How to Store Your Coffee

So you’ve found your favorite coffee bean (maybe it’s our Kenya Washed process) and you want to know how to keep your coffee fresh for as long as possible. You might think that keeping them in the bag you bought them in is best, but even these bags (once the seal is broken) offer marginal freshness. In order to extend the life of your beans, you’ll want to consider the following four factors anytime you store beans: sunlight, oxygen, temperature, and humidity. Each of these factors “age” the beans and, if gone unchecked, can lead to a stale or rancid cup of coffee.

 Since no one likes a rancid cup of coffee, we’d like to pass on some ways you can store your beans safely for maximum freshness.

First, don’t pre-grind your coffee. A lot of store-bought coffee comes pre-ground, but the moment you grind coffee you increase the rate of oxidation and that’s part of what makes a cup taste stale. If you don’t own a grinder, start small and invest in an inexpensive one. You’ll be amazed at how fresh a cup of a coffee can taste. If you do get your coffee pre-ground, even from us, make sure to use it as quickly as possible.

Second, pick a great, air-tight container. The reasons are the same here. We want to keep oxygen away from the beans. So use a clamp-lid jar or a glass jar for best results.

Third, it’s important to keep the beans in a dark, cool environment. Don’t store near a window. If you’re going to keep your beans for a while, then consider storing them in a refrigerator. Just remember that coffee has the tendency to take on the flavors of the things around it! Of course, you can freeze beans as well. But remember, after frozen beans lose flavor quickly. So you can’t continually re-freeze beans. If you buy beans in bulk then freeze them in tiny bags and take out what you need for a few days at a time.

 Overall, remember that your coffee should always be sealed and put away in a cool, dark place.

 Thanks for reading, and we can’t wait to see you at Regent Coffee!