So you’ve invested in great beans or the perfectly-sized grounds. You’ve found fresh coffee (like Tag’s!) that has been roasted within the last week or so. But great coffee doesn’t end with the roasting process. The way you store your coffee can either preserve those flavor notes—or slowly flatten them.
So how do we protect those beans or grounds until it’s time to brew? Look, we’re not saying that coffee is like the mogwai in Gremlins (which needs to stay out of water and light to avoid turning into a monster), but we’re not NOT saying that either. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Keep it airtight.
While oxygen is great for you and me, it’s bad for coffee beans. Always store your coffee in airtight containers so that the air can’t degrade your beans. Bonus: you’ll get that fresh coffee aroma every time you open it! If you don’t have airtight storage already, we recommend the vacuum canisters from Fellow and the Airscape canisters from Planetary Design. You can also use a mason jar, or just keep your coffee sealed away in its original bag. Just press the air out before sealing it.
Keep your coffee in the dark. (Spooky!)
While we’re at it, keep your beans away from light and heat sources too. Light and heat can also cause coffee to deteriorate, so find a place where your airtight container can stay cool and in the dark, like inside a cabinet. Not that you would, but the worst case scenario would be to store coffee out in the open above your stove, for example.
Avoid the fridge.
Some people have told us they store their beans in the refrigerator to preserve them. (Maybe they think the other drinks are getting lonely?) While these folks mean well, this is actually bad for the coffee—it can introduce moisture and expose the beans or grounds to other aromas from the fridge. You can use your freezer, but it’s best for long-term storage. Only thaw what you’ll use immediately. Repeated freezing and thawing introduces condensation, and moisture is the enemy.
Grind right before brewing for best results.
If you grind your beans yourself, you have the benefit of waiting until right before you brew to take that step. So take advantage and don’t grind those delicious beans until your water and brewing method are ready. This helps keep the true flavor, natural oils and aromas of the beans locked in, and translates those traits into the finished brew.
Make sure not to scoop with wet utensils.
We’ve all done it—you give a spoon or measuring cup a quick rinse before using it. While this is fine for cooking, it’s not great for coffee brewing, as the moisture will seep into your coffee storage container and affect the beans or grounds. Like building a campsite or competing in a water balloon toss, the name of the game is staying dry.
At the end of the day, protecting your coffee isn’t that complicated. It’s about controlling air, light, heat and moisture. At Tag, we roast in small batches and package with one-way degassing valves to protect peak freshness—but how you store it at home makes the difference between good coffee and exceptional coffee. So treat your beans like the little flavor bursts they are. Keep them sealed up, tucked away and dry until it’s time to shine.
