Keeping Your Coffee Fresh

Blog > Coffee Shop & Restaurant Operations > Training, Coffee & Espresso

As those of you who roast your own coffee already know, freshness is everything. Coffee tastes best one or two days after roasting if stored airtight, and remains near that peak for only a few days afterward, so be sure to rotate your fresh coffee supply so that all beans are used within 10-14 days of roasting.

Coffees like Lavazza remain fresh for a year because they are packaged using a gas washing and vacuum packaging process.

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Here are some tips to improve the way coffee is handled:

  • Keep only the beans you need in the hopper; don't fill it just because there is space.
  • The two main enemies of coffee freshness are oxygen and light. Store your beans in a dark, airtight container at room temperature.
  • Do not freeze or refrigerate beans either. That will introduce unwanted moisture and odors.
  • Finally, only grind as much espresso into the doser as you need. A full doser is a bad sign unless it is rush hour. Soon after grinding, coffee begins to lose its aroma and starts to become stale soon.