Overthinking a plate of ground coffee beans
September 22, 2010 9:55 AM Subscribe
Should I refrigerate ground coffee?
I make one cup of coffee every day in an Aeropress. I buy my coffee from a local roaster, and it's usually roasted the day I buy it. I don't have a grinder at work, so I ask to have it ground when I buy it, but it takes me a couple weeks to get through a pound. I'd like my coffee to taste as good for as long as possible, so should I refrigerate it? On some coffee packages I've seen that it should never be refrigerated. Some things I've seen against refrigeration include: condensation when taking the coffee out of the fridge, coffee absorbing fridge odors, and the coffee being too cold when it's combined with the hot water. However, I scoop the coffee out quickly and stick the bag back in the fridge immediately. The fridge never has food in it, only bottles of water. The coffee is out in the Aeropress for at least three minutes before I add water, so it should have some time to come up to room temperature.
So am I overthinking this? Or am I committing a coffee sin when I refrigerate my ground coffee?
I make one cup of coffee every day in an Aeropress. I buy my coffee from a local roaster, and it's usually roasted the day I buy it. I don't have a grinder at work, so I ask to have it ground when I buy it, but it takes me a couple weeks to get through a pound. I'd like my coffee to taste as good for as long as possible, so should I refrigerate it? On some coffee packages I've seen that it should never be refrigerated. Some things I've seen against refrigeration include: condensation when taking the coffee out of the fridge, coffee absorbing fridge odors, and the coffee being too cold when it's combined with the hot water. However, I scoop the coffee out quickly and stick the bag back in the fridge immediately. The fridge never has food in it, only bottles of water. The coffee is out in the Aeropress for at least three minutes before I add water, so it should have some time to come up to room temperature.
So am I overthinking this? Or am I committing a coffee sin when I refrigerate my ground coffee?
I always refrigerate my ground coffee, in a totally sealed container to prevent it from absorbing anything. I've never had a problem, but I suppose I'm not very picky.
posted by Diplodocus at 10:01 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by Diplodocus at 10:01 AM on September 22, 2010
Two things conspire to oxidize your coffee, oxygen (from the air) and water. Barring expensive equipment, you can't do much about oxygen, but you can do something about the water. You can slow the reaction down by putting it in an airtight container in the freezer, but you need to let it warm to room temp before you open it so that water doesn't condense on the cold grounds. If you keep it dry and in the freezer, it will last longer. An an air- and water-tight container should keep the freezer smells out.
posted by overhauser at 10:04 AM on September 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by overhauser at 10:04 AM on September 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm a coffee snob, but honestly, I've never really noticed a big difference in taste between refrigerating and not refrigerating. The main thing for me is keeping it in an airtight container.
posted by katillathehun at 10:06 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by katillathehun at 10:06 AM on September 22, 2010
I do not drink the devil's drink, but my mother used to keep hers in the freezer. She insists on it when she brings some with her on a visit. (Disclaimer: My mother is insane.)
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:13 AM on September 22, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:13 AM on September 22, 2010 [3 favorites]
Best answer: The question is, do you notice a difference between the coffee you make with the fresh grounds and the coffee you make at the end?
It doesn't matter what the science behind it says or what others have experienced, if you don't notice a difference, don't change anything.
Since you're going from one extreme to the other two days in a row (the end of the one batch and the start of a fresh batch the next day), I would think that you would have noticed a difference before now. If you really wanted too, you could make a cup of the old grounds and a cup of the fresh ones and compare them side by side. Better yet, have someone else brew it, or at least pour it, so you don't know which is which.
posted by VTX at 10:19 AM on September 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
It doesn't matter what the science behind it says or what others have experienced, if you don't notice a difference, don't change anything.
