How To Keep Your Coffee Fresh

Waking up and brewing a fresh cup of coffee is truly one of the best, small pleasures, in this life! The delicious aroma while it brews, the warm and delectable taste as you hold your cup between your hands, and of course, that jolt of caffeine, all make coffee an important and beloved part of any morning ritual! But what would happen if you woke up to preform said ritual, to find your coffee was less than fresh – in fact, it might even have gone bad? We can’t think of a more devastating way to start the day! So, to prevent this terrifying possibility, we have decided to answer the age-old question of – how do you keep your coffee fresh? 

Now the absolute best way to ensure the freshest cup of coffee is to a) get coffee beans as close to the roast dates as possible, and b), grind your coffee beans immediately after cracking the seal of your bag of fresh beans/right before brewing your cup of Joe! Easy enough, except for the fact that we don’t all drink an entire pound of coffee (e.g., the usual amount of coffee in a standard size bag) in one go. So, while the first cup of coffee from your new beans can follow these steps, you are likely going to have to store the rest of your coffee beans afterward. Don’t worry though, there are ways you can store your unused coffee to help keep it as fresh as possible! 

The main things to know about effective coffee storage are to keep as much light and moisture out as possible, while also keeping your coffee in a more temperature-controlled environment. The reasoning for this is direct light can make your coffee go stale, while any moisture is easily absorbed by the beans causing them to lose flavor and eventual grow mold. Keeping your beans in a dark and airtight container in a cupboard is best. However, make sure you aren’t keeping it too close to any sort of heating elements that could cause a temperature change, such as your oven. Why? Because heat can cause your beans to lose flavor if they get too warm before brewing. Likewise, it is not recommended to store coffee in the freezer or refrigerator. Besides all the odors in the fridge which could find their way into the beans, thus affecting the natural and roasted flavors of your coffee, the temperature itself can cause your coffee to lose flavor as well. The ideal temperature in which to store coffee is about 75 degrees. 

In summation, remember coffee’s greatest enemies are air, moisture, heat, and light and try your best to take these facts into account when storing/sealing in that freshness. Only grind or remove what you intend to use at a time and choose coffee as close to the original roast date as possible.  By doing this, you ensure that you will always have the best cup of coffee possible to wake up to in the morning. 

If you’re looking for good storage options for your coffee, we suggest you check out the article “8 Best Coffee Storage Containers 2022 – Top Picks & Reviews” by Coffee Affection. 

Also, to learn more about what to do with your coffee grounds after you’ve brewed them, check out our blog “What to do with your used coffee grounds”. 

Finally, if you simply want a fresh cup of coffee prepared for you, we welcome you to stop by our Rise Café, where our coffee is always deliciously fresh, and the conversation is always good!