Does storing coffee in the freezer really help to make my cup of coffee taste better?

We all know that fresh coffee beans make a better tasting cup of coffee. Stale beans can taste flat and eventually even start to smell a bit like cardboard. So how can we best store coffee beans to keep it as fresh as possible for as long as possible? Conventional advice was to store your beans in the freezer. However, if you use your beans within 2-3 weeks, then skip the freezer and just use the resealable coffee bag with the one-way valve. Most of the well respected coffee people recommend just using the bag that the coffee came in. The one-way valve will help let carbon dioxide escape while keeping oxygen out.

Why freezing doesn’t help

Freezing can help in certain instances. It will slow the staling and oxidation process. However, opening the bag everyday and introducing warm humid air will cause condensation and we don’t want any moisture. Also, unless you use an airtight bag, it’s going to be hard to avoid absorbing odors from other foods in the freezer. According to James Hoffmann​[1]​, it’s best to freeze your extra (if possible to -40 for the best results) and defrost and keep your daily stash out at room temperature.

I would say that if you have a bag that has a ‘Best by:’ date and not a ‘Roasted on:’ date, then generally the beans are most likely 3+ weeks past the roast date. And at that point, there is very little benefit to try to freeze to stop any more staling.

Why freezing does help

Of course, there is never a clear cut answer to any question in coffee! If you listen to George Howell​[2]​, he recommends freezing your beans. He doesn’t mention too much about how cold you need to get or whether to avoid condensation, etc. I do want to note that he is talking about very freshly roasted coffee. So, are you confused yet? At this point there seems to be enough science and opinion to point to either freezing or not freezing. Ultimately, you just have to try it for yourself sometimes. If you feel like freezing will help, then do it! And make some notes or journal it – then compare to another time when you don’t freeze your coffee beans.