Isn’t life too short to drink bad coffee?
At Mr. Green’s Coffee Beans, we believe that the perfect cup of coffee starts with the perfect bean. The perfect bean should be consumed within a short period of time after roasting because, like most agricultural products, coffee beans are perishable. They are also porous and absorb moisture and odors. This raises the question: “When is coffee too old to drink?” Roasted coffee beans are at their peak two to three days after roasting and can begin to lose flavor and aroma after two weeks. Proper storage can extend the shelf life for as long four weeks, but after that the quality will deteriorate.
Much of the coffee beans sitting on the shelf in the grocery store and even in chain coffee shops might have been roasted months before they even reached the shelf. The vacuum bags used for their packaging will keep air out but will not prevent the beans from “out-gassing” through the one-way valve.
The good news is that you don’t have to settle for stale coffee from the grocery store anymore! At Mr. Green’s Coffee Beans, we import green beans from some of the most renowned coffee growing regions in the world, and our roasted beans never spend time sitting on a shelf. We roast our beans fresh daily locally, right here in Imperial Beach, CA and deliver directly to your door (if located in San Diego County, all other orders are shipped). Our beans will help you brew that perfect cup of coffee every time.
People often ask us about the roasting techniques we employ to give our beans such an unforgettable taste. One step in the process is to air dry the coffee to help remove unwanted moisture, which can give coffee a sour taste. Unfortunately, we can’t divulge our exact roasting secrets, but if you follow these tips you’ll be sure to maximize the shelf life, aroma, and taste of your next bag of coffee beans:
- Roasted coffee beans have a shelf life of two to four weeks if properly stored.
- Ground coffee loses its flavor at a much faster rate than whole beans, so ideally, coffee beans should be ground just prior to brewing.
- It’s true, you can extend the freshness of unopened bags of coffee. Simply place the unopened bag inside a freezer bag and close it securely. Doing this seems to reduce the off gassing that roasted coffee beans produce through the one-way valve on the side of the bag.
- Once opened, the best way to store coffee beans is in the original packaging. You should place the opened bag of coffee beans inside an airtight container at room temperature away from light and moisture.
- Coffee beans are porous and absorb moisture and odors, so it’s best to store them in dry places away from other foods.
- Even with taking these precautions, coffee beans are perishable and will lose flavor over time. The maximum amount of time that roasted coffee beans should be stored is two weeks, so it’s always a good idea to buy fresh coffee frequently and in small amounts. You shouldn’t stockpile large quantities of coffee for long periods of time.