For The Freshest Tasting Coffee Beans, Avoid The Refrigerator

Coffee beans may look durable and shelf-stable, but they're actually a surprisingly delicate foodstuff. Their delicious aromas of fruits, nuts, and chocolate all dissipate into the air over time, leading to a stale cup of coffee with disappointingly flat flavor. The nuance of coffee freshness has a lot to do with timing. Once you've opened the bag, you only have a week or two before the flavor begins to decline. Yet, at the same time, you don't want your coffee to be too fresh, and it takes about a week for roasted beans to release contained gas. So with such a short window of time for consumption, it makes sense that coffee enthusiasts might be desperate to extend the bean's shelf life.

You may have wondered how refrigeration impacts coffee stability, since it slows the expiration of a wide variety of foods. Unfortunately, you'll want to avoid the fridge for several reasons. Most prominently, coffee beans are aroma sponges. They soak in the smells of neighboring foods, which can make your coffee taste like leftovers. Perhaps there's an untapped flavor crossover in there, but more likely, resultant brews will taste unsavory.

Proper coffee bean care can parallel the best way to store wine, with the bean being best kept in dark, cool surroundings. It's also important for the beans to be stored in an airtight container, safe from excess moisture. For this reason, most coffee packages contain a valve which blocks the entry of air, even after the bag has been opened and resealed. Nevertheless, that small opening still enables carbon dioxide to escape, so it's not a completely sealed container.

Even an unopened package of coffee absorbs aromas in the freezer. And in both the fridge and freezer compartments, the abundant moisture can accumulate as condensation on the coffee, creating a detrimental effect. So especially when taking the beans from the freezer to ambient temperatures in a room, it's vital to reseal and return the package quickly.

Still, if you freeze coffee beans the right way — in smaller, airtight portions — it is possible to store them frigid. However, you'll also want to implement some specific measures like vacuum sealing the beans prior to freezing, and only allowing them to thaw once. Even so, for the most fuss-free convenience, it's best to buy and brew coffee as you go.