Since you're going from one extreme to the other two days in a row (the end of the one batch and the start of a fresh batch the next day), I would think that you would have noticed a difference before now. If you really wanted too, you could make a cup of the old grounds and a cup of the fresh ones and compare them side by side. Better yet, have someone else brew it, or at least pour it, so you don't know which is which.
posted by VTX at 10:19 AM on September 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: VTX: I should do that experiment on myself. I really haven't noticed in the past because I usually get a different variety each time I buy. The new coffee does taste better, but it could be just because it's different from what I'd been drinking for the prior two weeks. Next time I'll get the same variety and see if my palate is refined enough to really care.
In any case, sounds like I should get an airtight container, whether I put it in the fridge or not.
posted by zsazsa at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2010
In any case, sounds like I should get an airtight container, whether I put it in the fridge or not.
posted by zsazsa at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2010
I'd split your pound into separate airtight containers once you get home - tiny containers, with maybe a week's worth in each.
I went through an era where I was intensely concerned with my coffee routine. Unfortunately, I can't give you any advice on this, because I don't think I ever really tasted a difference when it came to the finer points.
I like VTX's idea about the taste test - that's a good idea.
posted by mrs. taters at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2010
I went through an era where I was intensely concerned with my coffee routine. Unfortunately, I can't give you any advice on this, because I don't think I ever really tasted a difference when it came to the finer points.
I like VTX's idea about the taste test - that's a good idea.
posted by mrs. taters at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2010
You've already shown yor appreciation of coffee by using an Aeropress. Buying smaller amounts of beans on a weekly basis would probably be the best solution to your storage issue. But if you need to buy larger quantities of coffee and store them, freezer is better than fridge. Try freezing a few portions rather than one big one. Or maybe invest in a little grinder, if you can swing it. I splurged on an Ascaso i-mini a couple of years ago, and I really like it. See this previous thread for burr grinder ideas - there are some very affordable options.
posted by analog at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by analog at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2010
One way we deal with this kind of problem in laboratories is to aliquot the sample into single-serving portions (so to speak) so that each aliquot is only removed from the freezer once and used up right then and there. Could you divvy up your coffee into a bunch of small containers before freezing? Each container could contain a day's worth of coffee, or maybe 2 days, so that it's only exposed to air and moisture for a fairly short time.
Work flow:
Buy coffee, portion it out into a bunch of airtight freezer containers, freeze.
Take one container out of freezer, make a pot of coffee, put leftovers in fridge, use for next batch until container is empty.
Remove another aliquot from freezer, repeat until it's time to buy more coffee.
posted by Quietgal at 10:28 AM on September 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
Work flow:
Buy coffee, portion it out into a bunch of airtight freezer containers, freeze.
Take one container out of freezer, make a pot of coffee, put leftovers in fridge, use for next batch until container is empty.
Remove another aliquot from freezer, repeat until it's time to buy more coffee.
posted by Quietgal at 10:28 AM on September 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
I usually just keep it in an airtight container (reused coffee tin) in the kitchen cabinet. Anything extra that doesn't fit in the tin goes in the freezer. Haven't really had any problems.
posted by reptile at 10:28 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by reptile at 10:28 AM on September 22, 2010
Best answer: You have (supposedly, I haven't done that experiment myself other than trying to be quick!) 12 minutes after grinding your coffee before the taste suffers... the oxidation happens very quickly once your expose so much surface area to the air (and you expose the same surface area that you then brew through...).
I bought a small hand grinder for circumstances without an electric grinder... it works well and is not expensive.
Testing the recently-bought against the week-old ground coffee doesn't tell you much as a lot of the difference will happen within the first hour or so.
posted by Morbuto at 10:40 AM on September 22, 2010
I bought a small hand grinder for circumstances without an electric grinder... it works well and is not expensive.
Testing the recently-bought against the week-old ground coffee doesn't tell you much as a lot of the difference will happen within the first hour or so.
posted by Morbuto at 10:40 AM on September 22, 2010
Airtight container. No refrigerator and definitely no freezer.
