The Basic Do's & Don't's of Storage

I will keep this one short and sweet!

This may seem like a basic topic but the way you store your coffee should NOT be underestimated! It may influence your machines and will certainly impact flavour. So without fluffing around, here are my go-to tips to preserve your coffee beans:

DO’S & DON’T’S

• DON’T leave your coffee beans in the sun – it will go stale like bread
• DO keep your coffee away from the light

• DON’T leave your coffee beans open to the air – again, like bread, they will go stale faster
• DO keep your coffee in a sealed bag or container. Your best option is a foil bag with the air vacuum often used and provided by the barista

• DON’T keep your beans in an oven! Heat kills the flavour!
• DO keep your beans somewhere cool. BUT;
• DON’T (just don’t!) put your beans in the fridge! Don’t do it! It doesn’t preserve them, it only adds moisture to the beans, which kills the flavour and ruins your grinder’s blades. Similarly, with freezing, unless you have a blast freezer that freezes the beans so fast moisture can’t get in – don’t do it.

In summary – the best way to store your coffee beans is in a

Dark, dry, cool place sealed from the air

Additionally, on preserving flavour, try to keep your coffee as whole beans and grind what you need to order. This preserves the freshness and intensity of flavour in the coffee longer. Obviously we understand that this is not possible or practical for everybody, but it is certainly something to consider if you are an avid home brewer – a grinder (even a hand grinder) may be a good investment.