Coffee taste tests have been conducted at room-temperature, cold and
frozen storage.
The best place to store coffee is the freezer, according
to a study by
coffee roasters that looked at different
storage options over a 12-week
period.
The study had three tasters cup coffee stored in both whole-bean and
ground form in a freezer
and at room temperature.
The best result, in both taste and color, came with
whole-bean coffee
stored in an airtight container
in
a freezer at zero degrees Fahrenheit for
no more
than
six weeks. For pre-ground coffee, maximum
storage
time
in the freezer drops to four weeks.
Room-temperature storage was the next best option,
with refrigeration
coming in third. The fridge's cool temperature helps keep the oils
inside of the bean,
but the fluctuating temperature and additional
exposure
to air can create moisture and erode the flavor and taste.
