What is the BEST
Coffee Bean Storage Method?
(or in other words:How do I treat my coffee beans?
Answer: "Gently!!" )
Freshly roasted coffee beans are a work in progress and correct coffee bean storage is important for the development of the beans.
Coffee beans are constantly de-gassing, developing, maturing, producing different flavour components and sugars… until the maturing process is complete and they start to go stale.
If you buy coffee directly from a roaster, it is a good idea to mark the roast date on the bag, so you can work out when the coffee is at its peak.
Most of the characteristics of the roast profile will be evident around 5 days after the roast, but the coffee will keep developing and get more complexity of flavour for another
2 -3 weeks, depending on the depth of the roast ( = how dark they were roasted).
While the coffee is “resting” it will produce CO2, which will, if the coffee is stored in a one-way-valve bag, blow the bag up like a balloon until the overpressure escapes through the one-way valve ( and spread all this wonderful coffee aroma through your cupboard!!).
Oxygen is the enemy of this resting process: let air come into contact with the freshly roasted coffee beans and you will have stale, flavourless, rancidly oily beans very soon.
Therefore, store your beans in an air-tight, one-way-valved bag or container, in a dark and cool spot.
Moisture is also a “no-no” for coffee beans; it too makes the beans go “off” really quick.
If you store your beans in the fridge or freezer, the simple process of taking the bag out to use some of the coffee is enough to change the air temperature in the bag, which means the warmer air will condensate against the cold beans and moisture will form.
It is much better to buy smaller amounts of beans, store them in the cupboard and finish them, instead of stocking up and refrigerating or freezing.
If you DO have to stock up because of location or transport limitations, buy directly from a roaster and use one-way-valved bags; that way the beans will be :
• Great for 2 weeks
• Good for another 2 weeks
• Average for the next 2 weeks
• Garden mulch from then on.
But at least that will give you 6 weeks to use your stash !
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