COFFEE CARE
In an ideal world, you would have enough coffee on hand in the morning that was about 24 hours old; meaning it was roasted just 24 hours before you drink it. We are getting as close to that time with our orders since they are only roasted after they are ordered. The peak of coffee flavor, freshness, and aroma are between 7 and 10 days after roasting. After 10 days, the coffee peak flavors and little nuances that distinguish it from other varieties become muted so that after a year or so, you can barely taste the difference between any different varieties.
There are three main enemies to coffee freshness: light, oxygen, and time. We’ve already discussed ‘time’ above: the closer to the roast date, the more flavorful the cup, just like bread coming from the bakery vs. bread from the freezer.
Light and oxygen combine to break down the more that 1500 different organic compounds that make up the unique tastes brought out in the roasting process. Minimizing contact with light (and heat from light) as well as oxygen can be accomplished by:
1) Purchase only whole bean coffee and grind just enough for the amount of coffee you are brewing. The outer shell of a coffee bean serves as a natural barrier keeping the “good stuff in and the bad stuff out.” Pre-ground coffee can stay fresh but not near as long as whole bean.
2) Keep the bag unopened until you are ready to use it. Store the coffee in a cool, dark place until you are ready to brew. All our bags come with a freshness clip to keep the bag sealed between uses.
3) After you open the bag, the best place to keep it is in an airtight container that does not allow in light. Since a 12 oz. to 16 oz. bag will last from 10 to 14 days in the average home, you can keep the container in your pantry, cabinet or on the counter.
4) For extended storage, the freezer is the best spot—but with caution. Place the unused portion of coffee, in our original bag with the freshness clip, inside a Ziploc bag or sealed Tupperware container. For best results push all the air out of the coffee bag and the zip lock bag before sealing. Coffee has natural oils and moisture that is brought to the surface during the roasting process. If coffee is stored in a freezer and it is not in an airtight container, the frost-free mechanism in most freezers will pull the moisture out of the coffee causing it to taste stale.
Storing in the refrigerator is undesirable given all the food smells that could contaminate the coffee. Garlic coffee does not taste very good (please don’t ask how we know).