Coffee is an organic product, so correct coffee storage is essential to get the most out of your cup. .
Coffee flavours can be protected longer with appropriate storage.
Just like any other kind of fresh produce, coffee beans go stale and lose their flavour characteristics over time – and this will happen faster if they are not stored correctly.
The most important factor in storing your Karvan Coffee beans is to – where possible -buy and store your coffee as whole beans rather than ground. If you grind your coffee beans just before you use it, you’ll preserve more of its delightful flavour. Check out the home coffee grinders we have available.
The other key factors to watch in your coffee storage are:
Time
Coffee begins to lose its freshness almost immediately after roasting so it is far better to purchase it in smaller quantities. Ideally, you should aim to buy only the amount of freshly roasted beans that you can consume within 2-3 weeks. Coffee beans purchased in the supermarket may have been sitting in a warehouse and on the shelf for an unknown length of time since they were roasted. If you value your coffee’s freshness you are best to purchase your beans from a smaller roaster such as Karvan Coffee, in smaller quantities more frequently.
Temperature
Your coffee beans should ideally be stored at room temperature, in a cool dry place. In Australia and particularly in Western Australia – the home of Karvan Coffee – you may have been told it is better to store your coffee in the refrigerator because of our extreme summer heat. A fridge is actually not at all ideal for coffee storage, as moving your beans from a refrigerated setting to room temperature and back frequently can introduce moisture. In addition, chilling your coffee beans can cause the oils that carry the flavour to solidify affecting their ability to be extracted when the coffee is brewed.
Hot temperatures are also bad for coffee storage, so avoid storing your coffee on a high shelf where the heat may rise, above a cooktop or next to a stove.
Light
Light, including sunlight, will speed up the rate at which the oils in the coffee spoil or go rancid. Store your coffee beans in a dark place such as a pantry or kitchen drawer, or in opaque containers.
Moisture
Coffee beans attract moisture which speeds up the coffee’s oxidation. Avoid storing your coffee where water could be splashed or spilled on it, for example near the sink. Steam is also bad, so keep your exposed coffee beans away from your kettle or espresso machine.
Containers
One storage option is to keep your coffee in the specialty packaging in which you purchase it. Our Karvan Coffee bags have a special one-way valve to release the carbon dioxide that is a bi-product of roasting, without letting oxygen in. However, if you prefer to store your coffee in a special container look for airtight stainless steel, ceramic or glass containers (out of direct light of course). Vacuum seal containers are particularly popular among coffee aficionados.
More bean knowledge
Coffee storage is just one of the factors that impacts on the perfect cup. Get all the bean knowledge you desire with our information about:
Coffee Preparation Guide
Coffee Types and Quality
Coffee Processing Methods
Coffee Tasting Notes