Best Way to Store Coffee

While coffee technically does not go bad in the sense that it won’t make you physically ill, stale coffee is something you want to avoid. Coffee is shelf stable when stored properly and can retain its quality for several months. If coffee sits too long, the beans deteriorate and lose their flavor.There are some tricks to keep your Veteran Roasters at its best.

Like any modern hero, coffee has a few villains out to get it: air, light, moisture, and heat. Exposure to direct light and humidity spoils the coffee beans and steals the flavor.

To avoid these dastardly conditions, seal your coffee in an airtight container, and store it in a cool dark cabinet – not the freezer or fridge – coffee is porous and absorbs aromas lingering around it.

Fresh coffee, once frozen, never tastes the same. If you absolutely must freeze it, make sure it’s in an opaque, vacuum-sealed vessel, and thaw it to room temp before using.

Storing in the refrigerator causes coffee beans to age faster as the conditions cause the beans to condensate and pushes the flavorful oils of the coffee toward the surface.

Whole bean coffee stores longest and best and will deliver optimum freshness. When you grind the beans, keep the amount to just what you need at that time. If you purchase ground coffee, it will be best within a month and should be used within two weeks of opening the bag.  

Once brewed, your Cup O’ Joe can be kept at room temp for up to twelve hours, or stored three to four days in the fridge if you want to chill your coffee.

For best results, don’t buy more than you can use within a few weeks. Subscribe to your favorite Veteran Roasters brew – you’ll save 10% and we’ll stock your pantry with our delicious, freshly-roasted small batch coffee.