How is it best to store coffee beans while on vacation?

by Barry S.
(Columbus, OH)

QUESTION:

I'll be away from home for a few weeks. What is the best way to store my remaining open packages of Dunkin Donuts coffee while I'm gone? Cupboard? Refrigerator? Freezer?

ANSWER:

It's nice to know you appreciate your coffee enough to want to keep it fresh while you're away!

The trick with storing coffee, whether it's whole beans or ground, is to keep it away from the air. The air starts to oxidize the coffee and you'll also lose some of the coffee's volatile oils through evaporation. Much of the flavour of your coffee is contained in those oils.

So the first thing you want to do it put it into a totally airtight container.

You can double seal it in Ziploc bags, or keep it in a tin or a jar. Just make sure no air gets in or out.

The next step is to put it into the freezer. Not in the fridge. If you put it into the fridge and there is even the tiniest exchange of air... you might end up with damp, onion-flavored coffee when you get back home.

To summarize: Sealed container + freezer.