Coffee: Who Told You To Put It In The Freezer?

With coffee prices on the rise, caffeine-loving foodies are savoring their favorite cups of joe, right down to the last drop. Who could blame them? But whether it is whole bean, ground, regular, flavored or even decaffeinated, the coffee should be appropriately stored between brewing in order to retain freshness. While some java aficionados insist on stowing their coffee in the freezer, others say the refrigerator is a better place. Plain and simple, they are both wrong. The colder temperatures will speed up the drying of essential flavor oils in the beans, ground or not. Cool is good, not cold. But there is more to this delicious story.

No matter if you buy your coffee in the supermarket or direct from a roaster, storage is essential to maintaining taste, even for short periods of time. According to the National Coffee Association, an “air-tight container at room temperature” serves this purpose well. Much like olive oil, the container should not be transparent, because light will adversely change the quality of the coffee. So does heat and humidity. As far as where the coffee container should be kept, the back of a dim closet or pantry, away from the stove, sink and other plumbing is a good location. If you have not already done so, ground or whole bean, go the extra mile and properly store your coffee. Just don’t use the freezer or refrigerator. After all, you deserve it.

Photos and video – own work.