What is the best way to keep your coffee and does it make a difference? my dad keeps his coffee in a glass jar on the counter where it is exposed to light, which doesnt seem logical seeing as it is plant material and it will break down faster. My girl's parents keep theirs in a paper bag in the fridge, and they are coffee pros. which way is better?
exposure to light isnt the biggest concern with coffee, as it is with some other drugs. rather moisture and gas exchange is. moisture is bad until you brew the coffee. keeping coffee refrigerated or in the freezer can ruin it if you brew every day. taking the coffee in and out of the freezer will cause some condensation, and can ruin the coffee. keeping it in an airtight container which will impart no off flavors (such as glass, or ceramic) in "room" temperature (60-75F) is likely the best idea, and if you CAN prevent constant light exposure, it probably is better. oxygen is a major enemy in preserving coffee beans. the more exposed the coffee is to oxygen, the worse off you are. it will, with time, cause the coffee to go incredibly stale and become undrinkable (unless youre a hardcore addict and dont care about the taste so much as the caffeine) the two best ways to prevent this is to first of all not grind the coffee until you are about to brew it. the exposed surface of the coffee is increased exponentially when ground, and it goes stale much more quickly than whole beans. furthermore it should always be kept in an airtight container, to prevent unnecessary gas exchange and the introduction of fresh air. now freezers are a bad idea for everyday storage of coffee you brew daily, but in my opinion and experience it is not unnacceptable to store WHOLE BEAN coffee in an airtight container in the freezer and it will stay fresh longer than it would otherwise. once its opened, though, keep it out of the freezer. long term storage of beans in a freezer does seem to take SOME toll on the flavor, but overall its not too bad, and it does prolong the shelf life - so long as its an unopened airtight package of whole bean coffee.
