This topic is often up for debate (yes, coffee people debate such things), but in our opinion the safest and easiest way to store your coffee is in
an airtight container in a cool part of the kitchen. If you're using a glass container (which we'd advocate for over plastic) then we'd keep the coffee in the bag it came in and pop it straight in the container before closing that lid up real tight. Most coffee beans come in packaging that protects them from light and heat to prevent sweating, so we think it is probably best to respect that.
The main thing you are trying to combat through proper storage, apart from exposing the beans to excess oxygen, is moisture. A few coffee companies now offer bags with mechanisms to store once opened, like the new
Terbodore Coffee Roasters packaging (pictured below), but whichever method you choose, keep the bag/container away from moisture. Storing the beans next to the kettle or close to the stove where there is likely to be heat and steam could mean that your beans deteriorate quicker and we don't want that! This hot environment along with storing the beans in your fridge or freezer are key players here not only because they're humid environments, but also because they create temperature changes, which cause even more moisture by creating condensation.
There has been research done into freezing beans to keep them fresh and actually get the most out of the beans (You can read more about that here:
This is an academic peer reviewed article, fair warning), but this has a lifespan and there are so many things that could go wrong with your beans, again moisture is the main culprit. Of course, if you are freezing your beans at home be sure to keep them in a truly airtight container and for no more than a week, as freezer burn and other foods can change the coffee's flavour.
Coffee beans continue to surprise us though, despite all academic discussion around the pros and cons. I recently discovered a bag of beans we used in a shoot for the last edition (which means the beans are 3 months old), and we opened the bag and made some delicious, nuanced coffee.
Happy Brewing!
