How Long Do Coffee Beans Last
After Roasting?
Coffee beans are classified as a dry item that is shelf-stable. It would take years for them to go stale, they start losing freshness 7-10 days after roasting.
They will remain fresh for approximately a week or two at the most on average, if coffee beans are not stored in an airtight container that preserves their freshness and flavor. A good idea to purchase coffee beans with a recent roast date, such as those roasted just a week or two ago.
Coffee beans in an airtight container can keep them fresh for up to 9 months, and coffee grounds in an airtight container can keep them fresh for several months.
For long-term storage, the freezer performs significantly better than the refrigerator. Instead of using the original packaging, seal small portions of the beans in plastic zipper bags to protect them from freezer burn. They can remain in place for approximately a month before the quality degrades.
While clear canisters may look appealing, they allow light to impair the taste of your coffee.
Place a handful of whole coffee beans in a ziploc bag and squeeze out any excess air before sealing the bag and leaving it overnight. Examine the bag first thing in the morning to see if it has inflated as a result of the CO2 release; if so, the beans are still fresh.
- Look For A Glossy Appearance
When coffee beans are roasted, the intense heat draws moisture from the bean's core while also drawing out oil-like substances that coat the bean's exterior. - Also, Check For Oil Residue.
Fresh beans leave a residue on your hands or on the inside of the bag when picked up. - Smell The Beans
Fresh beans are known for having a strong aroma when they are first harvested. If you are unable to detect the scent of your beans, they are likely to be past their best before date. - Check To See If There Is A Valve
Freshly roasted beans emit a significant amount of carbon dioxide. The absence of a valve in your bag of coffee indicates that your coffee beans are not actively releasing CO2 and are therefore no longer fresh. - Use The Ziploc Bag Test To Determine
Fill a ziploc bag with a handful of whole coffee beans and set aside. Before sealing, press out any remaining air with your fingers and leave it overnight to see how it looks in the morning. If the bag appears to be inflated as a result of the release of CO2, this indicates that the beans are still fresh. If the bag remains flat, this indicates that the beans have reached the end of their shelf life.
How To Use An Espresso Machine To Make A Latte
By: Douglas
Other Latte Art Questions
How to Steam Milk for Latte Art without Machine?
How to Steam Milk at home for Latte Art?
Other Questions about Coffee
How much does it cost to rent a espresso machine?
Questions not about coffee (but important to coffee)
About US | OCM Profile
OCM (OnCoffeeMakers.com) was started in 2007 with the first webpage about coffee machines. And for a number of years, we focused on helping people find their desired coffee machine (we still are helping folks with that! So, if you are looking for coffee machines for office or restaurants - check out the link).
In 2010, we started getting enquiries on restaurant marketing and we start to help food and beverage brands with their marketing. Below are campaigns and events that we have done over the years:
OCM's campaigns: F&B Marketing Ideas by OCM
OCM's Events: F&B Industry events by or with OCM
Check out this restaurant marketing guide to learn more about the many campaigns and companies we have worked with.
Since then, we have also created many marketing workshops and classes for the F&B industry. Many of these modules are still running in tertiary institutions such as Temasek Polytechnic Skillsfuture Academy and also ITE College East COC classes, below are some snippets of our lectures and workshops:
OCM’s F&B workshops: Food and Beverage Marketing Lectures | Workshops - click to watch classes on customer journey map, JTBD and more.
So, if you are looking for industry practitioners to help you scale your coffee or F&B businesses, do drop us a message or book an appointment. Do also check out our various social media platforms on regular F&B and coffee market updates:
For regular coffee (F&B) related videos: OCM Youtube
For Daily Coffee Inspiration (fun coffee content): OCM IG
For insights into the coffee (F&B) industry: OCM LinkedIN
PS: For the coffee lovers, we continue to share coffee articles (and videos) and have also started a free coffee class section (with free online coffee training supported by coffee partners).
