By following a few simple steps, you can maximize the freshness and flavor of both your roasted or unroasted coffee beans.

Roasted Coffee Beans:

Roasted Coffee Beans are at their absolute best within hours of being roasted. After that, oxygen begins to rob them of their flavor. Therefore, we recommend that you roast no more than a week's supply of coffee beans and that you store it them in an airtight container away from moisture, light, and heat.

Roasted coffee beans also absorb the odors from the air around them, similar to baking soda. So storing your roasted coffee beans in the fridge isn't a good idea, unless you like your coffee flavored with a hint of tuna casserole.

If you use coffee up quickly, which is best, store your beans in a clean airtight jar or container on your counter, making sure to keep the container away from heat, moisture, water, and sunlight. This will allow you to enjoy the full flavor of your beans for several days. (We don't recommend storing roasted beans for more than ten days.)

Unroasted Coffee Beans:

Unlike roasted coffee beans, unroasted coffee beans are much tougher and more resilient, so they'll stay fresh for up to two years. It's best to store your unroasted coffee beans in a cool dry place inside a container that allows for a small amount of air. Following this simple storage recommendation will ensure your beans retain their full flavor potential month after month.

Another great reason to roast your own coffee beans at home? Many stores and specialty coffee shops store their roasted coffee beans in Lucite bins. Unless these bins are cleaned out frequently, the oils from the coffee builds up on the interior walls and become rancid. The bottom line: if you want to ensure the quality of your coffee beans, roast them at home.

A word of caution: don't fill a tight-sealing canister more than half way with just-roasted coffee beans because the gas escaping from the beans may exert too much pressure on the canister.