the main enemies of coffee beans. To preserve the freshness of their roast, you should keep your beans in an airtight opaque (not transparent) container at room temperature. The best place to keep them is a dark, cool pantry, but cabinets or a wardrobe will also work. Storing coffee in a refrigerator can help extend the shelf life of your coffee, but it isn't recommended. It could alter the flavor of your beverage and cause them to deteriorate faster due to its cold temperature. In addition the food and beverage odors in the fridge can also harm your beans. Storing Coffee Beans in the Pantry When the seal on the packaging of the beans is broken, it is recommended to store them in a dark area at temperatures of room temperature and in an airtight container. This will help preserve the flavor, aroma and freshness of your coffee for a long time (depending on how much oxygen or heat is in contact with the beans). Storing your coffee beans in an oven or kitchen counter location that is exposed to direct sunlight could be not a good idea. These areas can become very hot and accelerate oxidation. Moisture is an important factor since beans are able to absorb moisture from the air and this can alter their natural flavors. coffee bean near me can also accelerate the process of oxidation, as beans destroy the molecular structure, which creates their distinctive aromas. Heat also strips the bean of its natural oils, which results in them losing taste. If you are able to keep your beans in a resealable one-way valve bag that they came in or in an airtight, opaque container that is similar in size, they'll be fresh for about one week. You can store them longer in the refrigerator, but be careful as they may suffer from freezer burn or absorb any food odors in the fridge.
Storing Coffee Beans in the Freezer If you are spending $20 or more on a bag of gourmet coffee beans, it is essential to know the best method of storing them. Coffee absorbs moisture, aromas and flavors therefore placing it in an opaque airtight container in a cool, dark place will help to preserve the flavor. You can also freeze your beans but be careful when doing this, you should move them into a Ziploc bag prior to freezing in order to avoid freezing burn. While freezing is not ideal it can help if you have a short period of time, or if you're on the road and want to bring along some of your favourite roast. The coffee beans that are frozen do not taste as fresh and have a less intense flavor than beans stored in the refrigerator or pantry. As you can see it's best to use your beans in a lickety-split fashion, but sometimes we simply don't have the luxury. Making sure that your coffee beans are stored properly can extend their shelf-life by three times if you're using them in a cool dark place in an airtight opaque container. You may be surprised at how much better the coffee will taste when contrasted with beans that had gone to rot in the freezer or fridge.