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:46 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:46 AM on September 22, 2010
Best answer: You are overthinking this. You won't taste the difference. Go ahead, try it.
posted by Nelson at 10:50 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by Nelson at 10:50 AM on September 22, 2010
Your profile says you're in Cupertino. According to the people at Barefoot Coffee Roasters in San Jose, you should never freeze coffee. Ideally, purchase beans, make the coffee a couple minutes after you grind it, and don't keep the beans for more than a week-ish. You really should try to visit and try their coffee. Best cup I've ever had.
posted by yaymukund at 10:56 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by yaymukund at 10:56 AM on September 22, 2010
Best answer: Please do not freeze your coffee, ground or not. Freezing will break down the oils and organics, and make your coffee worse. Opening the container every day for two weeks will make it worse faster, as humidity condenses in the container, freezes and more of the coffee breaks down.
The real solution to your problem is to get a grinder; a company called Hario makes a small hand-grinder that seems to be well-suited to your purposes, the "Mini Slim" I think it's called, that you can store at your office.
Store your coffee beans in sealed container at room temperature and grind only what you need to use immediately.
Please don't freeze your coffee.
posted by mhoye at 10:56 AM on September 22, 2010
The real solution to your problem is to get a grinder; a company called Hario makes a small hand-grinder that seems to be well-suited to your purposes, the "Mini Slim" I think it's called, that you can store at your office.
Store your coffee beans in sealed container at room temperature and grind only what you need to use immediately.
Please don't freeze your coffee.
posted by mhoye at 10:56 AM on September 22, 2010
nth-ing the airtight container. I buy my beans whole, but they stay plenty fresh for 2-3 weeks in my opaque, airtight crockery. I don't refrigerate, but I dont think it will keep the coffee any fresher. Definitely buy smaller batches/invest in a small grinder. Fresh ground is totally the way to go!
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:58 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:58 AM on September 22, 2010
I just want to add when you buy your airtight container, get an opaque one. Light is bad for coffee, too. I would just keep it in your dark, sealed container on the counter, and avoid all the moisture that comes with the fridge.
posted by purpletangerine at 11:14 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by purpletangerine at 11:14 AM on September 22, 2010
My friend the chef's gourmet coffee drinking pal works offshore two weeks on, two off, and has his specially ordered, freshly roasted beans ground and delivered the day he gets home; he stores it airtight in refrigerator to use over the two weeks and swears by this.
posted by Anitanola at 12:01 PM on September 22, 2010
posted by Anitanola at 12:01 PM on September 22, 2010
I buy ground coffee 5 pounds at a time at Zabar's and immediately freeze it. For me, it keeps very well. When I buy different types, I can always tell which one I've brewed.
I've tried buying whole beans and grinding them fresh each morning, but I can't tell the difference.
posted by KRS at 1:11 PM on September 22, 2010
I've tried buying whole beans and grinding them fresh each morning, but I can't tell the difference.
posted by KRS at 1:11 PM on September 22, 2010
I don't know if I would call that test definitive, since it looks like they only froze the coffee for one day. When most people talk about problems with frozen coffee, they talk about condensation from being taken in and out of the freezer. That's not going to make a difference if done once.
I think ground coffee definitely tastes stale after a week, under any normal home conditions (ie, opened/closed every day, no matter the temperature). At the very least, just buy half a pound. I also think grinding at home is going to make more of a difference in quality than whether or not you freeze your coffee. Ground coffee has a much higher surface area than whole bean, allowing oxidation to occur much more rapidly. In the fridge, humidity is generally kept low, but ground coffee is excellent at absorbing fridge odors. So: smaller portions of whole beans stored in airtight containers at a consistent temperature are best.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:40 PM on September 22, 2010
I think ground coffee definitely tastes stale after a week, under any normal home conditions (ie, opened/closed every day, no matter the temperature). At the very least, just buy half a pound. I also think grinding at home is going to make more of a difference in quality than whether or not you freeze your coffee. Ground coffee has a much higher surface area than whole bean, allowing oxidation to occur much more rapidly. In the fridge, humidity is generally kept low, but ground coffee is excellent at absorbing fridge odors. So: smaller portions of whole beans stored in airtight containers at a consistent temperature are best.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:40 PM on September 22, 2010
This test seems pretty compelling to me. Freezing, up to two month in an airtight container, will not have a significant affect on quality.
posted by Kurichina at 3:04 PM on September 22, 2010
posted by Kurichina at 3:04 PM on September 22, 2010
Definitely seconding mhoye - "Please don't freeze your coffee."
