How to best store coffee – a guide for fresh coffee beans
Great coffee begins with great coffee beans, but even freshly roasted coffee changes after roasting. When coffee is exposed to air, moisture, and heat, among other things, it gradually loses some of the aroma and flavor you want in your cup.
Fortunately, storing coffee correctly doesn't have to be complicated.
The most important thing is to store the coffee tightly sealed, dry, cool, and protected from direct light – and preferably as whole coffee beans until you are ready to brew.
Here is our guide on how to best store coffee at home.
The 5 most important rules for coffee storage
If you only want to know the essentials, follow these five tips:
- Protect the coffee from air
- Store it in a dry place
- Avoid heat and large temperature fluctuations
- Protect it from direct sunlight
- Preferably store the coffee as whole beans and grind just before brewing
You don't necessarily need to buy a special coffee canister. A good, resealable coffee bag can be an excellent solution, especially if you use the coffee relatively quickly.
If you would like a permanent container for your coffee beans, you can see our selection of coffee storage, coffee tins, and coffee canisters.
Why does coffee lose its freshness?
Roasted coffee beans contain a wide range of aromatic compounds that contribute to the coffee's scent and flavor.
After roasting, the coffee naturally begins to evolve. At the same time, the roasted beans release carbon dioxide, while contact with the environment gradually affects the coffee's aroma.
In particular, oxygen, moisture, and high temperatures can accelerate the processes that cause coffee to lose its freshness.
Therefore, good coffee storage is not about stopping time. That is impossible.
It is about creating good conditions so that the coffee is affected as little as possible until you are ready to use it.
Should coffee beans be stored airtight?
Yes, as much as practically possible.
Once a bag of coffee is opened, the beans come into contact with fresh air every time the bag is opened. Therefore, it is an advantage to close the bag properly after use or use a suitable coffee canister.
A regular airtight coffee tin limits the exchange with the environment, but there will still be air inside the container itself.
Some coffee storage systems therefore also attempt to reduce the amount of air surrounding the beans.
An example is Airscape coffee canisters, where a movable inner lid is pressed down against the coffee, pushing excess air out through a valve.
Another solution is a MiiR coffee canister, which also features an adjustable inner lid that reduces the air volume around the coffee.
However, a special coffee canister is not a requirement for making good coffee. If you have a good resealable bag that is stored correctly, it can work perfectly well for your daily coffee.
Should coffee be stored in the dark?
Direct sunlight and heat are poor storage conditions for coffee.
Therefore, a kitchen cupboard or an opaque coffee canister is often a better place than, for example, a transparent glass container on a sunny windowsill.
If you have coffee beans in a transparent container, it is beneficial to place it inside a cupboard rather than out in direct light.
The most important factor is therefore not necessarily the material of the container, but where and how the coffee is stored.
Where should coffee be kept in the kitchen?
A dry kitchen cupboard at normal room temperature is generally a good choice.
Try to avoid places:
- right next to the oven
- on top of a hot coffee machine
- in direct sunlight
- close to other powerful heat sources
- where moisture or large temperature fluctuations often occur
The beautiful jar of coffee beans by the window may look nice, but it is not necessarily the best place for the coffee.
Whole coffee beans or ground coffee – which keeps best?
If you have the option, we recommend storing the coffee as whole coffee beans and only grinding the portion you need immediately before brewing.
When coffee is ground, a much larger part of the coffee's surface is exposed to the environment. This means that ground coffee generally evolves faster than whole beans.
A coffee grinder therefore not only provides the opportunity to adjust the grind size according to the brewing method; it also makes it possible to grind the coffee fresh from brew to brew.
If you buy pre-ground coffee, the same basic principles apply: Close the packaging tightly after use and store the coffee in a dry, cool, and dark place.
Can coffee be stored in the original bag?
Yes.
A good coffee bag with an effective seal can be a very fine solution for standard home use.
If you drink a bag of coffee relatively quickly, there is not necessarily any reason to pour the coffee into another container.
A coffee tin or coffee canister becomes particularly interesting if you:
- would like a permanent container for your coffee
- often have an opened bag sitting for a long time
- want better protection from light
- want to reduce the air volume around the beans
- prefer a more robust and reusable storage solution
Therefore, the most important thing is not whether the container says Airscape, MiiR, or something else entirely. The most important thing is that the storage suits your coffee consumption.
Should coffee be stored in the refrigerator?
For the coffee you use regularly, we would normally choose a dry and cool kitchen cupboard rather than the refrigerator.
