There are, however, some ways to keep ground coffee fresh for an extended time. Coffee beans tend to last for quite a long time, since they have a smaller surface area than ground coffee and are less affected by oxidation. However, it is best to use within 2 to 3 weeks for best flavor and taste. Ground Coffee The ground coffee shelf life is 3 to 5 months in the cabinet whether it is open or unopened. It won’t have the same rich flavor that you have grown accustomed to enjoying. Properly stored, an opened package of ground coffee will generally stay at best quality for about 1 to 2 weeks at room temperature, assuming it has been properly stored. Coffee will usually last between 1-3 months after it’s been ground. Moisture is the worst enemy of ground coffee unless, of course, we want to brew ourselves a cup of coffee. Even ground coffee in an unopened airtight container will not lose much flavor in 4-6 months. Making coffee in Aeropress Ground coffee does not require defrosting. If the smell is pretty much what you expected it to be, the coffee grounds are safe for brewing. How long does an unopened package of ground coffee last? How can you tell if ground coffee is bad or spoiled? Vacuum sealed bags of whole beans will begin losing their freshness in a month. If it lacks the lovely aroma that you are used to, pitch it. As you probably guessed, coffee can be stored and used for much longer than that. Does Coffee Expire? Once the package has been opened, the shelf life reduces to five months, even in the freezer. If you store it in a cool and dry place, a bag of unopened coffee ground can last up to 5 months. How long does an unopened package of ground coffee last at room temperature? It hinges on when the consumer purchased the coffee relative to its “best by” date, the beans’ overall quality, and the storage method of choice. How Long does Ground Coffee Last? For ground coffee that has been unopened, it can last for up to three to five months after the “best before” date that is indicated on the packaging. When Unopened or Sealed Ground coffee lasts for 3-5 months when kept in a pantry at room temperature, but it can last 1-2 years in the freezer. If it stored in the freezer unopened it has a shelf life of 1 to 2 years, but once it’s opened it has the same shelf life regardless of where it is stored. It is a huge … How Long Do Coffee Beans Last? Store ground coffee at room temperature for six months when unopened and for about two weeks after opening. Whole-bean coffee lasts for 6-9 months in the pantry and up to 2-3 years in the freezer. Optimal cups will come within one to two weeks of the coffee's roast date. The first option is that it has actually gone bad. How Long Do Coffee Beans Last. As long as unopened and perfectly sealed, it should be fine to use beyond the time. Does ground coffee go bad? How … So, as soon as the coffee is ground it starts to lose some flavor. In general, an unopened package of ground coffee stored in the pantry will retain the best taste three to five months beyond the best by date. You can extend its lifespan by putting the ground coffee into the freezer. When stored properly open or unopened coffee grounds are alright for around 3 months in the cupboard. Provided that the grounds look and feel as they should, give them a good sniff. While some are adamant that freezing ground coffee is the best way to keep it fresh, there is plenty of disagreement over this preservation practice. The second situation is when ground coffee loses its flavor and tastes stale. Ground coffee will last months and even years longer without spoiling. Freezing coffee makes a lot of dust from the grinds – TFD Apr 30 '14 at 4:14 Ground coffee stored in the freezer should taste great even one to two years beyond the best by date. You can easily keep it for months or even years, and the coffee you make with them will still be quite okay in taste. Unfortunately, as soon as coffee roasting process is complete, the coffee will continually degrade over time, regardless of how well it’s packed. But if you wait too long, the flavor will diminish either way. All rights reserved. The process removes all moisture from the coffee and creates a very shelf-stable product. The shelf life of coffee will be affected by two main factors: the type of coffee, and how it is stored. Should ground coffee be stored in the fridge? Just put it in a cupboard in the pantry and you’re good to go. For roasted ground coffee, the shelf life will be shortened. Stored properly at room temperature, pre-ground coffee should be used within two to three weeks of opening , well before the expiration date. If you store a significant amount of ground coffee for the long term, here’s a nice trick. If you buy your coffee off the shelves of a grocery store, the odds that it's already stale when you purchase it are quite high. Use a sizable canister for the bulk of the grounds and a small container to store an amount to use in the next week or two. Once ground, coffee bean particles begin to gradually lose their flavor as their oils vaporate. Always check the expiration date or best before date on a bag of coffee before grinding and throwing it into a roaster. If you wait long enough, the ground coffee might change from its deep black color to a lighter shade of brown. Roasted coffee beans have a long shelf life. This is the case if you keep it in the pantry. If you choose to buy ground coffee instead of coffee beans, I get it. There are a number of factors to consider when storing coffee properly to ensure freshness for long periods of time. I’ll be giving some storage tips that I have picked up along the way during my research, as well as a few devices you can purchase to help out in your quest to keep your coffee … The shelf life of ground coffee depends on many variables. If you found old coffee that you're thinking about drinking, inspect it first. The shelf life of coffee gets shorter if it is not stored in the right way. Generally, the unopened or sealed ground coffee lasts for 3 to 5 months in a pantry and 1 to 2 years on freezer from past printed date. Unopened, whole-bean coffee will last in our FlavorLock™ sealed bags for 34 weeks. No, you should not refrigerate ground coffee, as the temperature fluctuations will affect the taste and flavor of the coffee. Ground coffee in an unopened packet will still be good to use for up to five months beyond the use by date if stored in your pantry, or for up to … If you’ve bought ground coffee in a vacuum-sealed package, you can leave it that way. Yes, you read