What You Should Know Before Trying To Freeze Coffee Beans

For all of us coffee lovers, having a caffeinated beverage is an absolute must in the morning. Whether it's for the energy boost or delicious taste, we all have our coffee order memorized (mine is a cortado with a dash of sugar). But ordering out daily isn't always within budget, which is why brewing your coffee at home is a great option — as is storing coffee beans in the freezer, which is one of the best ways to keep your coffee beans fresh. We chatted to former barista Matt Woodburn-Simmonds from Home Coffee Expert, who told us what we need to know before freezing coffee beans.

"Freezing can be an excellent way to store coffee beans," says Woodburn-Simmonds. "They'll keep fresh in the freezer for several months, whereas even in an unopened bag of coffee, they will slowly go stale six weeks or so post roasting." However, he also warns that the coffee beans should thaw completely before being used, since frozen beans can damage the grinder. 

Woodburn-Simmonds advises that only whole, unopened bags be frozen, since added air and moisture can damage the beans during the freezing and defrosting process. If you're looking for long-term storage, he recommends keeping your bags in the freezer, but adds, "For daily use, I'd use a vacuum-sealed jar. It's more convenient and less likely to damage the beans."

When putting your coffee beans in the freezer, Matt Woodburn-Simmonds tells us, "Take your whole, sealed bag of beans and put it in a ziplock bag with as much air squeezed out as possible (a vacuum bag is even better if you have them). You want as little air/moisture as possible around the beans and the bag." This is crucial, because any level of air exposure will cause the beans to lose flavor through oxidation. He mentions that freezing unopened bags of coffee grounds is also possible, but only if they're definitely vacuum-sealed, since grounds are even more sensitive to damage.

Woodburn-Simmonds also advises against refreezing your coffee once you've frozen it, because this can allow moisture into the beans or grounds. You should also avoid opening your coffee as it thaws: Let the coffee come to room temperature first, as opening the bag while it's still thawing will — you guessed it — introduce air and moisture too soon. So freeze your coffee beans unopened, minimize air contact, thaw fully, and you'll have a barista-style cup of joe.