Coffee can absorb both moisture and foreign aromas from its surroundings, and when a cold container is taken in and out of the refrigerator, the temperature difference can also cause problems with condensation.
Therefore, the refrigerator is not necessarily the easy shortcut to fresher coffee that one might think.
For daily use, a well-sealed container or bag at a stable room temperature is usually the simplest solution.
Can you freeze coffee beans?
Yes. Freezing can be relevant if you need to store coffee beans for a longer period than you would normally keep an open bag.
However, it is important to do it correctly.
If you want to freeze coffee, we recommend:
dividing the coffee into smaller portions so that you are not constantly taking the same package in and out of the freezer.
Pack the coffee as airtight as practically possible and avoid repeated temperature changes where condensation can form around the beans.
For a regular bag of coffee that is consumed over a relatively short period, the freezer is rarely necessary.
How long do coffee beans stay fresh?
There is no exact number of days after which coffee suddenly goes from fresh to bad.
Coffee changes gradually.
How quickly you experience the difference depends, among other things, on:
- the coffee
- the degree of roasting
- the packaging
- how long the bag has been open
- the temperature
- the storage
- whether the coffee is whole or ground
- how sensitive you are to changes in taste and aroma
Therefore, we prefer to focus on freshness and flavor quality rather than an artificial date when coffee is supposed to be "too old".
At Brændeholm Risteri, we roast coffee several times a week. Once the coffee has arrived at your home, proper storage can help take good care of it until the next brew.
See our selection of freshly roasted coffee beans.
Which coffee canister should I choose?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
The original coffee bag
A good choice if you use the coffee relatively quickly and the bag can be closed properly.
Pros: Simple, takes up little space, and does not require extra equipment.
A regular airtight coffee tin
A good choice if you would like a permanent and robust container for your coffee beans.
Try to choose an opaque container or place it in a dark cupboard.
Airscape
Airscape is interesting if you not only want to seal the container but also want to reduce the amount of air surrounding the beans.
The movable inner lid is placed directly over the coffee and pressed down as you use the beans.
See Airscape coffee canisters here.
MiiR
MiiR is also a solution with a movable inner lid and a robust stainless steel container.
See MiiR coffee canisters here.
If you are in doubt, you don't need to make coffee storage more advanced than it is. Buy coffee in an amount you will actually drink, seal it well after use, and store it away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
The most common mistakes in coffee storage
Even good coffee can have poor working conditions in the kitchen.
In particular, avoid:
- leaving the bag open after use
- storing the coffee in direct sunlight
- placing it close to the oven or other heat sources
- storing ground coffee for unnecessarily long periods
- pouring beans into a large container with a lot of empty air space if they are to be stored for a long time
- taking the same coffee in and out of the freezer repeatedly
Small changes in your habits are often more important than buying the most expensive storage system.
Our recommendation for coffee storage
For standard home use, we would keep it simple:
Buy freshly roasted coffee beans in an amount that suits your consumption. Store them in a well-sealed bag or coffee canister in a dry, dark, and cool cupboard. Keep the coffee as whole beans and only grind the amount you need.
If you want to go a step further, a coffee canister with an adjustable inner lid can be a practical way to reduce the empty air around the coffee as you use the beans.
You can find our full selection of coffee storage here.
Frequently asked questions about coffee storage
How do you best store coffee beans?
Store coffee beans tightly sealed, in a dry place, at a stable and relatively cool temperature, and away from direct sunlight. Preferably keep them as whole beans and only grind immediately before brewing.
Should coffee beans be stored airtight?
It is an advantage to limit the coffee's contact with fresh air. A well-sealed coffee bag or a suitable coffee canister works fine for standard home use.
Can coffee be kept in the refrigerator?
It can, but the refrigerator is usually not necessary for the coffee you use daily. Moisture, foreign aromas, and temperature fluctuations make a dry and cool kitchen cupboard a simpler solution.
Can you freeze coffee beans?
Yes. Freezing can be relevant for long-term storage. Feel free to pack the beans airtight in smaller portions so they are not repeatedly subjected to temperature fluctuations and condensation.
Is a coffee canister necessary?
No. A resealable coffee bag can be a very good storage solution. A coffee canister is especially practical if you want a permanent container, protection from light, or less air around the beans.
Should I store whole or ground coffee beans?
Whole coffee beans are best if you have the opportunity to grind them yourself. Ground coffee has a larger surface area and is therefore affected more quickly by the environment.