How to properly store your coffee at home

How do you store your coffee optimally, so that it does not lose its freshness and delicious aromas? Coffee is a sensitive food, and while it's not in the fresh aisle at the grocery store... you should consider it as such!

Here’s a short guide to the best storing practices.

Buy less for guaranteed freshness

Indeed, the most important advice is to buy an adequate amount of coffee, that is to say, one that meets your normal consumption for the next few weeks (about 1 month) instead of considering stocking up. This way you make sure you have very fresh and tasty coffee in every cup. While it can be tempting to buy bigger bags in order to save money, refrain! Your palate will thank you.

Can coffee expire?

Coffee cannot, as such, become unfit for consumption. Being a dry food, it does not tend to go moldy. In fact, roasters usually do rigorous testing to make sure there are no bacteria or toxins in your coffee.

However, the older it is, the more it loses its aromas. As these are volatile, the coffee loses some of them a few weeks after opening. Slowly but surely the flavors will be altered. This is why we recommend that you consume the coffee as quickly as possible. The coffee will still be good after a few weeks: it will be less fresh, but still good in taste.

Coffee can also be affected by oxygen and humidity. It develops undesirable flavors when it is less fresh and in contact with oxygen. The more the bean is roasted, the faster the degradation, and this is explained by the fact that a longer roasting makes the bean porous. This allows oxygen and moisture to penetrate black or semi-black (roasted longer) coffee more quickly.

Grind at home

The best way to have the freshest coffee possible is to buy it in beans and grind it at home, just before brewing. More infos on our blog on coffee grind.

Indeed, a pre-ground coffee will lose its freshness more quickly, because the fine particles of the ground coffee have more surfaces in contact with the air.

Can I keep my coffee in the freezer to maximize its shelf life?

No! Contrary to popular belief that coffee might store better in the fridge or freezer, this one is best avoided. This is because coffee tends to absorb odors and moisture, and could therefore end up with an unpleasant taste. Honor this exceptional product and keep it away from your fridge!

So what is the ideal container?

Opt for an airtight container and if possible opaque, as the coffee can be altered by UV rays. Roasters who care about the quality of their coffee, like Café William, equip their bags with certain devices to promote better freshness in the long term. When buying your coffee, look for packaging with these characteristics:

• One-way valve. It is essential! Café William's bags have a valve that prevents oxygen from entering while allowing CO2 to escape. This is because coffee expels this gas after roasting, and that’s why you sometimes see inflated coffee bags. If there is no valve, a bag with very fresh coffee could explode!

• The opaque two-layer bag. Oxygen is coffee's first enemy and that’s why it is important to have efficient opaque packaging when purchasing. The two-layer laminated bag is perfect for keeping coffee fresh, from store shelves to your home. When you get home, you can either transfer it to a nice container or keep it in the original packaging. The coffee will stay just as fresh!

• The hermetic zipper. A bag that does not close properly allows oxygen to enter easily. If your bag does not contain this type of closure, it is essential to transfer it to a new airtight container. The zipper closure of Café William bags allows unparalleled freshness, without having to change the coffee container!

Our Airscape containers are also ideal for storing coffee or any other dry goods in your kitchen. Thanks to their patented lid that locks the air out, the coffee retains its delicious flavors. Their modern design also make them a perfect choice to put on your counter!

Don’t forget that coffee is a fresh and sensitive product; it reacts a lot to variations in its environment! Store it carefully and it will give you an excellent cup, day after day.

Learn more about Airscape containers here.