Coffee is a staple in many people’s lives because it helps get them the energy they need each morning. If you’re an avid coffee drinker, you need to know how long your coffee stays fresh. This includes the coffee beans and ground, as well as brewed coffee itself.
Coffee Beans
When you buy coffee beans, you’ll notice that there isn’t an expiration date. Much like dry rice or beans, your coffee beans can last on your shelf for a long time. However, that doesn’t mean coffee brewed from these beans will taste good forever. Coffee beans go through a degassing process where they release carbon dioxide. Once that process has finished, they begin absorbing oxygen and this will diminish their flavor. While your coffee will never expire, you should still honor the “best by” date listed on the bag because this is when they will taste the most fresh. Typically, you want to use your coffee beans within 3-4 weeks.
Coffee Grounds
Once you grind coffee beans, their potential for fresh flavor quickly diminishes. While coffee beans could be good for 3-4 weeks, ground coffee will usually only be good for about a week. It’s best to use your ground coffee quickly. Additionally, you can make sure to only buy or grind enough coffee to last you a week so you don’t risk it going bad. You can also extend the shelf life of your coffee grounds if you store it properly. Keep your coffee grounds away from moisture, oxygen, warm temperatures, and sunlight.
Brewed Coffee
As expected, brewed coffee has the shortest “shelf” life. Once you brew coffee, it instantly begins to lose its flavor. If you start with hot coffee, it begins to taste less fresh within an hour. Storing it in an airtight container may elongate the freshness, but only by a few hours. If you really want your brewed coffee to last, you can go for a cold brewed option. When you cold brew your coffee in the fridge, you can keep it fresh for a week if you need to. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container. However, the best option is to drink it as soon as possible.
If coffee is a daily part of your life, you need to know how long you can store it in order to have the best flavor. Fortunately, there are things you can do to keep your coffee fresh for longer. One way you can store your coffee beans or coffee grounds is by vacuum sealing it.
Vacuum sealing will keep the air out of your coffee and preserve its freshness. Click here to find options for vacuum sealing coffee bags.