How Long Are Coffee Beans Good For After Roasting?

Humidity exposure decreases the shelf life of roasted coffee beans. The roasted coffee beans can last more than their expiration date by avoiding moisture. When moisture is being roasted out, the roasted beans weigh less and can be stored for months. The roasted beans have a shelf life between 2-6 months in general. Depending upon the kind of coffee and your taste liking, roasted beans can last up to 6 months. 

How Long Do Roasted Coffee Beans Last?

Mostly roasted coffee beans don’t survive more than three months if you do not handle them properly. But if you store your roasted beans rightly, they can be fresh and ready for brewing for more than 6 months. The term fresh coffee refers to both taste and odor. So, the expiry period for roasted beans covers both aroma and flavor. 

You can enhance the shelf life of roasted coffee beans with the following tips. 

• Using an opaque container for storing roasted coffee beans can increase their shelf life. The container should be air-tight with a one-way valve. If you keep your roasted beans in such a container, they can be fresh for a long time. 
• Lightly roasted coffee beans don’t stale at a fast speed, just like dark roasted coffee beans do. Dark roasted beans are more porous and oxidize at a higher pace. That’s why they stale faster. Try to roast your beans light or medium in an order to keep them fresh for a maximum time. 
• If you use a sealed vacuum-packed bag to store roasted coffee beans, their shelf life can be increased up to months.
• The best way to extend the life span of roasted coffee beans is to freeze them. By appropriate freezing, the shelf life of roasted coffee beans can be amplified up to 3 years. 
• If you place your roasted beans in an unopened one-way valve nitrogen flush bag, they will become fresh for 12 months. You can brew these roasted beans within a year of their roasting. 
• If your roasted coffee beans are exposed to oxygen and are kept in an open container, they will lose their freshness in less than a week. It’s better to brew them within a week. To maintain the freshness of your roasted coffee beans, you must keep them in air-tight containers. 

Why Does Roasted Coffee Beans Deteriorate?

The bigger surface area of roasted coffee beans is exposed to the exterior environment. The oxygen in the air causes the roasted beans to get deteriorated. Hence roasted beans start oxidizing and go stale very fast. So, after 15 minutes of grinding, the flavor and aroma of the coffee begin deteriorating. 

Besides air, moisture is another factor causing the roasted coffee beans to go bad. Moisture content or humidity in the air causes the roasted beans to deteriorate. So, it’s better to keep your roasted coffee beans in an air-tight container to avoid moisture and air entrance. 

How Long Does Ground Coffee Last?

Ground coffee can lose its flavor and aroma within one hour after grinding. It happens so because grinding increases the surface area of the beans. After increased surface area, coffee grounds expose to the environment. Air and moisture content doesn’t allow the ground coffee to last along. 

If you grind coffee beans, it’s better to brew them within an hour of grinding. If you compare ground coffee with roasted coffee beans, then it’s pretty much clear that roasted coffee beans have a larger shelf life than grounded coffee. 

Final Words…

Roasted coffee beans are best to use within 2 months after roasting. But you can increase their shelf life up to 6 months with different tips and tricks. Never keep roasted beans in an open container as moisture and air can deteriorate their quality. Ultimately your roasted coffee beans will lose their original aroma and flavors. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can you freeze coffee beans?

Yes, you can freeze your coffee beans and extend their shelf life. If you freeze roasted coffee beans properly, you can store them for 3 years. But you have to maintain certain temperature conditions to keep your roasted beans fresh in a freezer.

2. Which is the best way of storing roasted coffee beans?

The best way to store roasted coffee beans is to keep them in an air-tight container. It will be best if the container is opaque. You can place this container at room temperature. So, your roasted coffee beans can be fresh for a minimum of two months. 

3. Is it possible to grind coffee immediately after roasting?

You shouldn’t grind coffee immediately after roasting. The roasted beans require 24 hours to get cool and degassed. So, let your beans cool and release their carbon dioxide gas before grinding. Otherwise, it will have a bad effect on your health and your coffee taste will alter also.