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Heat rises. It's the first thing I think of when I see a bag of coffee sitting on the top shelf, above the kettle or the oven, where it's warmest in the whole kitchen.
One of the questions I'm asked most often is how to keep coffee tasting as good as the day it arrived. The answer is simpler than most people think. And most of the mistakes I see are easy to fix.
Coffee's four enemies
Fresh coffee has four enemies:
- Oxygen, which turns coffee stale
- Heat, which speeds everything up
- Light, which breaks down flavour compounds
- Moisture, which ruins beans fast
Store your coffee so it's protected from all four, and it'll reward you.
The two most common mistakes
1. Not sealing the bag. Every one of our bags comes with a zip seal. Use it, every time. Squeeze out as much air as you can, then press the seal closed along its full length. A bag left open, or folded over with a peg, lets oxygen in and the coffee goes flat in days.
2. Storing it up high. Shelves above your head are often the hottest spot in the kitchen, especially near the kettle, the oven or the coffee machine. Keep your coffee low, in a cool, dark cupboard away from appliances and windows.
How long whole beans stay fresh
Coffee is at its best within about one to two months of roasting, and an unopened bag stays good for longer. Once you've opened it, aim to finish the bag within two to three weeks.
Our bags have a one-way valve that lets carbon dioxide out without letting oxygen in, so you can keep the coffee in its own bag. If you'd rather use a container, choose an airtight one that's close to the size of your coffee, so there's not much air left inside.
To find out when your coffee was roasted, our post on batch numbers and best-before dates explains how to work it out.
Ground coffee
Ground coffee goes stale much faster than whole beans, because there's far more surface exposed to the air. If you can, grind just before you brew. If you buy it pre-ground, seal it tightly and use it within a week or so.
Never in the fridge
The fridge is a damp place full of strong smells. Coffee absorbs both. Every time you take it out, condensation forms on the beans. Keep it in the cupboard instead.
What about freezing?
I'm not a fan of freezing coffee. But I understand it's necessary for some people, if you buy in bulk, live remotely or drink coffee slowly.
Done properly, freezing slows staling right down. Done badly, it does more harm than good. The risk is condensation: when cold beans meet warm air, moisture forms on them.
If you do freeze:
- Freeze whole beans only, never ground coffee.
- Divide them into small, airtight portions, about a week's worth each, before freezing.
- Take out one portion at a time, and let it come to room temperature before opening it.
- Never refreeze beans once they've thawed.
A quick freshness checklist
- Is the bag sealed tightly with the air squeezed out?
- Is it stored low, in a cool, dark cupboard?
- Will you finish it within two to three weeks of opening?
- Are you grinding just before you brew?
If you can tick those boxes, your coffee will taste noticeably brighter, sweeter and more complex.
Our blends and single origins are roasted to order and shipped fresh, so you start with the best possible beans. A coffee subscription is the easiest way to keep fresh coffee arriving, so you never need to stockpile.
