How to store roasted coffee
Why deal with coffee storage
It's true that coffee beans can last for up to a year. In that time, they usually don't spoil to the point of being unusable or unhealthy. At the same time, will lose freshness and thus the quality of the flavor and aroma. This is a crucial reason to learn about proper coffee storage practices. Once you buy a packet of fresh choice coffee, you want its divine flavors and aroma to last until you consume it all.
The most common problems with roasted coffee storage are:
- air access
- increased humidity
- exposure to light and heat
How to store coffee beans
From the problematic points in coffee storage described above, it is easy to get an idea of the ideal storage conditions. So let's summarise. For proper effective storage of coffee beans, you need to create an environment that
- airtight,
- providing protection against moisture, light and heat.
From this, we think the best option is to enclose the coffee in an airtight container, preferably a vacuum jar. If it is transparent, thenstore it in a dark place, such as a cupboard at room temperature.
2 ways to store coffee beans
Original coffee packaging made of impermeable material and resealable with a zipper.
This is also how we package coffee in our roastery. The packages are made of durable yet fully recyclable material. It protects the beans from moisture and light. It is also equipped with a one-way valve, which gives the CO2 a chance to leave the coffee packet, while at the same time protecting the coffee from oxygen and the effects of oxidation when the sealing zipper of the bag is closed.
Vacuum or well-sealed closable coffee canister
Leaving the coffee in our packaging is therefore an absolutely excellent idea. If you need to provide another way to store your coffee, then choose a coffee canister. One that has a sealable lid, or better yet, a vacuum canister. In terms of light protection, then choose opaque coffee jars, or perhaps glass jars that you store in a cabinet.
How to store ground coffee?
So far, we've been talking about roasted coffee beans. But can ground coffee be stored and how? Of course, you can also store ground coffee, but strongly advise against this. If you are thinking about storing already ground coffee for a long time, then you haven't come across the well-known dictum - the rule of fifteen:
15 months after picking, 15 days after roasting, 15 minutes after grinding
This golden rule means that green coffee - that is, coffee beans in their unroasted state - will last up to 15 months after processing on a coffee farm. Once roasted, coffee is much more prone to quality loss. Therefore, the ideal time to consume coffee is about 15 days. Finally, there is 15 minutes, the time after which a significantly large percentage of the aromatic compounds have left the ground coffee.
- We can optimize the first period of time at the roasting plant. We buy freshly picked coffee from tried and tested suppliers.
- The middle limit of freshness of the roasted coffee beans can be influenced by you by consistently sealing our coffee packages or by using suitable coffeejars. This way you canextend the good quality of your coffee from 15 days to up tothree months.
- But, if you grind the coffee, you only have 15 minutes to enjoy it as much as possible. It follows that storing ground coffee is quite disadvantageous.
How much coffee to store at home?
The ideal is not to store, but to keep only a small amount of coffee. Suppose your consumption is 500 g of coffee per month. The optimal solution would be to buy a half-pound packet of roasted beans and order more just before you get it.
Our aim is not to leave you without good and fresh coffee, so we pride ourselves on sending out orders quickly.Traditionally, coffeewill arrive to you from us two days after you order. Even more efficient is to get our ???? coffee subscription.We send you coffeeregularly ourselves, without the need to reorder every month. And as a subscriber, you'll save even more.
When storing coffee by freezing, it also depends on what kind of coffee you want to store. According to this study from the University of Pennsylvania, differences in the taste and aroma of coffee stored at freezing, room temperature and fresh areless for lighter roast coffees. According to the research, darker roasting resulted in more pronounced differences in flavour loss.
Coffee jar in 4 variants
Coffee trays can vary in processing technology and material. Of course, the most important thing is the choice of a container with an active or passive seal. That is to say, whether you want a coffee can that does not let air in or a vacuum can with an air removal system throughout its entire volume.
Vacuum coffee containers
These are jars with a sophisticated solution for extracting air from the container. A typical example is the coffee jars from Fellow. By simply turning the lid of the jar back and forth, the air inside the jar is removed.
Airtight coffee containers
Coffee jars that reduce the oxidation effect of coffee by preventing weathering. Their lid fits tightly onto the container thanks to the sealing material. No additional air can reach the roasted coffee inside.
Glass coffee jars
Coffee storage containers through which you can see how many cups you still have beans for. Clear glass coffee jars are best kept out of direct sunlight. Ideally, they should be placed in a lockable cabinet.
Ceramic coffee jars
These beauties are both a practical and traditional way to store coffee. They may remind you a little of the ceramic food storage containers our grandmothers had in the kitchen. But of course, they have a perfectly sealing lid to make sure the coffee lasts until you drink it.