Coffee Beans vs. Ground Coffee: Which is Better | Coffee Bean Storage | Can Coffee Beans Be Stored in the Refrigerator

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In April, FrontStreet Coffee wrote an article about storing coffee beans in the refrigerator and observing how the flavors change (link available→[FrontStreet Coffee Barista's Notes] What happens to coffee flavor when coffee beans are stored in the refrigerator?). However, the beans used at that time were only stored for half a month, so this time FrontStreet Coffee stored the beans for 4 months to see what changes would occur!

In this experiment, FrontStreet Coffee sealed freshly roasted [Washed Yirgacheffe] beans on the same day and stored them separately at room temperature, frozen, and refrigerated. Considering that some fans store coffee in powder form at home, FrontStreet Coffee will store them in both bean and powder forms this time~

Bean Information

Yirgacheffe is a small town located in Ethiopia, with an altitude of 1700-2100 meters. It can be said to be one of the highest altitude coffee producing regions in the world. Interestingly, the Yirgacheffe region originally belonged to the Sidamo region, but due to the unique flavor of coffee produced here, it was separated into its own region.

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

Washed Yirgacheffe

• Country: Ethiopia
• Region: Yirgacheffe
• Altitude: 1800-2000 meters
• Processing: Washed processing
• Variety: Local native varieties

Experiment

To minimize the impact of brewing techniques on flavor, FrontStreet Coffee decided to use the Clever Dripper for this experiment. The parameters were kept basically consistent, with a roast date of 2019.5.10 and a brewing date of 2019.9.11.

Parameters: Water temperature 89°C, medium-fine grind (BG 6T: 58% pass rate through China standard #20 sieve), coffee-to-water ratio 1:16, directly pour 240g of hot water after adding coffee grounds, and filter and press out after steeping for 4 minutes.

First Group: Room Temperature Storage

Stored as coffee beans:

Flavor: Jasmine floral notes, lemon acidity, honey sweetness, woody notes. Both aroma and sweetness were quite noticeable.

Stored as coffee powder:

Flavor: Citrus, chocolate, cane sugar, woody notes. Weaker aroma and less distinct flavor.

Second Group: Refrigerated Storage

Stored as coffee beans:

Flavor: Osmanthus, ginger flower notes, lemon and citrus acidity, with tea-like characteristics.

Stored as coffee powder:

Flavor: Light floral notes, lemon, black tea, and nutty flavors. Overall quite balanced.

Third Group: Frozen Storage

Stored as coffee beans:

Flavor: Lemon, cane sugar, black tea notes, smooth mouthfeel, slight juiciness, somewhat like lemon tea.

Stored as coffee powder:

Flavor: Noticeable tea aroma, citrus acidity, cane sugar sweetness, floral tea. Overall flavor profile was relatively thin.

Conclusion

Storing coffee in both forms at room temperature, refrigerated, and frozen environments resulted in significant flavor differences:

Coffee powder stored for 4 months, regardless of the storage environment, had weaker aroma and flavor compared to coffee beans stored in bean form. Additionally, the flavor shifted from the typical citrus and floral notes of washed Yirgacheffe to nutty and chocolate flavors.

Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends that if possible, it's best to store coffee in bean form. If you can't consume your purchased coffee beans or powder quickly, you can choose to store them in the freezer~

However, FrontStreet Coffee would like to remind everyone:

When storing coffee beans or powder in the refrigerator, you must remember to seal them properly! Because coffee absorbs odors, if not sealed properly, it can easily take on smells from the refrigerator!

Additionally, it's best to divide them into smaller packages for storage to avoid coffee beans being affected by moisture and spoiling due to frequent removal for use.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473