With so many independent coffee roasters to choose from, it’s possible to enjoy beans from all around the world. From Indonesia to Uganda, coffee is produced and exported all over the world and has become a vital pick-me-up for people working long hours, thanks to its high caffeine content.
If you enjoy sampling beans from around the world, you might be wondering how best to preserve your coffee? Can you really store those single-origin beans in the freezer?
Can You Freeze Coffee Beans?
No, you should not freeze coffee beans. Instead, coffee should be stored in an opaque, sealed container, away from direct sunlight, in order to preserve the taste profile of the beans into the future.
Do Do Coffee Beans freeze well? No
Can you refreeze Coffee Beans? No
Why You Shouldn’t Freeze Coffee Beans
It’s fair to say that freezing coffee beans split opinions. Some people swear by it, whereas others avoid it at all costs. The reality is that storing coffee beans does them absolutely no favours. And here’s why.
Coffee is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture, odours, and other flavours in the surrounding air.
As such, when you place your beans in the freezer, they take on the odours and moisture already within, which can drastically affect the taste profile of your beans.
When you think about how hard coffee roasters work to develop the profile of their beans, it would be a shame to jeopardise this by placing them in the freezer, thus exposing them to a whole plethora of odours that are likely to alter their taste.
What is the Best Way to Store Coffee Beans?
Instead of freezing them, the best way to store coffee beans is to keep them in an airtight, opaque container away from direct sunlight.
Once you open your bag of beans, the coffee will begin to oxidise, which means the flavour will slowly start to deteriorate over time.
The best thing to do is to dispense of the coffee’s original packaging and place your beans directly into a clean, opaque container. While coffee doesn’t really ‘go off,’ you will notice that roasters write a use-by date on the label.
This tends to be within six months of the roast date.
As a rule of thumb, the quicker you enjoy your freshly roasted coffee beans, the tastier they will be. The longer you leave them, the staler they become.
If you don’t drink a great deal of coffee, the best thing to do is to invest in a 250g bag instead of a larger 500g or 1kg package. This means you can use your beans up in a relatively short space of time without needing to freeze them.
Do Coffee Beans Freeze Well?
While we certainly don’t advocate freezing coffee beans, it’s perfectly safe to do so.
But due to the fact that they absorb moisture and odour from other products, it’s best to avoid freezing your coffee beans if you want them to taste as the roaster intended.
Instead of seeking to preserve them long into the future, buy smaller packs of coffee and use them as quickly as possible. This way, you can enjoy delicious, flavoursome coffee, just as the roaster intended.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing coffee beans or coffee in general, then these may help:
You can grind frozen coffee beans but only do so with a good quality coffee bean grinder. You may find the grind becomes inconsistent if your grinder is not sharp and powerful.
Yes, you can freeze roasted coffee beans. However, it’s not something we would advise. Instead, if you want to store roasted coffee beans then simply place them in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.
