How to store coffee beans

If you love coffee and enjoy making it yourself, chances are you keep coffee beans on hand to grind yourself. This is a great way to control the flavour and intensity of the coffee you brew and usually results in a fresher tasting cup of joe. No matter what kind of coffee beans you like best, storing them properly will ensure they stay fresh and always taste great.

Heat, moisture, light and air are a coffee beans biggest enemies. Therefore, you must guard them from each of these to keep your beans fresh and tasting their best. While the beans might not go bad, improperly storing them can alter their taste. So, what's the best storage solution?

The best way to store your beans is in an air-tight container kept at room temperature. Store the beans in an opaque container, as exposure to light can degrade their freshness more quickly. The best place for your container of coffee beans is in a dark, cool location. That means away from the stove or a countertop where the sun shines during the day.

While many kinds of coffee beans come in resealable packages, they won't do as good a job of keeping your coffee beans fresh. It's better to transfer them to an air-tight container. Measure out what you need for grinding and reseal the container to keep the rest of the beans fresh.

It might save you a few pennies here and there to buy your coffee beans in bulk, but it's better to buy smaller amounts so they don't go stale before you can use them. Freezing coffee beans can cause them to take on the tastes of the other foods around them, so this isn't always a good idea.

The is no argument that the best cup of coffee comes from fresh beans. Store yours properly and you'll always have the best flavour when you brew your favourite cuppa.