This is a question that we get asked a lot at the Roastery!
It's really important to remember that freshly roasted coffee beans are a perishable product, and the quality and taste will naturally deteriorate over time. For optimum enjoyment, it's crucial to keep the coffee as fresh as possible - here are a few tips to help!
When thinking about keeping coffee at its freshest, it's vital to consider four factors;
Oxygen
This is coffee's biggest opponent! Letting air into your coffee will quickly affect it's taste and aroma. Always keep your coffee as airtight as possible. When buying from us, all of our bags are resealable and have a handy one way valve to let gases out of the bag but not back in. Make sure that you squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag when closing and that the seal is properly shut. Alternatively, there are many different airtight storage containers which are just as good!
Moisture
Letting moisture into your stored coffee will quickly make it taste bad and could even make it mouldy. Keeping your coffee somewhere consistently cool and dry is key! Somewhere such as a cupboard away from any appliances that cause heat or steam is the ideal place.
Heat
Any substantial changes in temperature speeds up the processes that causes coffee to perish. A cool, but not cold, and consistent temperature is the best environment for your coffee.
Light
If coffee is stored in a clear container, the light exposure will quickly turn it stale. This is why it's important to keep your coffee in a bag or container that keeps out light. If your container is clear, store it somewhere nice and dark.
To summarise
Whether your coffee is whole bean or ground, it is important to keep it in an airtight container, in a cool, dry and dark place. After opening your coffee for the first time, we would recommend using it within a month to get the very best from it.
