Coffee is one of America’s most precious beverages. It is a must-have for almost every home in America to keep production levels up and tempers cool.
Coffee is delicious and is a non-negotiable item that must be on the shelves of every grocery store.
Coffee does magic in jumpstarting us in the morning.
If you care about getting java freshness and aroma in every cup of coffee, first understand how to store ground coffee properly because freshness depends on this.
Learn how to store ground coffee in this 7 min reading. We answer these questions using detailed research.
Why Is Proper Storing Of Ground Coffee Important?
Many people prefer using ground coffee, making it an essential commodity.
So why should you store your ground coffee properly? One answer; to retain its freshness!
Nothing is as disappointing as lousy coffee in the morning–it is enough to spoil the day at times.
Proper storage is vital for preserving the coffee flavor. Poor storage takes away the authentic taste, ruining your coffee and the moment.
The appropriate storage of ground coffee guarantees a great taste every morning. That’s got to mean something.
But, unfortunately, there’s immense confusion on how to store ground coffee.
Do you use a pantry or freezer? What is the right place to store ground coffee?
Many people wonder whether pre-ground or ground coffee is the best. The answer is straightforward.
Consider pepper–ground paper is always better than pre-ground pepper. This theory also applies to coffee.
Coffee stores better when you ground those delicious beans. It is also more quickly accessible when you need a caffeine hit in the morning.
Having pre-ground coffee leads to loss of natural flavor over time.
Determining the degree of the ground coffee is also a challenging question for some avid users of this delicious beverage.
Therefore, the first important consideration before discussing proper ways of how to store ground coffee is to ensure that it is ground.
Here are specific reasons why the proper storage of ground coffee is essential:
#1 To preserve freshness
The last thing you’d want is to take expired coffee in the morning.
It not only ruins your mood but is also a health risk as it could make you want to throw up.
Proper storage of ground coffee preserves freshness and keeps it from expiring too quickly.
Oxygen gives people life but takes that life right out of your ground coffee. Oxidization ruins it, making it unpalatable for consumption.
#2 Retain the natural taste
Nothing beats the refreshing natural aroma of ground coffee in the morning.
It awakens all the sleeping giants in your head. The appropriate storage of ground coffee ensures that you get that great “wake me up” kick every morning.
Freshness in every cup is what jumpstarts the day.
#3. Get value for money
Imagine spending a considerable amount of money to purchase substantial amounts of coffee and not enjoy it.
The correct storage of ground coffee ensures that it lasts longer.
Poorly stored coffee is disappointing, especially when you need a quick jumpstart, so keep your coffee fresh for an extended period to create value for money.
#4 Removal of hygroscopic properties
Coffee absorbs moisture from the air. This means that it can absorb flavors and odors in the water, air, refrigerator, and anything else in its proximity if the package or jar is open.
Aging results due to water absorption and other odors in the air due to the displacement of essential oils from the coffee.
Ensure that you enjoy your coffee for long and experience freshness in every cup by learning how to store ground coffee.
What Does Spoiled Coffee Look Like?
Does coffee spoil? This is a frequent question, especially for infrequent coffee users.
Yes, coffee goes bad. But, unfortunately, taking bad coffee does not produce a feel-good mood for your morning ritual.
Let’s learn a little about science. Every cup of coffee contains thousands of compounds.
For example, ground coffee has significant compounds such as carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids.
All these compounds are susceptible to chemical and physical reactions over time.
These changes alter the aroma and taste of your ground coffee as chemical reactions convert the carbo into the ground coffee, producing a stale taste.
The lipids become rancid, and evaporation of organic compounds occurs.
Oxidation also causes changes to other vital components in the ground coffee that spoil its flavor, texture, and integrity.
Any slight change in the external environment has an enormous impact on your coffee. So, learn how to store ground coffee effectively!
Did you know that coffee has a higher evaporation rate than most other beverages of a similar nature?
Thought you should know! Experts say that ground coffee has an average shelf life of 3 to 5 months, and this period depends on efficient storage.
Spoiled coffee does not affect your health, but it won’t give you the flavor or taste of fresh, delectable, refreshing coffee.
So how do you tell if your coffee is bad? Having learned a little about science, you now understand a little about the chemical composition of coffee.
The same science explains how you can identify whether your coffee is fresh or spoiled.
#1 Smell test
This test checks for the freshness of the coffee. Fresh coffee has a caramel-like fragrance.
