Regardless of how the coffee has been processed, blended, and ground, the quality of a serving depends on one major factor – it should be fresh.

So how do you properly store coffee in your house?

There is no simple answer to this question. Coffee beans easily absorb any outside smell, therefore it’s often suggested to store them in a refrigerator. However, some say that if you store coffee that way it’ll lose its initial properties. Others say that it should be placed in an air-tight area with no access to oxygen, but no matter how densely you fill something with the beans, there’s bound to be oxygen anyway.

The best solution is to buy coffee in small quantities, and very often. This is the most obvious way to ensure that the coffee you drink is always fresh.

Some more good advice includes:

1. Store the coffee in a cool, dry place.
2. An opened pack of ground coffee should be drank in a week, an open pack of coffee beans within two-three weeks. Opened coffee loses its aroma and taste every day.
3. Grind coffee beans right before using them; don’t grind them for future servings.
4. Try not to pour coffee from one container to another, as gases in it get liberated. If you store coffee in glass or metal container, make sure the space between the surface of the coffee and the top cover as small as possible.
5. If you store coffee in a soft package, try to squeeze out as much air as possible so the packing will be more dense.
6. If you store your coffee in your refridgerator, densely fasten the opened package, and fix it with a clip or tape.

Coffee gurus suggest that you buy no more than 200-250 gr of coffee at any one time. In order to maximize your enjoyment, you need to use the coffee as soon as possible. Blends lose their flavor and aroma after two weeks in non-airtight containers. Protect your coffee by minimizing its contact with the outside environment. Store the beans in a clean, dry, airtight container in a cool dark place, such as a pantry. Do not, and we must stress DO NOT keep coffee beans in the refrigerator. Coffee beans are sensitive to the low temperatures and odors. The beans will absorb the flavors of other foods while losing their own.

You may notice that some coffee comes packaged in vacuum packs with one-way valves. This allows excess gas to escape and prevents outside air from leaching the beans’ flavor. The most vulnerable beans are those whose oil comes to the surface after roasting. Take special care of these.

If you follow these guidelines you may preserve the coffee’s flavor up to 7 days in even the weakest of containers. Do keep in mind, though, that no matter your precautions coffee begins to lose its flavor after three days.

There is nothing better than a fresh cup!