Coffee 2 Tea

For many years my wife and I bought our coffee beans in bulk. We both delight in taking the time to grind and brew our gourmet coffee, but we started to notice that toward the end of the bag the beans started to taste a bit off. That led me to do some research on coffee storage. How should the beans be stored, I wondered – in their raw, green form, or roasted? Left whole or ground? Frozen or at room temperature?

It didn’t take long to discover that fresh roasted coffee beans store best, and they should be kept whole until just before consumption. Most beans will retain their freshness for up to two weeks when stored at room temperature provided that they’re kept in an airtight container. When storing your own beans, bear in mind that they create excess carbon dioxide. Open up the lid of the coffee periodically to allow this gas to disperse.