When it comes to storing coffee properly, there are numerous options that supposedly ensure that your ground coffee or whole beans stay tasty and fresh for a particularly long time. In the fridge, in a jar, simply in a bag or in an airtight container. Everyone tells you something different. On this page, we at Wildkaffee roastery will clear up any half-knowledge once and for all and explain to you how to store your coffee properly so that it stays flavorful and tasty for a long time.
Have you just received your coffee order from our online shop and are now wondering how to store the coffee properly? Then let's start with the general information. Coffee is a natural product and should therefore be stored properly. Only when stored properly can the coffee retain its unique taste. Furthermore, the condition, i.e. whole bean or ground, also plays an essential role when it comes to storing coffee properly. The aim of storing coffee properly is to keep the beans fresh and tasty for as long as possible. We will explain how this works in detail and in an understandable way in the next sections.
Storing coffee properly - essential to preserve the taste
To ensure that your coffee stays tasty and fresh for as long as possible, it is particularly important to protect it from oxygen, light and sun. All of these factors mean that the aromas of the coffee evaporate relatively quickly. This means that it loses its unique taste and its fine aromas. But it is even worse if your coffee is exposed to moisture or heat. If coffee is stored in a damp place, it runs the risk of mold. If it is stored in too warm a place, the coffee oxidizes and the natural oils in the coffee bean become rancid. That is why storing coffee correctly is particularly important.
Odors should also be avoided
Coffee should also not be stored near spices or other odorous items. The strong smell of the spices will transfer to the coffee and also have a taste impact on the end result in your cup.
Ultimately, your coffee will no longer taste as it should and can be described as undrinkable. Particularly with strong spices, the taste is transferred to the coffee relatively quickly, which is why you should not temporarily store the beans next to such spices. This means: If you store coffee properly, please do not store it next to other things with a strong smell.
Store coffee properly - protect the beans
To ensure that your coffee stays tasty for as long as possible, there are a few things you should keep in mind when storing it. You should especially protect your coffee from oxygen. Oxygen is the main reason why coffee evaporates. The contact between oxygen and coffee, causes the coffee to lose its unique taste and fine notes. But oxygen is not the only thing responsible for this. Sunlight and foreign smells also cause your coffee to lose or change its taste.
Tip #1 - Store coffee properly
It is best to store your beans far away from foreign smells. We recommend a cupboard in which the beans are stored alone. In fact, some people keep their coffee in the fridge. We strongly advise against this, because storing it in the fridge offers no advantages. On the contrary: the fridge often contains foreign smells that are transferred to the coffee. This means that the coffee no longer tastes good. In a separate cupboard, the coffee is perfectly protected from smells and light, and you should also protect it from oxygen and direct sunlight. More on this in the next tip.
Tip #2 - Store coffee properly
To prevent your coffee fromlosing its aroma, you should protect it as well as possible from oxygen, as oxygen is the number one reason for the loss of aroma in your coffee. Our coffee packaging is equipped with an aroma protection valve and is therefore perfect for storing your coffee. Special vacuum containers, available in our accessories shop, are also suitable for supporting this. The containers are also equipped with a valve that ensures that no oxygen can get in. If you don't have your vacuum container yet, you can also store your coffee and the bag in a plastic container or something similar to protect the coffee in the meantime. The best protection, however, is provided by the vacuum container in combination with the packaging. This way, as little oxygen as possible gets to your beans.
Store ground coffee properly
What about already ground coffee? Ground coffee is much more susceptible to flavor loss than whole beans. The surface of the powder is much larger than that of the whole bean, and the oils in the coffee oxidize much faster. The flavor is lost over time. We therefore recommend that you always grind your coffee fresh. The complex flavor paired with the fine notes can develop perfectly this way. The grinders from our online shop are ideal for this. Whether high-quality hand grinders such as the Comandante C40 and the Hario Skerton, or an electric version such as the Fellow Ode, all grinders can grind the beans in no time at all for each individual preparation method.
How long can coffee be stored?
For optimal coffee enjoyment, you should use up the coffee within a certain time. Here we differentiate between whole beans and ground coffee. Whole beans retain their unique taste a little longer. If stored correctly, coffee beans retain their (optimal) taste for up to eight weeks. In practice, the beans can still be drunk after eight weeks (they can even be kept for up to a year), but you risk losing the complex aromas. Already ground coffee, on the other hand, loses its taste particularly quickly. It should be used up as quickly as possible. Ideally within 1 to 2 weeks, as the ground coffee offers a much larger "attack surface" for oxygen or light, which ensures that the complex taste and the fine notes are quickly lost. In general, we recommend always grinding the coffee fresh. If you are aiming for the best coffee taste, then buying a coffee grinder is definitely worth it.
What should you keep in mind when storing coffee?
Air, light and heat are not good for your coffee. It is best to store your beans in a cupboard that is odorless and dark. Use a vacuum container and our bag with aroma protection valve to preserve taste and freshness. Using a coffee grinder is an essential part of coffee preparation, because freshly ground coffee develops its complex taste and fine notes best. It is therefore best to grind your coffee fresh and make sure to use it up as quickly as possible, because the fresher the coffee, the better it tastes. Already ground coffee loses its taste relatively quickly, which is why it is best to use it up within 1 to 2 weeks. You should also avoid moisture and heat with your coffee, otherwise you risk your coffee becoming completely unusable. If you pay attention to all of these points, nothing will stand in the way of your optimal coffee experience.
Discover our Wildkaffee classics
-
HausespressoHausespresso
- Regular price
-
$14.00 $37.00 - Regular price
-
- Sale price
-
$14.00 $37.00 - Unit price
-
$40.00 per kg
-
Wilderer EspressoWilderer Espresso
- Regular price
-
$13.00 $34.00 - Regular price
-
- Sale price
-
$13.00 $34.00 - Unit price
-
$37.14 per kg
-
Wildsau EspressoWildsau Espresso
- Regular price
-
$14.00 $37.00 - Regular price
-
- Sale price
-
$14.00 $37.00 - Unit price
-
$40.00 per kg
-
El Salvador - Coffee School ProjectEl Salvador - Coffee School Project
- Regular price
-
$14.00 $37.00 - Regular price
-
- Sale price
-
$14.00 $37.00 - Unit price
-
$40.00 per kg