There are four enemies of coffee - temperature, light, oxygen, moisture. For the best cup, start with quality beans (you’re in luck, we have those), and store them properly for maximum flavor and freshness.
For starters, buying whole beans does not make you a coffee snob, it makes you someone who is going to enjoy your cup of coffee a bit more than if you bought ground coffee. The why is a bit scientific - once the inner contents of a whole bean are exposed to oxygen and moisture it begins to breakdown and become rancid (think about what happens when you cut a fruit or vegetable in half). Oxygen and moisture are enemies of the antioxidants naturally found in coffee, which start to oxidize immediately after grinding. So, spending a little time grinding your coffee right before using will always give you a better cup.
But, that’s not always possible – we know… If you’re not up for the daily grind, only buy what you’ll use within a week or month - for ultimate freshness, you really don’t want to “stock-up”.
Once you have your Java Love in hand, keep it in a cool, dry place – like a pantry or cabinet. An even better place for your coffee (whole bean or ground) in an opaque, airtight canister to keep light and oxygen away. If you do buy more coffee than you can drink in a couple weeks store it in an airtight container (or in a bag in the freezer). Never store coffee in the refrigerator - when coffee is exposed to moisture, the beans can go bad almost instantly.
When buying five-pound bags, it’s a good idea to divide out what you use in a week and store the rest separately – remember, every time you open and close the bag or jar you’re exposing the coffee to temperature, light, oxygen, and moisture.
Last but not least, if you think your coffee is too old or stale, don’t throw it out! Upcycle it into coffee candles, melt and pour coffee soap, coffee and coconut scrub or get rid of fido’s fleas with a coffee shampoo.
