The proper way to keep your coffee fresh has been debated for years. People have tried everything, from throwing a bag of beans into the freezer next to that frozen pizza, to stuffing them in your pillow at night (okay we made this one up).
Lucky for you, the only thing we love more than coffee education is fresh coffee. Here are some tips.
Say “No” to Oxygen
As our founder and CEO Todd says, “Oxygen is the enemy of coffee.” Oxygen causes the all-important oils and aromatic compounds in coffee to turn rancid and oxidize, causing the coffee to lose freshness and muting the natural aromas and flavors.
That’s why we do our best to eliminate oxygen from the equation. Immediately after roasting, we flush our beans with nitrogen and package them right away, to prevents oxidation and helps keep the beans fresh.
Recommendation: Airscape Coffee Canister. The Coffee Canister is perfect for keeping oxygen away from your beans after the bag has been opened. The Airscape uses a built in valve to push air out of the container when it closes and locking the lid to keep the container airtight.
What About Pre-Ground Coffee?
After the roasting process, coffee beans continue to degas. That’s why our bags include a one-way valve, that release that carbon dioxide into the environment while not letting outside air in. When coffee is ground, it can cause that process to accelerate since the surface-to-volume ratio decreases. That being said, we’ve figure out how to use that degassing process to our benefit.
Recommendation: The Coffee Vault. Our Coffee Vault contains pre-ground coffee that is kept in a nitrogen-flushed airtight can. The can keeps the built up pressure from the CO2 released by the ground coffee beans and holds it in the can, creating a pressure equilibrium that keeps the coffee fresh until the can is opened. It’s practically magic.
No. Putting your coffee in the fridge or the freezer introduces moisture into the equation, and the only thing worse for coffee than oxygen is moisture. The consistent change in temperature from moving coffee in and out of the the freezer creates condensation in the package which in turn provides moisture that can ruin your beans.
Recommendation: Put your coffee in a cool and dry area. Leave the freezer for frozen pizzas and TV dinners.
Buying your beans in bulk can be a good thing, if you drink it all in a timely manner. That said, coffee does have an expiration date, so getting too much coffee at once and letting it sit for weeks and months at a time can naturally affect the freshness of your brew. That’s why getting coffee right before you need it is your best bet to make sure only the freshest roasts hit your morning mug.
Recommendation: A coffee subscription gives you the flexibility to set your coffee deliveries on a schedule that works for you. All you do is choose your favorite coffee, how frequently you want it shipped, and wait for your order to arrive. It’s kind of like modern day magic.