How to store coffee beans?

topher

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I personally store them in an airtight container in the cupboard. I use bee hive containers with lock down and gasket. Keep coffee away from sunlight, moisture, and air. It is also good to buy less coffee more frequently.
 

Mr.Peaberry

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Aug 7, 2013
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If they are already inside vacuum sealed bags/jars, put them in freezer; otherwise, vacuum seal them (food saver), then freezer. The key is to isolate them from oxygen and low temperature.

Freezer is good long term storage of beans...roasted and green, but not necessary for short term...less than 1 month. I go through at least 2 lbs each week between myself and my wife, who also grinds to take to work...it just doesn't sit long enough to get stale...lol! Imho, if you are having an issue with stale beans...you just aren't drinking enough coffee!
 

realtech

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Someone told me [FONT=&quot]NEVER store roasted coffee beans in a refrigerator. NEVER store coffee beans in a Freezer. Never buy ground coffee beans and never grind coffee beans until you are ready to use them. [/FONT]
 

Mr.Peaberry

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Someone told me NEVER store roasted coffee beans in a refrigerator. NEVER store coffee beans in a Freezer. Never buy ground coffee beans and never grind coffee beans until you are ready to use them.

This is "old school" advice. It is based on the misinformation about coffee that was...and still is to a large degree...prevalent. The issue at hand is the degradation that occurs in roasted coffee with repeated condensation of moisture on the beans. Technically it is NOT the freezing of coffee, or the refrigeration of coffee, but rather the warming up of the coffee back to room temperature. IF...the coffee is used once it is taken out of the freezer or refrigerator, and not put back...little harm comes to the beans, except in the case of what else might come into contact with the beans. Off tastes due to strong odors are of more concern in a refrigerator. Deep freezing coffee beans for long term storage is quite effective, but beans should not be returned to the freezer after thawing, so it is best to pack in sealed bags in a quantity for immediate or short term consumption. That's really about it. I always questioned the "tribal knowledge" concerning freezing coffee from the standpoint that if blood and genetic material can be frozen and then unfrozen, and an egg fertilized producing a "normal" human being, then what in the heck is freezing doing to coffee that is intrinsically evil???
 

mawil1013

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I already had a Food Saver vacuum system, can't do any better than it. Talk about locking in freshness! If I had more bean than I could use within 6 weeks or longer I have placed the vacuum sealed bags into the freezer. Letting the sealed bag sit on counter top over night before opening. Cold or cool beans will condense moisture from air on bean surface if not allowed to rise to room temperature.
 

friedcoffee

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Yeah, freezer is not recommended because the gases inside sometimes mix up if the container used is not a vacuum one. Also the smell of other things mix up inside.
The most proper format of storing coffee beans are vacuum sealed containers and there are special containers for that. Here are few great ones to consider!
 

shadow745

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Proper format, lmao?!? I've vacuum sealed/deep frozen whole bean coffee in Mason jars as well as FoodSaver bags and they work quite well. There is no special vacuum container that 'must' be used for optimal results. Next to home roasting, buying in bulk and vacuum sealing/deep freezing is the next best way to have great coffee at an affordable price. I use all coffees specifically for espresso and everything I've tried has been rather awesome.
 

mawil1013

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Those are good containers, but, they are designed only for short term storage of coffee that will be used daily. Often we buy too much and bean might sit two months or more. For ling term storage a better solution are the specially design plastics such as Food Saver which have multiple layers to prevent air molecules from passing either way in or out of the bag. Followed up with storage of vacuum sealed bean in a freezer. Then when the need for the frozen bean happens. Allow the bean to thaw in the refrigerator maybe two days, then allow to sit at room temperature for one. If a bag of cold bean is opened, it will quickly condense moisture on the surface of the bean.
 

shadow745

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I found wide mouth Mason jars to be superior to the FoodSaver bags/material. Used the wide mouth jar attachment for the FoodSaver and worked great. Of course the jars, lids are reusable indefinitely and don't absorb any off taste/odor.

When I needed a fresh jar I would just take it out of deep freeze, let it come up to room temp and start using it.
 

mawil1013

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I used to have a small mouth mason jar foodsaver attachment.... I only had wide mouth jars! LOL!! But yes, you can reuse mason jars over and over. I might buy a new set with both large and small mason jar opening sizes.
 
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