If your ground coffee no longer has this fresh-smelling caramel scent, it is spoiled.
#2 Eye test
Fresh coffee always has a crema on top when brewed.
However, adverse chemical and physical reactions may cause the brewed coffee to have just a thin black layer, which means the grouts are stale.
Earlier in this article, you learned that stale coffee comes from broken down carbos.
#3 Rancid test
The word rancid must be familiar to you now. As previously mentioned in the science section, rancid coffee comes about due to lipid conversion.
The smell test determines whether your coffee is rancid or not. It’s a bit like rancid butter, which has become sour and which you should discard.
Degradation of oils in the ground coffee takes away the fresh aroma. Instead, you get a dusty and ashtray-like scent!
Sounds awful, right? If you have already brewed your coffee, leave it for an hour or so and then taste it.
Spoiled coffee that is rancid always has a super sour, unpleasant odor and taste.
Now that you’ve learned how to detect spoiled coffee, you are safe. However, learning how to store ground coffee is far much important.
Even though spoiled coffee does not make you sick, prolonged consumption is not good for your health.
Learning how to store ground coffee puts you on the safe side.
However, freshness is important in every cup of coffee, so don’t gamble with this ideal situation by using inferior storage methods!
Best Ways To Store Ground Coffee
Now that you know how to detect spoiled ground coffee, how do you store it? There are many ways to keep ground coffee.
However, you only get the desired freshness by using the best practices.
Many people think that deep freezing is an effective way of storing ground coffee. However, this method is not advisable.
Freezing your coffee keeps it for long but takes away the freshness and taste.
Here are the most suitable ways to store your coffee:
#1 Vacuum packaging
Vacuum containers are the answer to keeping your coffee fresher for longer during storage.
Fortunately, there is little to no air or oxygen in vacuum packaging storage methods.
Remember that oxidation and hygroscopic properties cause the degradation of your ground coffee.
The purpose of vacuum storage is to remove the potential of oxidation and retain the freshness of your ground coffee.
In addition, removing oxygen from this equation preserves the coffee for more extended periods.
As mentioned earlier, coffee is hygroscopic. Therefore, vacuum packaging prevents the ground coffee from absorbing air.
Without oxygen, the coffee absorbs no water, and there is no displacement of essential oils. Thus, vacuum containers avoid the aging of coffee.
Typical vacuum storage of coffee in the pantry gives ground coffee a shelf life of up to 5 months.
Let’s dive deeper into the containers you should consider for storing coffee.
- Opaque or non-reflective metal containers – the aim is to keep your coffee as fresh as possible. Avoid storing the container in direct light and ensure that it is airtight. Light and air are the leading contributors to spoiling ground coffee.
- Use glass containers and store them in the dark and away from direct sunlight as thisslows down adverse chemical reactions and degradation.
Important!
Ensure that your ground coffee in these vacuum-sealed containers is aged before storage.
Coffee releases gases that can cause the container to expand and even burst.
#2 Having different storage containers
Consider having different storage containers with one small container dedicated for daily use.
Then, use the large container for storing larger quantities of ground coffee over a prolonged period.
This method prevents constant exposure of the bulk coffee to air and prolongs its shelf life.
#3 The Don’ts of storage
You may wonder why your ground coffee loses its fresh flavor even when you store it in special vacuum containers.
Check these potential reasons and adjust your storage choices:
- Avoid freezing: Humidity in the freezer causes the coffee to go bad. Moisture can infiltrate the container causing oxidation of the ground coffee.
- Keep away from heat: Warm spots are not good for ground coffee. Avoid places like near the oven, cabinets, or cooking equipment. Heat increases the chemical breakdown of coffee, spoiling its freshness.
Conclusion
Learning how to store ground coffee is important for both frequent and infrequent coffee consumers.
Coffee is best served fresh, and everyone wants to enjoy that freshness in every cup.
Kickstarting your morning with good coffee requires adequate storage. It is vital to store ground coffee in vacuum-sealed containers if you want it to remain fresh for up to five months.
Consider purchasing just enough ground coffee to last for that period to avoid wastage.
Even though drinking spoiled ground coffee won’t make you sick, it’s still not advisable as the sour taste may cause unpleasant reactions.
Learn how to store ground coffee to help retain its freshness for longer periods and don’t give in to the temptation to freeze your coffee.
Unfortunately, that method doesn’t work.
Must Read: Instant Coffee Vs Ground Coffee
Last Updated on March 1, 2022 by Ashok Parmar
