How to store coffee beans: opened bags, 1 kg bags and the fridge question

Roasted coffee starts losing aroma from the day it is roasted, but good storage keeps it tasting good for weeks. Here are the simple rules that work at home and in a café.

The four enemies of coffee

• Air: oxygen breaks down the oils and aroma compounds, so the coffee smells and tastes flatter.
• Light: sunlight and bright light speed up staling, so clear jars on an open shelf are not ideal.
• Heat: keep beans away from the stove, the espresso machine and sunny windows.
• Moisture: beans easily absorb moisture and nearby smells.

Keep it whole, grind before brewing

Ground coffee exposes far more surface to air, so it loses aroma much faster. Buy whole beans when you can and grind only what you need for each brew.

Choosing a container

• An opaque, airtight container: a ceramic jar, a metal tin or a vacuum canister.
• If your coffee bag has a zip seal, you can keep the beans in it. Press out as much air as possible each time.
• Match the container size to the amount of coffee, since less empty space means less air.
• Store it somewhere cool, dry and dark, such as a cupboard away from the stove.

Should coffee go in the fridge?

For coffee you use every day, the main fridge compartment is not recommended. Each time you take it out, moisture condenses on the beans, and they can pick up food odours.

The freezer works for keeping coffee several weeks. Split it into small airtight portions, take out one at a time, let it reach room temperature before opening, and don't put it back in the freezer.

Splitting a 1 kg bag

Big bags are better value, but if you open a whole kilo and scoop from it for weeks, the last of the coffee sits exposed to air the longest. Instead:

• When you open the bag, divide the beans into several small airtight containers, each about a week's worth.
• Open one at a time and keep the rest somewhere cool and dark, or in the freezer for longer storage.
• Write the opening date on each container so you use the oldest first.
• For cafés, order what you will use within 2–3 weeks for consistent flavour.

Signs your coffee is going stale

• Noticeably weaker aroma when you open the container or grind.
• Less bloom when you first pour water over drip coffee.
• Thinner crema and faster espresso shots with the same recipe.
• A flat taste with less sweetness and aroma than before.

Doi Chang coffee from PRODCHONG

PRODCHONG offers three Doi Chang coffees in medium or dark roast, in 250 g bags for home and 1 kg bags for regular drinkers and cafés. See them on the Doi Chang coffee page, or ask about wholesale prices for regular larger orders.