Storing coffee
Submitted by Stuart Broz on Tue, 02/03/2009 - 6:25pm
If you love your coffee, store it properly.
Most places recommend storing whole coffee beans in an air-tight, opaque container at room temperature. This isn't a bad idea. The problem? I never seem able to find an attractive, opaque, air-tight container of the appropriate size.
So, what are the real requirements for storing coffee? To find out, we probably ought to look at the science behind coffee going stale. I generally turn to Harold McGee for initial advice about such things. According to McGee, roasted whole bean coffee will keep for weeks at room temperature and months frozen without becoming stale. Once ground, coffee will become stale in a matter of days.
Image by Refracted Moments™
Well, OK. I wasn't planning on grinding my beans until it was ready to be used anyway. The freezer, though? Most people recommend against it due to coffee's propensity to react to humidity and to absorb other scents. These things make sense, but I have had good luck with the freezer.
If you keep your coffee in the freezer, you don't have to worry about light. A zipper-lock freezer bag will keep it airtight. If you keep it sealed, use it quickly enough, and don't grind it until you use it, you won't need to worry about your coffee picking up moisture or funny odors.
This also has the added side benefit of giving you a daily peek into your freezer. Not that anyone ever forgets about what they have in there. . .
