How To Store Coffee In Your Kitchen: The Best Tips & Tricks

Great coffee is the culmination of many things done correctly, starting with the growing process, roasting stage, and finishing with how you store your coffee.

Like most coffee lovers, you want to ensure that your coffee stays fresh as long as possible. The best way to store coffee is by putting it in an airtight container at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

The good news is that there are several ways to store coffee in your kitchen, and we'll show you the best tips and tricks!

Ground Vs. Whole Bean Coffee

If you’re willing to go the extra mile to keep your coffee fresh, you might as well go all-in and buy whole bean coffee.

Oxygen is one of the main factors that spoil the flavor of coffee, and the oxidation process begins when the air makes contact with it. And there is much more surface area for the air to interact with pre-ground coffee, making it spoil even faster.

Some coffee experts believe the flavor changes 20 minutes after the coffee is ground. However, this is only the case if you’ve developed a coffee palette and can taste all the nuances. Regular people like us will only notice the difference after days or weeks. 

So if you buy coffee just once a month, you’ll have power over its flavors if you get the whole bean and grind it yourself when you need it.

Use an Airtight Container

For the same reason you don’t want to buy pre-ground coffee, you’ll want to store your coffee in an airtight container to keep the beans from drying out and losing their flavor.

A variety of airtight containers on the market effectively stops oxidation while being easy to store and inexpensive to purchase, so choose one that fits your needs. You can get vacuum jars to keep your coffee fully sealed, but a regular mason jar will also work nicely.

In addition, you don’t want to leave the coffee inside the grinder on a coffee machine because it’s not airtight. Just put in the coffee as needed or make sure it’s being changed every couple of days.

The same goes for the bag the coffee comes in. A peg on the top to keep it shut isn’t enough to keep the air out, causing the coffee to go stale.

Keep Your Coffee Away from Sunlight

Sunlight is one of the factors at play when storing your coffee. So while the inside of a mason jar is perfect, you don’t want to leave it in the sun.

Coffee doesn't do well in warm or humid environments, so avoid storing it near the stove or windows. Otherwise, the oils on the coffee bean’s surface responsible for its flavor and aroma will start to evaporate. These oils are especially important when making French press or Espresso.

The ideal storage spot for coffee is a cupboard or pantry away from any heat sources. You want to ensure your airtight container fits into your kitchen cabinet, or you could get a ceramic jar that can protect your coffee on the countertop.

Should You Store Coffee in the Freezer?

Should You Freeze Coffee Beans? by James Hoffman

Freezing coffee has a few advantages over other storage methods when dealing with a large excess supply. It slows down the degradation process, meaning your coffee will stay fresher for longer. Also, frozen coffee beans help lock in flavor and aroma.

The problem with storing coffee in the freezer is that it can cause the beans to become dried out. Additionally, freezing and thawing coffee can cause condensation, which will make your coffee taste stale.

However, if you choose to store your coffee in the freezer, use a separate airtight container for each serving. You can fully defrost one container at room temperature without opening the rest and start brewing.

How Long Does Coffee Last in the Cupboard?

Coffee can sit in your cupboard fresh and delicious for about 4-6 weeks. After that, the quality starts to fade, and it will get steadily less tasty as time passes. 

But that being said, we drank some decaf whole bean coffee that’s sat in our cupboard for 6 months. It wasn’t a taste sensation but a good enough cup of joe.

As long as no moisture is introduced, it’s difficult for coffee to go moldy or spoil in terms of a best-before date. But we have seen coffee roasters with a “consume within 3 months” label on their bags, so that’s probably a good rule to stick to regarding food safety.

Conclusion

There you have it, everything you need to store your coffee like a pro. By following these tips and tricks, you will make your coffee taste fresh and delicious for a long time. 

So what are you waiting for? Brew the perfect cup of joe today! And be sure to come back and let us know how your storage methods worked out. 

Do you have any tips or tricks for storing coffee that we didn’t mention? We would love to hear from you in the comments section below.