While I am typically not particularly picky when it comes to food or drink. However, when coffee is concerned, I am pretty darn selective (my coffee addiction has been well-documented here, here and here). I love coffee, and don't have a whole lot of tolerance for weak, burnt or stale coffee. However, even I sometimes get tangled in the "how to store you coffee bean" debate. For years I fell firmly in the camp that believed that coffee should live in the freezer. But then I read somewhere that it was best to keep it at room temperature and so I begrudgingly switched. These days I keep my coffee out on the counter, in large part because I go through it fast enough that I don't worry about the oils in the beans going bad.
Over at the Unclutterer, Erin has put together a helpful guide with tips on how best to store coffee. According to her research, my storage technique seems to be okay (room temperature is acceptable, as is the freezer for beans that you want to keep for the long term). She does stress that coffee beans should not be stored in the fridge, as it is far too moist in there.
How do you guys store your coffee beans? Fridge, freezer, room temperature or some combination?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-18-2008 @ 12:23PM
slashfood_com said...
She hit the nail on the head - the freezer is evil. Open the freezer door and watch the frosty haze form on stuff. That's moisture condensing on the surface of anything cold (the same as a cold glass of water "sweating" on a summer day). Open a container of coffee, and suddenly it has the same moisture forming all over the surface of the beans (or worse, grounds). So you're basically brewing your coffee a little bit every time you open the door.
Unopened airtight containers might work, but storing your day-to-day stash there is a bad idea.
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1-18-2008 @ 1:17PM
Allison said...
Add me to the picky list. I only drink one cup of coffee a day so I want it to be magnificent. Last Christmas I got a Coffee Bean Vac that I would put on "one of my favorite kitchen items" list. It's a black and chrome canister that holds a bit over a pound of beans (or ground coffee). When you close the switch, a vacuum is created (battery required). When you open it back up there is such a satisfying hiss and full aroma floats out. Just like using a vacuum sealer for good wine, this keeps air away from your coffee beans that stays in a simple canister each time you open it.
Not too big a footprint so it fits in most kitchen spaces or cupboard or on top of your fridge or wherever it's convenient. A quick Google check found it at Target online, and on sale online at Sur La Table, and I'm sure there's more. $40 or less.
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1-18-2008 @ 1:24PM
Nick Cho said...
The freezer is NOT evil!
Best bean practices:
- Buy only FRESH coffee! More than two weeks off of roast, and you're missing out on some great flavor.
- Try to buy only as much coffee as you're gonna use in one week.
- Storing in a airtight (and smallish) container is good.
- For longer-term storage, the freezer is okay, but only this way: put it in the deep part of the freezer, and it can only go in-and-out ONCE. If you want, you can split the coffee bag into smaller air-tight containers or baggies of coffee and throw those in, and pull them out one at a time as needed.
- Make sure your coffee is back to room-temp before grinding and brewing.
- Buy as expensive and high-quality a grinder as you can afford. A $200 grinder and a $20 brewer will give you a 100x (not exaggerating) better brew than a $200 brewer and a $20 grinder.
Marisa, you meant "She does stress that coffee beans should not be stored in the fridge, as it is far too moist in there." right?
- disclaimer... I'm a coffee professional, so I might be lying!
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1-18-2008 @ 5:10PM
chaosotter said...
Whatever produces a cup of coffee you like to drink is entirely sufficient for a sane and rational person.
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1-18-2008 @ 7:46PM
David Lynch said...
i'm pretty picky as well - even have taken it to the "i roast my own" extreme.... i don't have time to roast as often as i'd like, so for the everyday beans i have a relatively airtight canister that i keep in the cupboard. the coffee bean vac sounds like a perfect addition to my countertop, so many tanks to Allison for the tip.
the batches i roast (very small - ~150g) don't last very long, but get stored in a similar way. room temperature, dark and as airtight as possible.
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1-18-2008 @ 7:58PM
Bob S. said...
I wish I lived in Nick's world, but I make a cup or two on days I have off, so the minimum 12 oz. package I get from Metropolis here in Chicago's going to have to last me many months. (And after extended consultations with Metropolis' sellers, I've found that my favorite blend actually tastes best to me when it's brewed slightly weakly, thus extending its shelf life.) I leave the beans in the vacuum bag they're sold in and store it in a kitchen cabinet.
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2-01-2008 @ 12:13PM
Christine said...
The freezer is definitely evil! Freezing your coffee beans just causes the beans to go into shock. Since I buy so much coffee (and we go through it so fast) I store it in an airtight container. Also I just got the handi-vac at the supermarket (it cost me about $9.00 plus the bags). So now when I get my coffee I store the one that I am using in an airtight container and handi-vac the rest. Cheaper then buying a food saver and the coffee stays fresh! Also, to let you know I just saw a coupon for coffee on www.gojavago.com, buy 2 lbs of Berardi's coffee and get the 3rd free. I hit the jackpot and I am stocking up. Also, they had a really great price on coffee syrups!
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