Can You Freeze Roasted Coffee Beans: Discover the Best Method

Can you freeze roasted coffee beans? Many coffee lovers wonder if freezing preserves flavor and freshness. Freezing can be a practical solution to extend the shelf life of roasted coffee beans, but it requires the right technique to avoid losing flavor. This guide explores the best method to freeze roasted coffee beans effectively.

For reliable, high-quality coffee packaging solutions, quote roasted coffee packaging from BN Pack today.

Why Should You Freeze Roasted Coffee Beans?

Heat, light, oxygen, and humidity are all enemies of your roasted coffee’s freshness and flavor. These elements break down the beans, alter their moisture levels, and promote bacterial growth, leading to a loss of quality. Storing coffee properly can be a challenge, especially when you want to keep it fresh over an extended period. That’s where freezing comes in.

George Howell, the founder of George Howell Coffee, has been freezing roasted coffee for nearly two decades and swears by it for preserving flavor. He discovered that even a day after opening a bag of coffee, exposure to oxygen causes it to lose much of its depth. Freezing, on the other hand, halts this process and helps maintain the coffee’s peak quality.

Why does freezing work so well? It slows down degassing, the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) that coffee absorbs during roasting. As CO2 levels drop, so does the flavor, leaving your coffee flat. Freezing at sub-zero temperatures can slow this process significantly, extending freshness for months, even up to a year.

Research backs this up. Studies have shown that freezing roasted beans at -25°C slows degassing, preserving freshness and extending shelf life far beyond what room temperature storage can achieve. Freezing allows you to lock in the coffee’s prime flavor window, ensuring it stays as fresh as possible for longer.

However, not everyone agrees with this method. The National Coffee Association (NCA) warns that coffee beans are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture from the air. Storing beans in the freezer can lead to condensation if the beans are exposed to warm air, and this can negatively impact flavor.

To avoid this, the NCA recommends taking out only as much coffee as you need, using it within a week, and promptly returning the rest to the freezer.

If you’re looking for effective coffee storage solutions, you’ll want high-quality packaging to complement the freezing method. At BN Pack, we offer durable, airtight packaging to help preserve the freshness of your coffee whether you freeze it or not.

Grind Coffee: Frozen or Room Temp?

The debate around grinding frozen coffee often revolves around when to grind it.

Some say grinding cold beans enhances the flavor. When beans are cold, the grinding burrs stay cooler, preventing the beans from overheating. This keeps the grind uniform and prevents the production of too many fines, which can result in a sour and uneven taste. Cold grinding keeps the extraction more even, leading to a richer cup.

Proud Mary Coffee Roasters in Oregon found that freezing both green and roasted coffee improved their results. According to founder Nolan Hirte, grinding their high-end Brazilian coffee beans after freezing revealed more clarity and flavor than grinding at room temperature.

On the other hand, some prefer waiting for frozen beans to reach room temperature before grinding. Compound Coffee Company’s research showed that their Ethiopian Kochere coffee had the highest extraction rates when ground at room temperature.

They found the extraction rate for room-temperature ground coffee was 22.56%, compared to 22.45% for frozen ground coffee. While both had a floral, sweet flavor, the room-temperature coffee lacked the slight bitterness found in the frozen batch.

How to Freeze Roasted Coffee Beans?

Factors Affecting the Freshness of Roasted Coffee Beans

When you bring roasted coffee beans home, the way you store them plays a major role in how long they stay fresh. Oxygen and light are the two biggest threats to coffee quality. Michael Phillips from Blue Bottle Coffee points out that to preserve freshness, focus on three simple rules: reduce air exposure, keep temperatures stable, and shield your beans from light.

To cut down on air exposure, use airtight containers or resealable bags that seal out oxygen. Oxygen accelerates the staling process by breaking down the oils in the coffee, which are key to the flavor. High-quality, airtight packaging is essential for maintaining the freshness of your beans, especially if you plan to store them for more than a few days.

Temperature control is equally important. Coffee is sensitive to both heat and cold. Storing your beans in a location with consistent, moderate temperatures will prevent them from aging prematurely. Avoid places with fluctuating temperatures, like near a stove or in a fridge. Stable temperatures preserve the beans’ flavor profile and prevent unwanted degradation.