Keep your cheap stuff in a dark cabinet near the coffee maker. Keep your high quality stuff, in the original packaging, in a larger ziplock bag, and when you seal it up suck (or at least squeeze) the air out. (skip to 1:00 in; it's a fairly obvious intro)
posted by carlh at 4:35 PM on September 22, 2010
Keep your cheap stuff in a dark cabinet near the coffee maker. Keep your high quality stuff, in the original packaging, in a larger ziplock bag, and when you seal it up suck (or at least squeeze) the air out. (skip to 1:00 in; it's a fairly obvious intro)
posted by carlh at 4:35 PM on September 22, 2010
Best answer: There's a lot of information and opinion out there on storing coffee, and I've certainly got my own practices (which you've broken by not using your coffee within about 20 seconds of grinding it) but frankly the only answer for this is to try it out. Next time you buy coffee, split it in half and keep half in the fridge (or freezer or whatever) and half in the cupboard, and then alternate which one you use (or better yet make two cups and compare them).
If you don't notice one batch being better than the other, ignore what other people say, and use the most convenient.
posted by markr at 10:50 PM on September 22, 2010
If you don't notice one batch being better than the other, ignore what other people say, and use the most convenient.
posted by markr at 10:50 PM on September 22, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all of the advice and insight, everyone. Looks like grinding before brewing will make way more of a difference than fridge/no fridge ever would. I'll look into the small hand grinders. I don't want to be taking over the kitchen at work with too much of my coffee paraphernalia.
In any case, I'll be doing a taste test, just for fun!
yaymukund: actually Barefoot Coffee Roasters is just down the street from where I live and is one of the places where I get my coffee. The variety that they have there is mind-boggling, and I'm lucky to have it so close! They do give me the stink-eye sometimes when I ask them to grind it...
Burhanistan: Oh yeah, no milk or cream in coffee, ever. In fact, I thought I hated coffee until I tried it without cream. I do add a tiny bit of sugar, though.
posted by zsazsa at 9:30 AM on September 23, 2010
In any case, I'll be doing a taste test, just for fun!
yaymukund: actually Barefoot Coffee Roasters is just down the street from where I live and is one of the places where I get my coffee. The variety that they have there is mind-boggling, and I'm lucky to have it so close! They do give me the stink-eye sometimes when I ask them to grind it...
Burhanistan: Oh yeah, no milk or cream in coffee, ever. In fact, I thought I hated coffee until I tried it without cream. I do add a tiny bit of sugar, though.
posted by zsazsa at 9:30 AM on September 23, 2010
Response by poster: Follow-up time!
I haven't noticed much difference between refrigerated, frozen, or room temperature for storing coffee, which may have to do with the crappy freezer section in the mini-fridges we have in the kitchen at work. In all cases, I do notice the taste degrading as the coffee beans get older.
What made the biggest difference was grinding my own. I got a Hario Mini Mill Slim and grind while my water is heating up. If the coffee is ground fresh, I don't even have to put any sugar into it.
If anyone sees this, thanks for your advice!
posted by zsazsa at 9:28 AM on July 26, 2011
I haven't noticed much difference between refrigerated, frozen, or room temperature for storing coffee, which may have to do with the crappy freezer section in the mini-fridges we have in the kitchen at work. In all cases, I do notice the taste degrading as the coffee beans get older.
What made the biggest difference was grinding my own. I got a Hario Mini Mill Slim and grind while my water is heating up. If the coffee is ground fresh, I don't even have to put any sugar into it.
If anyone sees this, thanks for your advice!
posted by zsazsa at 9:28 AM on July 26, 2011
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