Coffee Storage Myths; Freeze Your Fresh Roasted Coffee & Other Popular Misconceptions

So you are finally fed up with that bland black liquid, you once called coffee, brewed from the finest can of generic supermarket grinds. You are financially outraged at the price of a single cup of designer coffee shop coffee. It's now time to take matters into your own hands!

So you invest in the latest technologically advanced coffee maker, including your very own coffee bean grinder. Even the engineers at NASA would envy the bells and whistles on this baby. You splurge on several pounds of the finest fresh roasted Arabica bean coffee the world has to offer.

You pop open the vacuum-sealed bag and release that incredible fresh roasted coffee aroma. Your eyes widen at the site of all those shiny brown beans as you begin to grind your first pound of gourmet coffee. You feel like a mad scientist as you adjust every bell and whistle on your space age coffee maker and you revel in this accomplishment as you finish your first cup of home brewed gourmet coffee. No more long lines and outrageous prices at the neighborhood café for you!

Now it's time to store all those pounds of unopened packages of fresh roasted coffee beans and the unused portion of the black gold you have just ground. Then you remember what your mother told you; "Freeze the unopened beans & Refrigerate the freshly ground coffee".

At this point, it would be best if you just returned to the supermarket and purchase a stock of those generic grinds you had grown to loathe. Having the best coffee beans available and using the most advanced coffee brewing equipment will do little to provide you with the best cup of coffee you desire if the beans are not treated correctly.

Looking at the facts, we learn that the natural enemies of fresh roasted coffee are light, heat and moisture. Storing your coffee away from them will keep it fresher longer. Therefore, an airtight container stored in a cool, dry, dark place is the best environment for your coffee.

But why not the freezer, It's cool & dark? This does make sense, but if it be the case, then why do we not find our supermarket coffee in the frozen food section?

Here's why!

  • Coffee is Porous. It is exactly this feature that allows us to use oils and syrups to flavor coffee beans for those who enjoy gourmet flavored coffees. For this same reason, coffee can also absorb flavors and moisture from your freezer. The absorbed moisture will deteriorate the natural goodness of your coffee and your expensive gourmet coffee beans will taste like your freezer.
  • The coffee roasting process causes the beans to release their oils and essences in order to give the coffee its distinct flavor. This is the reason why your beans are shiny. These oils are more prominent on dark-roasted coffee and espresso beans and the reason why these coffees are so distinct in flavor. The process of freezing will break down these oils and destroy the natural coffee flavor. So unless you don't mind frozen fish flavored coffee, you should avoid using the freezer to store your gourmet coffee beans at all costs.

There are some exceptions to freezer storing your coffee, but you should proceed with caution! Fresh roasted coffee will remain fresh for approximately 2 weeks. If you have more than you can use in this 2 week period you can, and I shutter to say, freeze your coffee but you should follow these steps:

  • Apply the Freeze Once Rule. What this means is that once you take the beans out of the freezer, they should never go back in. The constant changes in temperature will wreak havoc on your coffee. The frozen moisture on your coffee will melt and be absorbed into the bean, destroying the coffee oils and allowing absorption of unwanted flavors. When you put it back into the freezer, you are repeating the process and destroying your expensive gourmet coffee
  • Keep moisture out! Remember, moisture is coffee's natural enemy. If you have a five-pound bag of coffee to store, divide it up into weekly portions. Wrap those portions up using sealable freezer bags and plastic wrap. If possible, suck out the excess air from the freezer bag using a straw or a vacuum sealer. Remove the weekly portion when you need it, and store it in an air-tight container in a dry place like your pantry. And remember, Do not put it back into the freezer!

So when is it best Refrigerate Coffee? Simply put, Never ever, unless you are conducting a science experiment on how long it takes to ruin perfectly good coffee. The fridge is one of the absolute worst places to put coffee. The reasons why not to freeze fresh roasted coffee also apply here.

Other Popular Coffee Myths Exposed.