Sunlight is another enemy that breaks down the natural compounds in coffee. Light, especially UV rays, can cause the coffee beans to lose their rich aroma and flavor. Store your beans in a dark place, such as a pantry or cupboard, to protect them from exposure. A simple rule is to keep your coffee beans away from direct sunlight at all costs.

If you plan to use your coffee within a month, basic storage methods will be sufficient. But for longer-term storage, consider professional-grade packaging solutions that provide superior oxygen and moisture barriers. Packaging designed to protect against these elements ensures your coffee remains fresh and flavorful until you’re ready to brew.

At BN Pack, we offer high-quality coffee packaging solutions that help protect your beans from oxygen, light, and temperature changes, preserving their freshness for longer periods.

The Best Way to Correctly Freeze Roasted Coffee Beans

To preserve the freshness of your roasted coffee beans for as long as possible, freezing can be an effective method—but it requires doing it the right way. Here’s how you can freeze your beans correctly:

Step 1: Choose the Right Container
Find an airtight container to store your coffee beans. Regular Tupperware often lets in small amounts of air, which won’t work. You need a container or zippered bag that seals tightly. If you can vacuum seal it, even better! Avoid using the original coffee bags with a degassing valve, as they aren’t airtight enough for freezing.

Step 2: Portion the Beans
Divide your coffee into small batches. The goal is to only pull out enough beans for 3-6 days of use. This prevents constant exposure to air and moisture from opening and closing a larger batch. Small portions ensure that you disturb only what you need.

Step 3: Freeze the Coffee
Once your beans are in airtight containers, place them in the freezer. This step is simple, but effective. Freezing the beans locks in their freshness and delays the natural staling process.

Step 4: Thaw Before Opening
When you’re ready to use your frozen coffee, take the container out of the freezer, but don’t open it right away. Let the beans thaw completely to room temperature before opening. If you open the container while the beans are still frozen, moisture will rush in, which will cause the beans to lose their flavor. Patience here is key!

This method has been praised by industry experts, including Andrew Hetzel, a board member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. He found that freezing coffee immediately after roasting is the most effective way to delay spoilage, sometimes preserving beans for up to a year without significant degradation.

Keep in mind that frozen beans have a shorter shelf life once thawed. While freshly roasted coffee beans typically stay fresh for 2-3 weeks, beans that have been frozen should be consumed within 5-6 days of thawing. For this reason, freezing small batches makes the most sense—you only need to thaw what you plan to use quickly.

Two Key Times to Consider Freezing Coffee

Freezing coffee offers a smart solution for managing excess beans and preserving quality. If you find yourself with more coffee than you can consume within a few weeks, freezing it helps extend its shelf life. Whether you receive extra bags as gifts or pick up some while traveling, freezing ensures you won’t lose out on flavor when you’re ready to brew it.

If you’ve purchased a high-end, specialty coffee that you want to enjoy slowly, freezing is an excellent way to preserve its freshness. By freezing small batches, you can extend the enjoyment of that unique coffee over months without sacrificing its rich flavors. This way, you get to savor the experience without rushing through it.

Properly freezing coffee ensures its freshness for future use, but remember, freezing is most effective for high-quality coffee. It won’t work miracles on stale or low-grade beans.

Conclusion

Now you know that freezing roasted coffee beans helps maintain their freshness. This method helps specialty coffee roasters capture their coffee at its peak, ensuring that consumers enjoy a consistently great experience when they brew it.

At BN Pack, we offer a variety of airtight coffee pouches in different sizes and materials. Our coffee pouches can be customized to allow customers to freeze their coffee directly, without needing to transfer it into another container.

We’re dedicated to preserving coffee’s fresh qualities until it’s ready to be enjoyed. Our sustainable coffee packaging protect your coffee, lock in freshness, and maintain the best flavor possible. With our packaging, consumers can freeze their coffee in small batches, ensuring it stays fresh for each cup.

Additionally, we offer innovative features like degassing valves and resealable zippers, allowing homebrewers to keep their coffee fresh even after opening.

FAQ