There is nothing quite like a good cup of coffee, a strong one is always welcome too. Over 2 billion cups are consumed around the world every day. Coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world after tea, and it isn’t hard to see why!
Grinding frozen coffee beans?
Yes, you can grind frozen coffee beans, in fact, this might even produce uniform particles and consistent taste.
According to a study posted in Scientific Reports; frozen coffee beans will render small particles with consistency in size. As a result, you get the same flavor and freshness with less quantity of beans every time.
A specialty coffee shop in Britain also proceeded to test out the theory of how lower temperature can affect the way beans break when ground. It appears, the colder beans produced more uniform particles and an even flavor.
How to defrost frozen coffee beans
Let them stay at room temperature for some time after taking them out of the freezer. You can grind your beans and use them within a week.
Also remember not to open the container inside the freezer, and make sure to take one portion out at a time for grinding so you don’t have to put the beans back inside.
Freezing coffee beans before grinding
If done correctly, Green coffee beans can be frozen for up to 1 year, but 3 to 6 months is recommended for best quality. Freshly roasted beans, however, can be stored for a maximum of 2 months in the freezer.
‘If done correctly’ being the key phrase here.
So, yeah! Like you might have guessed, this made me quite curious about the whole process of storing, freezing, defrosting, and preparing coffee beans for brewing that I delved right into it, gathering the most valuable tips I learned so I can share them in this article.
Keep on reading to find out how you can freeze coffee the right way.
How long can you store coffee beans in the freezer?
Coffee beans last for various amounts of time depending on their type and how and where you store them. The table below will help you decide how much time is appropriate for your beans in the freezer as compared to other storage choices.
| Coffee Bean Type | Pantry | Freezer | Kitchen cabinet |
| Green Coffee Beans | 6 Months | 6 to 12 Months | 6 Months |
| Roasted Coffee Beans | Up to 1 Month | 1 to 2 Months | Up to 1 Month |
Wherever you store your beans, remember to place them in an airtight container away from heat, moisture, light, and oxygen. That’s the first golden rule you might want to remember!
With that out of the way, storing your beans in the freezer the right way can be quite beneficial if you’re aiming for the long term!
But first…
Should you store coffee beans in the freezer?
According to research done by Andrew R. Cotter (Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University) and Helene Hopfer (Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University) on a group of coffee consumers, the storage conditions considerably affect the quality in both forms, i.e., lighter roast coffee or dark roast coffee.
Taking this into account, the flavor of the coffee depends largely on the way you store your beans. Also, the amount of time they were kept in the freezer significantly affects their quality.
So, whether or not to freeze your coffee beans largely depends on their quantity, form, quality, and usage.
Disadvantages of freezing coffee beans
Of course, there are some downsides to storing your beans in the freezer, which I will detail below.
Bad taste due to various food odors:
Sometimes, you may experience a bad taste in your coffee as it absorbs the odor of other foods. It’s also important to note, that if your refrigerator is not cool enough, the beans will definitely be affected, becoming stale within just a few days.
Loss of freshness due to moisture
One of the oldest enemies of coffee is moisture, it can cause damage to coffee on a structural level, so you might also experience some changes in the flavor and quality of your beans.
Apart from that, ground coffee will be much more sensitive to moisture. In fact, it could potentially lose its quality within a week or two, even when stored in the freezer.
And then, there are of course some facts and proven storage tips supported by research that outweigh the above risks.
Advantages of storing coffee beans in a freezer
I have listed below the common reasons why you should use the freezer to store your beans.
The freezer can prevent coffee oxidation:
Like any other food, oxidation happens with coffee too! And to avoid this, place them in an air-sealed container and store them in a freezer. It will help preserve their freshness.
Temperature control for coffee beans:
A hot environment causes fast molecular movement and bacterial growth that may make your coffee taste bad. Cool storage like a freezer can prevent these things from happening.
A longer storage time:
All things considered, the freezer can be considered a good storage option if you prefer to buy a large pack of beans to last you for months in order to save time and money.
But let me tell you one more thing…
Most regular storage containers will allow a certain degree of oxygen to slip through, which could result in a freeze-burn smell. So, if you decide to freeze your coffee beans, make sure to place them in a vacuum pack container or a valve bag.
With that in mind, note that roasted coffee beans produce carbon dioxide that can affect the flavor, so if you place roasted beans in a container, remember to open it after a few days to let the carbon dioxide gas out.
Many containers come with a one-way valve. I would vividly recommend using those types of containers as they allow carbon dioxide to come out without allowing any oxygen to enter.
Which will save you the hassle of checking the containers every now and then.
Storing coffee beans in the freezer the right way
If you’ve suffered the unfortunate experience of finding out your coffee beans have gone stale, even in a freezer. You are not alone!
Many people face this problem on a regular basis, so here I put together some tips to help you prevent any issues when freezing your coffee beans.
- If you roast your beans at home, you’re already a step ahead! However, make sure you do it properly. You can use a good home coffee roaster to make the process easier.
- If home roasting is a bit messy or time-consuming, make sure you buy freshly roasted coffee beans.
- After roasting, leave the container open for at least 48 hours to let trapped gas out and prevent changes in the flavor. Overall, it’s advisable to let the beans rest up to three days.
- For consistent flavor, try separating large quantities into small portions of equal measure, also make sure to label the containers with the date they were first put into the freezer.
- Use a high-quality plastic opaque container to avoid air and moisture from slipping through.
- Light may cause oxidation, so definitely use a non-transparent container.
- Finally, it’s much more recommended to use the deep freezer instead of your regular freezer. And definitely never just refrigerate the beans, the high contact with moisture will ruin the flavor.
Best freezer storage container for coffee beans:
An example of one of the most recommended coffee containers to freeze your beans is Coffee Gator Stainless Steel Canister.
Main features:
• Airtight seal that keeps your bean secure from the environment outside
• The one-way valve lets carbon dioxide come out and keeps your beans fresh
• The product includes a free coffee scoop and an ebook on coffee
Can you store coffee grounds in the freezer?
If you ever have some coffee grounds left after brewing a flavorful cup, you can store them in the freezer for later use. But most importantly, always avoid stashing in opened coffee packages.
If you plan to freeze freshly acquired beans, keeping the original coffee bag sealed is the best way to go.
Otherwise, it’s recommended to ensure the beans are packed in a vacuum container, or an airtight jar to lock away moisture and bad odor.
And, although freezing your coffee grounds will save you time the next day, they can start losing flavor if you store them for a long time.
How long can you freeze coffee grounds?
Ideally, you have to use frozen coffee grounds within a week. Any longer would generally affect the flavor.
Will the taste be different than freshly ground coffee? Ultimately, yes. Differences in temperature will definitely have a say in the matter.
But keep in mind, it naturally depends on how high your everyday taste requirements are. Actually, it might not even make that huge of a difference if you just want that cup of coffee brewed and ready to go, regardless of how less-than-perfect it tastes.
Final Thought
Starting your day with a cup of coffee gives you a kick start. So it’s crucial to know a few basic things like storing, grinding, and brewing coffee beans.
In this article, I have tried to provide answers to all the common questions you may have about storing your coffee in the freezer.
If you think I’ve provided you with some useful tips, please share!
Also, feel free to write your thoughts below on how you store and make your coffee!