  • Grind all beans before storing Absolutely wrong!. Grinding the coffee breaks up the beans and their oils, exposes the beans to air, and makes the coffee go stale a lot faster, no matter how you store it. This especially holds true for flavored coffees! For the best tasting coffee, you should buy your beans whole and store them in a sealed container in a dark place. Grind right before serving!
  • Vacuum-sealed packaging equals fresh coffee. Again, absolutely wrong. The coffee roasting process causes the coffee beans to release a gas by-product, specifically carbon dioxide. This gas release process continues for several days after roasting. In order to be vacuum sealed, the coffee has to first release all its CO˛ or it will burst the bag, which means that it must sit around for several days before it can be packaged and shipped. This sitting around begins to rob the coffee of its freshness. Vacuum sealing is best for pre-ground coffee, which we already know is not going to taste as good as fresh-ground coffee. The best method for packaging and shipping is in valve-sealed bags. The valve allows the carbon dioxide gasses and moisture to escape but doesn't allow oxygen or moisture in. Therefore, the fresh roasted coffee beans can be packaged and shipped immediately after roasting, ensuring the coffee's freshness and taste.

A quick review for storing your gourmet coffee
  • Buy fresh roasted, whole bean coffee directly from a coffee roaster if possible
  • Look for valve-sealed bags, not vacuum-sealed
  • Store your coffee beans in a sealed container in a dark place
  • Grind your beans just before brewing
  • Enjoy!

Dr. Cynthia Ochi is a coffee lover, who like you, continues her quest to find & prepare the ultimate cup of java. Her search for a quality coffee distributor led to the development of http://www.WeBeJava.com They are not only the distributor but they are affiliated directly with the roastery! Why is this so important? By dealing directly with the roastery, your coffee order is roasted in small batches right before it is shipped. Your coffee order is not sitting around on a shelf just waiting for you to order it! We Be Java's affiliated roastmaster hand picks beans from around the world, blends, flavors & roasts your order so you get the finest coffees available. Their line of coffees have even been featured in Time Magazine! We Be Java's roastery is a certified Organic Coffee Handler and Processor by the Georgia Crop Improvement Association Organic Certification Program (GCIAOCP) and they abide by the standards established by the National Organic Program. Check out http://www.webejava.com for yourself and see if you don't agree with Cynthia!

In The News:


Google News
Updated : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:50:53 GMT

World is united to tackle financial crisis, IMF says - MarketWatch


BBC News
World is united to tackle financial crisis, IMF says
MarketWatch - 2 hours ago
By Rex Nutting WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Financial policymakers from 180 nations around the world are united in their resolve to tackle the financial crisis, Youssef Boutros-Ghali, head of the International Monetary Fund's policy committee, ...
G7 nations face going cap in hand to China guardian.co.uk
Finance officials comments at IMF meetings Reuters
AFP - BBC News - Bloomberg - New York Times
all 579 news articles

Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:23:46 GMT

Got $700 Billion? Sweat the Details - New York Times


Telegraph.co.uk
Got $700 Billion? Sweat the Details
New York Times - 3 hours ago
The bailout plan gives Henry M. Paulson Jr., the Treasury secretary, three broad choices in buying assets. By ALAN S. BLINDER THE House of Representatives was against the bailout bill before it was for it.
US firms up plan to buy into banks to stem crisis Reuters
Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' Bloomberg
Los Angeles Times - Washington Post - The Miami Herald - International Herald Tribune
all 2,358 news articles

Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:39:07 GMT

US space tourist set for blast-off - Reuters


Canada.com
US space tourist set for blast-off
Reuters - 40 minutes ago
By Maria Golovnina BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - US video game magnate Richard Garriott will blast off into space aboard a Russian spaceship on Sunday watched by his father, a NASA astronaut who went into space at the height of the Cold War.
US space tourist set for launch BBC News
Russian space chief reassures US partners The Associated Press
Times Online - USA Today - Spaceflight Now - RedOrbit
all 287 news articles

Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:10:50 GMT

GOP Officials Hope for Stability From McCain - New York Times


Voice of America
GOP Officials Hope for Stability From McCain
New York Times - 1 hour ago
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and ELISABETH BUMILLER Republican leaders across the country said Saturday that they were worried that Senator John McCain was heading for defeat unless he brought stability to his presidential candidacy and settled on a clear message ...
Antiwar Protestor Disrupts McCain Iowa Rally Washington Post
Obama needs 75 percent turnout in Philadelphia, says Rendell CNN Political Ticker
The Weekly Standard - Summit Daily News - USA Today - WNCT
all 1,087 news articles

Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:23:47 GMT

YouTube to play full TV episodes with ads - Afterdawn.com


Vancouver Sun
YouTube to play full TV episodes with ads
Afterdawn.com - 2 hours ago
Google has announced that it will begin offering full-length TV episodes through its YouTube platform beginning this week, thanks to a content deal with CBS.
YouTube to Offer TV Shows With Ads Strewn Through New York Times
YouTube beams up Star Trek for long-form video, prominent new ads CNET News
Wall Street Journal - eFluxMedia - Silicon Alley Insider - Bizjournals.com
all 109 news articles

Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:13:12 GMT

Gay Marriage Is Ruled Legal in Connecticut - New York Times


Boston Globe
Gay Marriage Is Ruled Legal in Connecticut
New York Times - 5 hours ago
In Hartford, Crystal Pretzman of Willimantic, Conn., celebrated the State Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage.
Video: Connecticut Court Allows Gay Marriage AssociatedPress
Marriage ruling not the end of debate in Conn. The Associated Press
Newsday - Washington Post - Reuters - NECN
all 1,711 news articles

Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:13:08 GMT

Nobel Peace Prize winner wants jobs for the young - International Herald Tribune


Times Online
Nobel Peace Prize winner wants jobs for the young
International Herald Tribune - 10 hours ago
AP HELSINKI, Finland: Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari said Saturday that finding jobs for more than 1 billion young people in the Middle East and Asia will be a major challenge to peacebuilding in the next decade.
Video: Ex-Finland President Wins Nobel Peace Prize AssociatedPress
Nobel Finn Wall Street Journal
Voice of America - Times Online - Burlington Hawk Eye
all 1,453 news articles

Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:12:07 GMT

RSS to HTML
More Web Site Traffic


PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Tea at Sea

Marylyn Monroe famed amongst other things for her love of... Read More

Extracting the Coffee Flavor

The beverage called coffee is the result of mixing dry... Read More

Coffee Breaks - Do They Create Stress?

The American custom of taking break during the working hours.... Read More

Mocha Coffee: Learn About the Source and Try Our Recipes for Making Great Mochas

Depending on how we look at it, mocha coffee may... Read More

Brazilian Coffee

Adultery, deceit and politics, all the makings of a modern-day... Read More

Buy Only Fresh Gourmet Coffee Beans if You are Looking to Brew Flavorful Gourmet Coffee

Most coffee beans are grown in sub-tropical climates all over... Read More

Live the Life of a Civil War Soldier When you Drink your Mornin Coffee

Civil War soldiers, Confederate and Union, used to... Read More

Coffee Makers

If you are a gourmet coffee drinker, you may want... Read More

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Coffee Consumption

Coffee is heavily studied, but study results contradict one another.... Read More

Getting Fat These Days; Is it Starbucks

Starbucks has seen tremendous growth in our cities and the... Read More

Make Money In Your Own Coffee Business

A 2001 survey by the National Coffee Association indicated that... Read More

Italian Roast Coffee For An Authentic Espresso

One of the things people think of with Italy is... Read More

Starbucks Coffee Company

Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by three businessmen... Read More

What Makes Hawaiian Coffee So Special?

Coffee was first introduced to the Islands by Chief Boki,... Read More

Woman Dies from Caffeine Overdose and Expert Calls for Action in New Book and FDA Petition

An autopsy released this week has found caffeine to be... Read More

Starbucks Product Review

Have you had the pleasure of tasting Starbucks new less... Read More

A Coffee Roaster For All Occasions

Coffee roasters and those who roast, brew and serve the... Read More

Coffee Grinders Jumpstart Your Java

All the experts agree. People who want the best flavor... Read More

Coffee, A Brief Overview

The coffee plant has two main species. There is the... Read More

Coffees of India

India produces two fine coffees, but even among coffee devotees... Read More

Those Elusive Coffee Beans!

With the spread of various coffee beans into our lives,... Read More

Mr. Coffee Versus Bunn-o-Matic - The Coffee Maker Battle Heats Up

For coffee lovers, there are few things more appealing than... Read More

Coffee ?Nectar of the gods

About 850 A.D it is said that a lone shepherd... Read More

How Is Kona Coffee Different?

Like much of Hawaii, Kona offers ideal climate conditions for... Read More

Caffeine - I Bet You Didnt Know This! Health and Nutrition!

What exactly is caffeine? It is a colorless, somewhat bitter... Read More