One of the core values in the industry of high-quality coffee is freshness. Roasters go through the challenging process of perfecting the bean’s roast level by highlighting it’s natural flavors, to later be packaged and sent directly to the café or the comfort of your home. Knowing the delicate nature of coffee, the idea of preservation and extending the aromatic experience that we’ve come to expect everyday, naturally comes to mind.
“Coffee is very delicate. Proper storage will help maintain your coffee’s freshness by preserving its flavor, aroma and character for a longer time.”
But what do we mean when we talk about coffee freshness? We can all benefit from learning a few tricks on to how to extend the shelf life of our favorite commodity because coffee is a special drink that should always be prepared to it’s upmost potential. How we store and preserve it is equally as important as how we brew it.
Shelf life : Coffee’s peak freshness
Coffee is so delicate that as soon as it is roasted it starts to loose flavor. In fact peak freshness is usually around the 4-14 day mark right after the roast date and some may even go upwards of 20 days. It’s no secret, the sooner you brew your beans the better! Even so, without proper storage you might not be getting the freshest cup possible. This is because certain natural process that take place within the coffee bean begin to rapidly occur the moment you open your coffee bag.
Oxygen and moisture in the air causes the acid within the bean to break down as well as the natural sugars and all the wonderful oils and flavor components within it. With time, the rich, flavor containing oils are sadly expelled from the bean and evaporate. This all translates to a loss of flavor with little to no aroma left as the beans are now stale.
What is one to do? You could go back in time and prevent this disaster from ever happening. You could theoretically buy your own green coffee and roast it yourself and then brew it. Thus, controlling every single aspect of freshness! Sounds great in theory, but both of these methods will prove to be far too impractical for your daily consumption, not to mention expensive. Luckily for you, we have a few solutions that are sure to help keep your coffee game on point.
“Exposure to air, heat and moisture causes the acid within the bean to break down, as well as the natural sugars resulting in a loss of flavor and aroma. ”
Store coffee away from air, moisture, heat and light
You’ll notice that all our coffee bags have been specially designed to be resealable, won’t let light in and have a two-way valve for releasing the natural gas inside the beans without letting any air in. So, if your like us and you go through coffee bags like water, then as long as you store the bag in a cool, dry place away from heat and moisture you’ll be safe!
What if you need to store your coffee for more than a few days? Once you’ve opened a bag of coffee, if you don’t plan on consuming it quickly don’t leave it in the package. Instead, it’s better to store it in an air-tight container like a sealed mason jar or canister. When doing this always remember to minimize the air space in the container as much as possible to reduce coffee oxidation.
Things to avoid when storing coffee.
It’s good to note that while it is ideal to always store your coffee beans in a cool, dry place away from light sources, the refrigerator or freezer are not the best place to do so. This is because moisture, (one of coffees worse enemies) will start to form inside the package due to the varying cold temperatures and cause the delicate flavor compounds inside the bean to oxidize. A “sour”, stale or simply “off” flavor and aroma may also develop when storing coffee in the fridge. The same goes for storing the coffee near heat sources as it will also cause the beans inside to lose flavor.
“What’s the best possible way to keep coffee fresh ? ”
Although we love to look at our precious coffee beans and their majestic roast color; a glass jar or clear container will always allow light to pass through the beans and this is something you want to avoid. This is why air-tight opaque containers are the best solution. If you store your coffee in an opaque or concealed canister, you can keep it accesible in a nearby countertop or in another convenient place of your choosing without having to worry about light or other elements from ruining your coffee.
To get the best possible protection from air, moisture, heat and sunlight we recommend our specially designed coffee canisters from Airscape. Airscape’s feature a thick ceramic container base with a brilliant patented lid designed to actively remove and lock out air to preserve and protect freshness and flavor. Store your sealed canister in a cool, dry place and you’ll be good to go!
Take out all the guesswork of extending your coffee’s freshness and spend more time enjoying the things you love, like drinking great coffee.
In Conclusion
So, what does it mean to keep coffee fresh? It means to always have your coffee stored in a cool, dry place, preferably in a solid, air tight container. Keep away from extreme or varying temperatures, and moisture to be able to savor a delicious, aromatic cup of coffee every single time!
How do you store and preserve your coffee beans to brew the freshest cup possible? Connect with us through social media, let us know in the comments and tag us with your best brew and preservation methods!
