A coffee bean’s two greatest enemies are air and moisture. Keeping this in mind, the proper storage methods for coffee beans should be natural.
Ideally, coffee should be ground, brewed, and consumed quickly to obtain the best flavor. Coffee beans are at their peak within 24 to 72 hours after roasting and begin to quickly stale after that. Within a week, most of the original flavor will have deteriorated. The grinding process speeds the staling by exposing more of the bean to air. We recommend grinding your beans as you need them and storing the whole beans in an airtight container. Place this container anywhere where it will remain cool and dry. For more long-term storage, whole beans can be placed in air-tight bags and frozen. You will not need to defrost your beans, just grind and go!
The water that you use to brew your coffee should be cold and as free from impurities as possible. Water makes up 98-99% of coffee and any impurities in the water will be evident in the final cup.
Match the Grind to the Method
The fineness/coarseness of the grind is a major factor in determining the amount of oils and other flavor components that are extracted from the bean. As coffee is a subjective taste, these are general guidelines, using the electric grinders commonly found in most homes. You should always feel free to vary them depending on your own tastes.
| Grinders | Grind Fineness for Various Brewing Methods |
|---|---|
| Cold-Water/Percolator | Coarse grind, 5 to 10 seconds |
| Electric drip/French Press | Medium grind, 10 seconds |
| Filter-cone drip/Espresso machines | Very Fine grind, 30 seconds |
A note on Gold Filters: Due to the nature of these filters, you will need to add from two to five seconds to the grind times listed above.
