Coffee Basics for Beginners: How to Store Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans and Ground Coffee?

The Significance of Degassing Valves on Coffee Packaging

Recently, a customer asked FrontStreet Coffee: "Why do you need to seal the degassing valve after grinding coffee beans into powder? Won't this prevent carbon dioxide from escaping the packaging?"

FrontStreet Coffee immediately seals coffee beans after they are roasted and cooled to minimize the loss of coffee flavor. However, freshly roasted coffee beans produce large amounts of carbon dioxide internally, which begins to release continuously after roasting is complete. Without a way for this carbon dioxide to escape, the internal pressure can easily build up and rupture the packaging.

This degassing valve is actually a one-way exhaust device that releases carbon dioxide while preventing external gases from entering through the valve, thereby reducing the oxidation rate of coffee beans. Since this device can release carbon dioxide, coffee flavors can naturally escape through this degassing valve as well.

Why Must the Degassing Valve Be Sealed After Grinding into Coffee Powder?

Because we need to preserve the coffee flavor! When coffee is still in whole bean form, the release rate of carbon dioxide and flavor is very slow. However, once ground, both are immediately released at an incredibly fast pace! Therefore, when coffee is ground into powder, it needs to be immediately sealed in packaging and the degassing valve must be sealed to prevent flavor from escaping.

Do Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans Still Need Degassing After Being Ground into Powder?

No! The purpose of degassing is to allow coffee beans to release some of their internal carbon dioxide. Firstly, this helps eliminate the harshness of freshly roasted coffee beans, making the coffee flavor more rounded and full; secondly, it reduces the impact of carbon dioxide on coffee extraction during subsequent brewing. If the coffee has already been ground into powder, there's no need for further degassing, because during transportation, the pressure created by carbon dioxide in the packaging can also help make the coffee flavor more rounded. So you can brew a cup immediately upon receiving the coffee powder!

Flavor Period of Coffee Beans After Grinding

The optimal flavor period for freshly roasted coffee beans is within 30 days after the degassing period (4-7 days). When coffee beans are ground into powder, the aroma begins to diminish and the dissipation rate of flavor also accelerates. Therefore, the flavor period for freshly roasted coffee beans ground into powder is within 20 days.

How to Store Coffee After Grinding Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans into Powder?

Store in a cool, ventilated, and dry place

Whether coffee beans or coffee powder, avoid placing them in direct sunlight, as high temperatures will accelerate the release of coffee flavor, significantly reducing the flavor period. At the same time, we need to pay attention to whether the storage location is humid, as moist environments can easily breed bacteria, which not only gives the coffee a musty smell but also affects human health.

Store in completely sealed containers

Coffee beans can be stored in their original packaging, but coffee powder should preferably be stored in completely sealed containers. Firstly, the oxidation rate of coffee powder is much faster than that of coffee beans. Secondly, if there's even a slight gap when sealing in the original packaging, flavors will escape rapidly. Therefore, storing it in completely sealed containers provides better assurance.

Final Thoughts

Although pre-ground coffee powder is convenient to use, FrontStreet Coffee still recommends grinding coffee beans just before brewing. We also suggest purchasing one package at a time and finishing it before buying the next one, after all, freshness of coffee beans/powder is really important!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473