that right. If that’s the case, it’s important to store ground coffee properly, so it keeps most of its flavor for as long as possible. If the taste isn’t up to your standards, get rid of it. Once opened, grind the coffee, store it in an airtight container, and drink within a week. If you’re unsure, you can always brew yourself a cup and taste it. Ground Coffee. Let us first talk about the case of ground coffee. It almost always means that water got into the container. Grinding coffee beans takes time, is quite messy, and in many cases, you just want to get your daily dose of caffeine in. Try a thermos instead to keep it warm and better tasting for a few hours. Ground coffee does not expire in a way that it will make you sick unless you store it improperly. Today, we are going to look at some ways to store your coffee, so it will maintain its freshness long term. Try a blind test and see if you can spot the difference. If you decide to freeze your ground coffee beans, always use an airtight container. If you already opened it, then you better consume it within 1-2 months. Unless, of course, you store the beans in a humid environment. So, if you have whole beans in an unopened airtight container, they will last a long time. Please note that the dates above are for the best quality only. Another popular way that people consume coffee is through coffee beans. When ground and exposed to air the oils evaporate quickly. As long as coffee is stored properly (unopened, sealed, dry), it's safe to drink for years. We do not recommend using Folgers Coffee that is past this expiration date because we cannot guarantee the same taste, quality, and performance. If you store unopened bags of coffee beans in the freezer they … If you keep the ground coffee in the freezer, that period increases to about a month. While some people say that ground coffee lasts for years if stored in a freezer, this is not a universal truth. If there’s no mold, but the grounds are wet in any way, the same thing applies. Once you open the package, most sources suggest using its contents within two weeks for peak quality. If you cool coffee just 10 degrees below room temperature, this “aging” process will be slowed down by a factor of 2. "To preserve your beans' fresh roasted flavor as long as possible, store them in an opaque, air-tight container at room temperature," notes the National Coffee Association. Properly stored, an unopened package of ground coffee will generally stay at best quality for about 1 year at room temperature. Unopened coffee can be stored in the freezer long term, and will have a shelf life of up to two years. Re-heating is not recommended because it further breaks down the product. Below, we explore the shelf life of ground coffee and provide some tips to preserve its taste. It’s a question that pops up again and again, without a clear answer. For starters, most packages of coffee have a best before date, which is an estimate of how long the coffee should taste great. The key is to keep the coffee—whether whole beans or ground—away from the four agents of deterioration: excessive air, moisture, heat, and light. In general, an unopened package of ground coffee stored in the pantry will retain the best taste three to five months beyond the best by date. Vacuum sealed bags of whole coffee beans are good for around six months before flavor really starts deteriorating. This storage strategy will reduce air and light exposure to keep the ground coffee as fresh as possible over the long haul. For commercially-packed ground coffee and instant coffee, you can find a “best by” date on the package. Whereas opened ground coffee lasts for 3 to 5 months in a pantry as well as in a freezer once it is opened. Coffee aficionados are able to immediately tell the difference between coffee brewed with fresh grounds and grounds that you stored for months or even years. When it comes to ground coffee, it’s usually fine for additional few months, maybe half a year. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. And opened coffee grounds can last for 3 to 5 months in the pantry or fridge. Is unopened ground coffee safe to use after the "expiration date" on the package? Yes, if properly stored - commercially packaged coffee will typically carry a "Best By," "Best if Used By," "Best Before", or "Use By" date but this is not a safety date, it is the manufacturer's estimate of how long the coffee will remain at peak quality. An unopened pack of whole bean coffee will last for 8 months to a year depending on the bean. Most believe that freezing ground coffee keeps it fresh for much longer than storing it at room temperature. The precise answer depends to a large extent on storage conditions - store in cool, dry area. How long does ground coffee last? Unopened and in a dry storage area, a bag of pre-ground coffee can last between three to five months after the sell-by date. Of course, all the numbers already mentioned are for the best quality only. Keep the air out Once you’ve opened a package of coffee, don’t leave it in the package. Ground coffee typically loses flavor over time and develops a stale taste - if coffee develops an off odor, flavor or appearance, it should be discarded for quality purposes; if mold appears, discard the ground coffee. Once you open instant coffee, it can still last for years – but there’s a big potential issue. The only golden rule with brewing coffee is that coffee tastes more delicious when brewed immediately after … When you remove the coffee from the freezer, you can use it right away. The shelf life of coffee grounds. Sources: For details about data sources used for food storage information, please click here. Opened and stored beans can last to a maximum of six months. Use the smell test to determine whether your ground coffee is past its prime. However, coffee that is stored in a vacuum-sealed package is allowed to age before it is packaged, so it's not at its peak freshness before it is frozen, and certainly nowhere near as good as freshly roasted coffee after it is frozen. Ground coffee stored in the freezer should taste great even one to two years beyond the best by date. The grinding process exposes the coffee’s surface area to all sorts of harmful elements. In most houses, coffee doesn’t last that long, ever! If you do this, the coffee should last for around one to two years, if you put it into the freezer while still unopened. The common opinion is that when stored properly weather open or unopened up to 5 months. 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