Storing Coffee
Storage Containers
Purchasing an airtight container is one of the best investments towards keeping your coffee fresh. Once you open your coffee, it’s best if you move it into an airtight, opaque container as soon as possible. Store your container away from heat for best results. Remember that the stove and oven as well as the refrigerator and dishwasher can all give off heat. Sunlight from a window can also heat up your container, so watch for that as well.
Freezing Coffee
There are different schools of thought regarding freezing coffee. Some say it’s fine while others say it degrades the coffee flavor. Due to the porous nature of coffee, if it is not sealed well, and is kept in a freezer for an extended amount of time, it could not only lose its mouthwatering flavor and aroma, it could also pick up undesirable flavors from the freezer. If you choose to freeze your coffee, follow these guidelines.
- Divide your coffee into the amount you will use in a week
- Put the coffee into freezer bags and remove all the air before sealing
- Make sure the bag is sealed correctly
- Put the pre-portioned bags inside a larger freezer bag and remove all the air before sealing
- Keep the coffee towards the rear of the freezer so it doesn’t thaw and refreeze
Refrigerating Coffee
It is not advised to refrigerate your coffee. The refrigerator does not hold the temperature steady enough due to how often it is opened and closed. If you must, freeze your coffee as discussed above.
More Suggestions
Whole Beans If possible, purchase your gourmet coffee in whole bean. This will help to keep your coffee fresh longer. Once ground, your coffee will lose flavor quickly. Grind your coffee just prior to brewing and only grind as much as you need for the amount of brewed coffee you are making.
Ground Beans If you can’t grind your own coffee (or don’t want to) no problem! Make sure you store your coffee properly right away since grinding the coffee allows the aroma and flavor to dissipate more quickly.
CO2 and Coffee At GourmetCoffees.com, we package your freshly roasted coffee in heat sealed, resealable, one-way valve bags. When coffee beans are roasted, they give off CO2 naturally. It takes generally 48 hours for the CO2 to dissipate meaning many other companies have to wait to package their coffee. During this time, the coffee is also losing its flavor and aroma. Our one-way valve bags mean we can package your coffee as soon as it is roasted (and ground, when applicable) sealing in the flavors and aromas while allowing the gasses to escape through the valve. This means your coffee is super fresh when you receive it.
