So you bought your fresh-roasted coffee beans at a local store or online for your brewed coffee at home. You want to know about the expiration date and you only see a “roast date” label on the coffee bag. Well, coffee is categorized as a shelf-stable product, which means, in most cases, does not go “off” that it’s spoiled. However, you should be aware that there are chemical reactions after roasting (Nicoli M, Calligaris S & Manzocco L. 2009). These reactions and physical changes are responsible for coffee staling which increases over time (faster if improperly stored) and affects the flavor or quality of your coffee. Check degassing guide here. Also, “roast date” is an indicator of coffee freshness. Coffee enthusiasts use this to know where the optimum period to get the most flavorsome of coffee.
An instant coffee, on the other hand, has a longer shelf life. Unopened instant coffee can take up to 20 years.
Okay, so the coffee does not go “off” and stales faster if not properly stored. So…
How to Store Coffee Beans?
First, we should know what makes coffee stale according to SCA and NCA: oxygen, moisture, temperature, and time. Oxidation has been implicated in the aging process, rusting in metal, and coffee staling. Reducing 0.5% oxygen in a coffee container or bag can increase shelf life. Water helps accelerate oxidative reactions. Temperature is linked to the kinetics of chemical changes that speed up the release of CO2.
With this in mind, we have an idea of what are the best tips in storing coffee beans:
- Use a coffee packaging with a one-way or degassing valve. The valve allows CO2 to steep out but prevents oxygen from going in.
- Use an airtight container.
- Nitrogen flush. Nitrogen flush removes oxygen off of the coffee packaging or container and preserves the coffee more.
- Vacuum packaging. Vacuum packaging sucks most of the oxygen off the coffee bag.
- Store your coffee beans in a dry place. Find a pantry shelf that is away from moisture.
- Store your coffee beans in a cool place. An increase of 10°C will double the degassing rate.
- Store whole beans instead of pre grounds. Pre grounds degas faster than whole beans.
Bonus Tips:
- Get the right amount. Buy only what you can consume in a month or less. Storing too long is bad since time is the enemy of freshness.
- Freeze your coffee? There are different views on this. It’s logical to cool your beans to preserve it, but consider that it also absorbs moisture, odor, and taste around it. So freeze your coffee using an airtight container.
Tell us how you store your coffee.
Information sourced from:
https://scanews.coffee/2018/04/18/preserving-freshness-race-time-25-magazine-issue-4/
http://www.ncausa.org/about-coffee/how-to-store-coffee
