Once I get my coffee home, how should I store it to keep it as fresh as possible?
The enemy of coffee is air, moisture, heat and light. These factors increase the speed at which your coffee will become stale. Ground coffee has a much larger surface area, and this rate will be much faster. It is always recommended that you buy whole beans and grind only what you require.
The short answer to storing coffee is:
Store in an airtight container in a dry, cool and dark place.
Which simply means keep your coffee in our resealable airtight bags and store in your pantry or cupboard.
Now for the long answer:
Air – Coffee oils are a major source of the aroma and flavour. They are also volatile and when exposed to air evaporate easily and become rancid.
Moisture – Coffee absorbs moisture very easily, and on the surface will leach out the coffee oils exposing them to air.
Heat – Heat causes the beans to sweat out the oils to the surface, again exposing them to air.
Light – Light causes temperature variations and heat.
Fridge – Never store coffee in the fridge, it’s full of moisture and odours.
Even if you use an airtight container, removing the beans will result in condensation.
Freezer – Never freeze coffee. The act of freezing and thawing causes moisture.
However, if you must store coffee for a long period of time, vacuum seal first, and only freeze and thaw once.