Should Coffee Go in the Freezer? Find Out Once and For All!
The best ways to retain coffee freshness!
It’s the age-old question: Should you put coffee in the freezer?
It seems counter-intuitive but putting coffee in the freezer does the reverse of its intended goal of maintaining and prolonging freshness. Now, why is that?
Moisture content is a key variant in high-quality specialty coffee, and putting coffee in the freezer freezes said moisture. When you take the coffee out of the freezer, you lose that moisture during defrosting.
Repeating this drastic change in temperature causes more moisture to be lost from the coffee beans, resulting in them drying out and not being fresh as long.
The refrigerator is also not an ideal place to store your coffee due to the high moisture levels within it. When the moisture levels change, so does the cell structure of the coffee bean, causing it to lose its flavours and aromas!
In short, the myth that keeping coffee in the freezer or refrigerator to keep them fresh is incorrect!
Best practices to storing your coffee beans
Freshly-roasted coffee is one of the world’s most distinctive scents (and best if you ask us), so what are the best ways to retain that freshness to enjoy at home or the office?
Here are three main principles that you can follow at home or the office to keep your coffee fresh and flavourful:
- Minimize the amount of air the coffee beans are exposed to
- Limit temperature fluctuations of the coffee beans from the roasters to your home/office
- Avoid exposing the coffee beans to direct sunlight
Fresh air is great - except for when it comes to your coffee beans
Decreasing the amount of air that coffee beans are exposed to is a long-winded way to say that you should keep your coffee in a sealed container. The delicious coffee aromas will stay inside the beans and the container!
Minimizing airflow and oxygen around the coffee beans not only preserves the delicious aromas but also prevents your coffee from turning stale. Exposing a roasted coffee bean to oxygen turns the once-delicious cup of Joe into one with a stale taste.
We also advise against storing your coffee inside your coffee grinder. Most grinders aren’t air-tight and this will result in the coffee going stale quicker.
If you’re like us and like to have different roasts to choose from each morning, eliminating this tactic will make it easier and quicker to grind other beans for your morning (or afternoon) coffee.
Road Tip: Storing coffee in your grinder will also result in a build-up of oil from the coffee beans, so it is best to avoid this route if possible.
Stay out of the freezer
When a roasted coffee bean is exposed to moisture, the beans can spoil almost instantly.
As mentioned above, freezing or refrigerating your coffee will result in it losing its freshness, resulting in the opposite of the intended outcome.
Storing your beans in a room temperature area such as a cupboard or pantry will help minimize temperature fluctuations and prolong the freshness of your coffee beans.
Avoid direct sunlight
Avoid exposing your roasted coffee beans to direct sunlight. Lighting has a significant effect on coffee after it is roasted and will quickly turn stale if it is not stored in dark areas or opaque containers.
Compare this to preparing your favourite dish and having the temperature and cooking time perfected to a science. You wouldn’t want to cook it past the point of perfection!
Storage ideas to keeping your coffee fresher, longer
Airtight and out of the light
Many items you likely already have in your kitchen can be used for coffee storage!
Mason jars, sauce jars (with the lids fully screwed on), repurposed bottles or sealable plastics containers are all easy to come by and great storage containers for your coffee.
Letting the sunlight stream into your kitchen is a refreshing feeling and we encourage you to keep doing that! Simply store your coffee bean containers in a consistently dark place, a cupboard or pantry for example, or find a container that is both airtight and lightproof.
Road Coffee resealable packaging
At Road Coffee, we wanted our packaging to match the high-quality specialty coffee we provide.
We can proudly say it does.
Our packaging is designed to keep your coffee fresher longer with its UV-protected exterior and resealable zipper, allowing you to keep drinking fresh cups of coffee until your next bag.
These may seem like insignificant storage tips, but trust us. It will have an amazing effect on the freshness and flavour of your favourite Road roasts!
Author Jordan Calladine
