[zotjen]

Everything I've read seems to suggest that coffee should not be stored in the refrigerator. However, I just bought a can of Chock Full O' Nuts and on the can it states to refrigerate it after opening to preserve freshness. Which is it?

 

[soozieq]

I always store mine in the fridge, and on the rare occasions when I bother to grind my own coffee beans, I store it in the freezer. I find the freshness disappears quite quickly once it's opened.

 

[kugino]

refrigeration is acceptable, but certainly not necessary if you use a container that is airtight and the ambient temperature is moderate. never never freeze your coffee, though.

refrigerating coffee might be okay if you have a lot of coffee and don't plan on using it within a couple of weeks...but one should only buy as much coffee as one can use within a two week window anyway.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino /img/forum/go_quote.gif never never freeze your coffee, though.

Is there a reason for that? I've never heard that it shouldn't be stored in a freezer, but then I've never asked

Ground beans don't solidify, so I always figured it was OK to keep it in the freezer.

 

[kugino]

it's not the solidification that's the problem. there's freezer burn, there's the freezing of the coffee oils that turns the coffee more bitter, etc.

but if you already have ground coffee anyway, i don't think it's that big of a deal...coffee should be ground right before brewing.

 

[milkweg]

Storing coffee in the freezer dries it out. I just store mine in the cupboard in an airtight container.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

it's not the solidification that's the problem. there's freezer burn, there's the freezing of the coffee oils that turns the coffee more bitter, etc. but if you already have ground coffee anyway, i don't think it's that big of a deal...coffee should be ground right before brewing.

Oh I see, I didn't even think of freezer burn or frozen coffee oils

I just thought it would keep fresher for longer. Grinding beans is so noisy that I like to make extra so I don't have to listen to the grinder for a while! I don't like the thought of freezing coffee oils though, so I won't be doing it again.

 

[nickrobotron]

Coffee should be kept in a dry, opaque, room temperature airtight container. That is all. It WILL go stale. No matter what you do. So keep it whole bean and grind before you brew. Coffee is past its prime about a month after it's roasted.

Nick Robertson
Professional Barista Trainer and active member of the Barista Guild of America

 

[ken36]

Don't worry about it. I'm big on shelf storage.

 

[krmathis]

I keep my coffee in an airtight container stored in normal room temperature.

 

[warrior05]

Coffee beans love cool, dark, dry and airtight storage. Refrigeration, not to mention freezing, is a no-no especially with quality beans.

 

[Kirosia]

If you're using canned pre-ground, it's gonna taste bad no matter how you store it, since it's already stale.

 

[warrior05]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirosia /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you're using canned pre-ground, it's gonna taste bad no matter how you store it, since it's already stale.

Good point!

 

[mrarroyo]

Just brew it all at once and drink it! You will be ok, yeah! Trust me.