The Best Part of Waking Up…
Millions of people start their day with a piping cup of coffee made any number of ways. There are those that opt for the drive-through option, having their mug of joe brewed on the go. Then there are those of us who like to make our own. Whether it’s because you’re being frugal or you just think you do a better job at brewing a better cup, you’re going to break out your own French press, ceramic coffee dripper, or percolator.
If you’ve made enough of your own cups of coffee, it should go without saying that the key to the freshest, boldest cup is using beans that are, themselves, fresh and bold. The newer and less oxygenated coffee beans, the better, but coffee beans don’t stay new for long, and oxygen is inevitable. So, if you want to keep your coffee fresh at home, what is the best way to do it?
Should I Freeze My Coffee?
Somewhere down the line, word-of-mouth wisdom spread about the benefits of putting coffee beans in the freezer to keep them fresher longer. The idea was that it would be less likely that oxygen would get to the beans, making them perpetually fresh. However, there are still problems with freezing coffee beans.
When you freeze coffee beans, you still take the package out of the freezer repeatedly, which gradually builds up moisture in the package which, in theory, is what you’re trying to prevent from happening. When moisture builds, it makes the beans stale, and the coffee you just poured fresh from your ceramic coffee dripper winds up coming out tasting a day old. One exception to this is if you freeze coffee before you open it for the first time.
How Should I Store My Coffee, Then?
What you’re looking for is the method of storage least likely to dry up the oils and allow oxygen to get to the beans. Coffee, like many other things, remains freshest when as few elements as possible can get to it. Coffee connoisseurs recommend sealing the coffee in an airtight container in a dark area away from light and heat (pantries are ideal for this, but if your home doesn’t have one, try to find a cupboard that isn’t too close to a pipe or a heat source). It makes it even easier if you store it next to your filters and your ceramic coffee dripper.
Some Final Thoughts
A few other things to bear in mind for the aficionados of fresh coffee: first, coffee is always freshest when you grind it, so if you like freshness, you’re best served buying whole beans and getting yourself a grinder and a ceramic coffee dripper. If these are not available, try to find ground coffee in a bag with a breather valve. Also bear in mind that ground coffee is at its freshest for the first week or two. Any longer than that, and you should consider vacuum sealing.
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