Fresh Gourmet Coffee

How to Keep That Fresh Gourmet Coffee Taste

There are four main external influences that will affect the freshness of your gourmet coffee. These include air, heat, moisture and light. If your fresh gourmet coffee is exposed to any of these elements for a period of time, the freshness of the coffee grounds will quickly deteriorate. Each element affects the coffee in a certain way.

Air – When fresh gourmet coffee grounds are exposed to air, they tend to oxidize quicker than if they were kept in an air-tight container. The accelerated oxidization causes the gourmet coffee grounds to lose their fresh gourmet taste and become stale much quicker.

Heat and Light – After coffee is roasted, it continues to emit carbon dioxide and go through a natural chemical process that changes the coffee flavor over time. When exposed to great amounts of heat and light, the gourmet coffee grounds will cycle through this process much quicker and become rancid before you can use it all up.

Moisture – Adding moisture to gourmet coffee grounds, which can occur when you freeze or refrigerate them, is an excellent way to diminish the flavor of your coffee. Adding moisture can dilute the robustness of the grounds. It can also cause the tasty gourmet coffee grounds to spoil quicker.

Knowing that these key factors will harm your fresh gourmet coffee, you will want to protect the grounds as much as possible. There are simple steps that can be taken after you buy and store your gourmet coffee grounds that may help prolong the shelf life.

Your choice of storage container has a great impact on the freshness of your gourmet coffee. The best way to store your fresh gourmet coffee is in an air-tight opaque container. This helps to eliminate both air and light from the spoilage equation. If you leave the coffee in its original package, air and light may enter, especially if not sealed properly. This is one of the simplest ways to keep your coffee fresh.

Remember to store your coffee in a cool, dark area of your home. Cabinets or pantry's are a good spot to put your unused gourmet coffee grounds. These places tend to be dark and aren't located next to a stove or oven that can emit heat causing the fresh gourmet coffee to spoil fast.