The real secret behind every good cup of coffee.
The performance of your cafe will depend greatly on the product you are providing, that is coffee. Hence, you should give utmost importance to ensuring that you are able to produce the best cup of Joe. Coffee beans are the core ingredient of this delicious drink, and they should be kept as fresh as possible, to produce some amazing results.
Not paying attention to the coffee bean storage can be costly in the long run. The money you put into buying the coffee beans will go to waste if they are not kept fresh. So, investing time and financial resources in these methods is a smart idea.
To keep coffee beans in great condition, there are lots of factors that come into play, such as temperature, moisture, and location. Below is a comprehensive list, of some of the guidelines you should follow, when it comes to the storage of coffee beans. Be sure to also check out “The Best Way to Store Your Coffee Beans” for more tips after this.
Coffee Beans are Perishable Goods
As a natural product, these are not meant to last forever. Speaking on average, coffee beans generally last around a month. Moreover, if you do not take the appropriate measures, this time can be much shorter.
Buy the Right Amount
It can be tempting to buy a large number of coffee beans together, but this is not the correct approach. Coffee beans start to lose their freshness almost immediately after they are roasted. Hence, it is suitable to buy relatively smaller batches of roasted coffee, on a more frequent basis.
Moreover, exposure to air can also cause coffee beans to lose their freshness quickly. Therefore, it is better to divide the coffee beans into a handful of smaller containers, this will ensure that a minimal amount of air is present in the containers.
Need somewhere to keep your coffee fresh in the morning? Check out “5 of the Best Coffee Thermoses For Hot Coffee“.
Try to Use the Original Container
It is a well-known fact that storing the coffee beans in their original container, is the right way to go. Because coffee beans stay protected from significant exposure to sunlight, this prevents them from aging quickly.
Furthermore, when coffee beans are roasted, carbon dioxide forms inside of them and needs to be released. Most containers nowadays contain gas-release valves, allowing the carbon dioxide to escape, without exposing the coffee beans to air. Making them significantly better when compared to other containers.
Do Not Use a Freezer
Using a freezer or not to store coffee beans, is a very popular ongoing discussion, in the coffee community. Analyzing both points of views, and their arguments, we recommend you to not use a freezer.
First of all, the cool temperature of the fridge causes the coffee to condensate, which accelerates the aging process. Secondly, coffee beans have a porous structure, which makes them very receptive to absorb aromatics. So if you have something in the freezer with an unpleasant smell, such as onions or garlic, the coffee beans will most likely absorb the smell.
However, there are also some arguments that advocate for coffee beans to be stored in freezers. The core argument is that coffee beans are kept in a climate stable environment inside a freezer. But still, you should avoid thawing at all costs, if you opt to use a freezer. Check out “5 Different Types of Coffee Bag Packaging” for packaging tips for your coffee as well.
Store The Beans in a Cool Location
Yes, you should not use a freezer, but that doesn’t mean that you should store the coffee beans in a hot location. In fact, moisture, light, air, and heat all have the potential to damage them. Hence, a dark and cool location will ensure that they maintain their fresh-roasted flavor.
Prefer Whole Beans over Ground Coffee
The reason behind this is that ground coffee has a significantly larger surface area than whole beans. This makes it more prone to faster aging, because of the increased exposure to the air. If you only have whole beans, it is recommended to grind them initially before storing them. Moreover, whole beans also have more of their inherent aromatics preserved compared to ground coffee. This will lead to a livelier and sweeter cup of coffee. Check out “Coffee Beans vs Ground Coffee” to see more differences between the two.
Do Not Store Them in the Grinder Hopper
The rationale behind this proposition is that most grinders are not airtight, which can cause the beans to go stale quicker. Moreover, the beans can also cause the oil to build up inside the grinder. Different types of coffee beans can also mix inside the grinder, making an unpreferred mixture.
Keep Them Away From Sunlight
Sunlight can damage coffee beans and cause them to age quicker, so you should take measures to keep them protected. There are various ways in which you can do this. The most common way is to use an opaque container for storage, that does not allow sunlight to pass through. The opaque container should be kept in a closed cupboard. And the cupboard should be as far as possible from heat sources such as the boiler or the oven.
Water Can Make or Break Your Coffee
The temperature of the water plays a pivotal role in the coffee brewing process. Ideally speaking, the temperature of the water should be between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is optimal for maintaining the taste of the coffee beans.
If your cafe provides filter-brewed coffee, you should try to ensure that the coffee beans being used are as close to their roast date as possible. Initially, there is a lot of gas trapped in coffee beans, so it needs to be rested for one to two days after roasting. For producing Espresso coffee, the rest time can be kept longer than this.
This might sound strange, but yes, stale beans can still be used and should not be thrown out immediately. However, they should only be used to make a particular type of coffee, and that is a cold brew. Using stale beans and fresh beans produce a similar taste in cold brews.
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Thank you for reading with us today! Let us know in the comments below your techniques to keeping your coffee fresh. Be sure to also check out related coffee content like “Leadership Tips For Cafe Owners” or “How to Clean Coffee Roasting Machines Correctly“.
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