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Most people put their coffee beans in the fridge to keep them fresh, but why? Is it necessary to even do this at all besides being popular? What are the pros and cons of keeping your coffee in the fridge or not? Let’s find out.
First off, it is believed that taking them out of a hot environment and placing them into a cooler one will prolong their freshness. However, this isn’t necessarily true: Coffee can be just as fresh outside of the refrigerator as it would be inside of it.
Optimal Temperature for Storing Coffee
The optimal temperature for storing coffee beans is between 60°F and 70°F, which is fairly easily accomplished without needing to put them into the fridge. If you must store your coffee in an area where it cannot maintain this temperature, however, putting it in the fridge might not be a bad idea.
Wrapping Coffee Tightly
It’s important to remember that if coffee does go into the fridge, you should wrap it tightly to prevent moisture from getting inside it. This means you should put it inside an airtight container rather than just inside a bag or simple wrapping material. If your coffee beans come in contact with excess moisture, they will go stale very quickly.
If you do put your coffee in the fridge, remember to take it out before it gets extremely cold. This will ensure that you get the best tasting coffee possible when you grind them and brew a cup of joe.
There is another popular reason why people want to put their coffee in the fridge. People think that refrigerating your beans will last longer, but this isn’t accurate. Coffee quickly goes stale after the grinding process regardless of where you store it.
Coffee Should be Away from Light & Heat
However, storing your coffee away from light and heat will indeed extend its shelf life. For example, if you keep your beans in an opaque container and out of direct sunlight, they should remain fresh for up to a month. This means that keeping them in the fridge isn’t necessarily a bad idea if you want to keep them for an extended period of time.
Using Airtight Container
As mentioned above, it’s very important that you keep your roasted coffee beans in an airtight container when you put them into the fridge or any other location. You will need to check the container every now and again to ensure that there is no moisture building up inside. If this happens, the coffee beans will begin to rot, and there won’t be much you can do about it.
Additionally, if you live in a place where there may be excess moisture or humidity, then putting your coffee into the fridge is probably not a good idea at all. This could quickly cause mold and other irregularities that will ruin your beans.
If you want to keep your coffee away from light and heat, then it’s important to remember that the refrigerator has both of these things in abundance. Unfortunately, this means that putting your beans into the fridge may actually harm them more than be beneficial for them.
Why should You not Store Coffee in the Fridge?
There are many reasons why you should not store coffee beans in the fridge. The first reason is that it’s unnecessary. With humidity levels at almost 0%, there is no need to put your beans in a cold, damp environment like the fridge. It will only affect your beans negatively by making them lose their flavor and aroma much faster than if they were stored at room temperature.
Instead, you should store coffee beans in a cool, dark, and dry place because this ensures that they stay fresh for longer. If you store your coffee beans in the fridge or anywhere else where it’s too cold or damp, there is no way to get them back to their original condition once they’ve been compromised by the environment. It will make your beans lose their flavor and will make them taste bad.
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How Long Do Coffee Beans Last in the Fridge?
You can keep whole coffee beans for around two weeks to a month or more when stored properly. The moment you start to grind your beans is when they’re at risk of going stale. Ground coffee only lasts around two days before it starts to lose its flavor. So if you’re grinding your beans daily, it’s best to get a small grinder for your coffee.
Is it Necessary to Keep Coffee Beans in the Fridge?
No, because they will stay fresh at room temperature as well. If anything, storing coffee in the fridge only speeds up the oxidization process and will make your coffee lose its flavor and aroma much faster than if it was stored at room temperature.
How Long Do Coffee Beans Last Before They Start to Go Bad?
Whole beans will only go stale after a month. As soon as you open the bag, they will start to lose their flavor and aroma much faster. If the whole beans are very oily, it means that your coffee has passed its shelf life. Discard these coffee beans immediately in order to prevent contaminating other food in the fridge.
Ground coffee only lasts two days at most before it begins oxidizing rapidly. If you don’t drink coffee immediately after you make it, the best way to store it is by grinding it right before you brew.
Storing leftover coffee in the fridge isn’t a good idea either, as this will further speed the oxidation. Instead of leaving your grinds out on the counter for two days, just have them ready to go in an airtight container in the fridge.
How to Store Whole Coffee Beans Properly?
The best way to store your whole coffee beans is by keeping them in an airtight container and storing them in a cool, dark place. This could be your pantry or even the freezer. You should always keep coffee away from any light or moisture, as these things will speed up the oxidization process and make your coffee lose its flavor.
How to Store Coffee Ground Properly?
The best way to store your ground coffee is by storing it in an airtight container, away from any light or moisture (such as that found in the fridge). Avoid using paper bags, too, as these will cause your grinds to go stale much faster due to the material’s porous nature.
Is it Best to Buy Whole Beans or Ground Coffee?
The benefit of buying the whole beans is freshness. You will be grinding the beans only when you are about to brew your coffee. So your grinds won’t have time to go stale before being used. You also get the advantage of being able to taste your beans, which you won’t be able to do with ground coffee.
The benefit of buying ground coffee is convenience. Not only will it already be ground for you, but it’s also very easy to store in bags or jars and can even last up to two weeks before starting to lose its flavor.
However, it’s ideal to buy whole beans and grind them yourself just before brewing for the best-tasting coffee. Ground coffee will go stale much faster than if stored as a bean. That is why you should avoid buying pre-ground coffee if you want your coffee always to taste fresh.
Conclusion
So should we keep our beans in the fridge? The answer is no! Keeping coffee beans in the fridge will only cause them to lose their flavor, so it’s best to store them at room temperature. Storing whole coffee beans in an airtight container and keeping them away from any light and moisture will keep them fresh for a longer period of time.
This is why it is advisable to buy whole beans and grind them yourself, as this way, your coffee will always taste fresh. With all the benefits associated with buying whole beans (freshness, flavor), you should really consider making the switch!