* Freshness & Coffee Storage *

Green beans will last for around two years without any appreciable loss of flavor. Green coffee beans should be stored in some sort of container that will allow it to breathe and not impart another flavor to the beans: burlap bags, paper bags, etc.; avoid plastic containers. Storing them at room temperature is fine, but I prefer a cool place out of direct light. Ideal is ~70 degrees fahrenheit and ~50% relative humidity.

Roasted beans are another story completely, and this is where subjectivity comes into play. There is such a thing as "too fresh"! Immediately after roasting, most coffees taste pretty much the same - delicious, but the same; they need time to cure for the varietal nuances to come out. I never drink coffee that has not "cured" or "degassed" for at least 4 hours; however some wait at least 12 hours. I also never roast more than I can drink in 4 days, although some extend that window to 7 days and I've even heard one semi-reputable source say 2 weeks. Being somewhat of a coffee snob, if I have anything over four days old (born-on date), I put it in a separate canister - leftovers if you will - and make a great blend to give to neighbors who are always mooching coffee. They love it. Roasted coffee stores best in a sealed canister at room temperature. I've read numerous articles, some quite scientific, on preservation methods like vacuum sealing, refrigerating, freezing, you name it, and the result is always the same - nothing stops the deterioration of flavor. period. end of story for me.

Ground coffee Woo-hoo, now we're getting into a critical area! Grind it to brew it!! You can let your nose tell you how much flavor you've lost, even a couple of hours after it's been ground. No fixed window here; best advice is to only grind what you're planning to brew right away. Storage doesn't matter much, so store it in your brewer, espresso machine or whatever you use, for the few minutes it takes to turn it into drinkable coffee.

To summarize, good fresh coffee is not a gift to be saved for a special occasion. Store the green beans safely, then roast, grind and brew them as needed. For those of you who like routines, roast a batch or two in the evening and use it the next day.