How to store coffee without losing its aroma

Be careful of humidity and heat. Always keep the coffee maker's filter clean.

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how to store coffee

Il coffee In the morning, for those who appreciate it, it is a truly indispensable ritual, capable of starting the day off right. For this reason, we have to be careful how we store it, especially if we use the ground oneThose who do not have a cellar face the problem of conservation within the home walls. The air, thehumidityHeat and light rob coffee of its natural freshness, especially ground coffee. Therefore, it should be consumed as soon as possible after opening the package. This doesn't mean we should overdo it. Rather, to avoid wasting coffee, we should buy small packages sized for our monthly consumption. It's always best, whenever possible, to consume freshly ground coffee, as the raw material loses more than 50 percent of its aromatic compounds just 30 minutes after grinding. Therefore, to fully enjoy the aromas of coffee, we need to get a coffee grinder and pay attention to a few factors:

  • Containers. They must be airtight and protect the coffee from light and heat sources, keeping it at a temperature between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius. Therefore, clear plastic or glass containers should be avoided.
  • Cold and humid. Coffee is affected by these two variables. If we think that the cold of the refrigerator can prolong its shelf life, we're very wrong. The sudden change in temperature and the variation in humidity can create condensation when we remove the container from the refrigerator. fridge.
  • Contact with airWhen we transfer ground coffee or whole beans from the packaging to the container, we must minimize contact with air. This preserves its freshness.

How not to lose the aroma

Once we have opened the coffee bag, it is advisable to transfer it to a container, which must have certain characteristics.
  • Airtight container. Steel, aluminum, glass, ceramic: regardless of the material, the key is that the coffee container's seal is airtight. This protects it from any external influences.
  • In a cool, dry place. A kitchen cupboard is also fine. The important thing is that the temperature is between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius, and the humidity is below 50 percent.
  • Not in the refrigerator. The refrigerator solution, except in very specific cases, is not recommended: it's a humid, odorous, cold place, and where the more volatile substances in the coffee risk evaporating very quickly.
  • Small packages. When purchasing, it's always best to choose small packages: they guarantee better aroma preservation and help avoid coffee waste.

Ground and whole coffee beans

There is an important difference between ground coffee and whole beans also in terms of storageBoth must be protected from the four risk factors (heat, humidity, light, air), but while 50 percent of the aromas of coffee beans degrade within two days, the same percentage of ground coffee degrades within two hours. And in the case of espresso coffee (to be clear: the one we usually drink at the bar), the aroma deteriorates rapidly: it's consumed within two minutes.

How to make coffee

We can fully enjoy the aromatic properties of coffee by following a few basic rules when preparing it. Here are some:

  • Clean the filter. Without thorough cleaning, a delicious, aromatic coffee can be lost. Sometimes we forget or completely neglect to clean the top edge of the filter before inserting it. This causes a poor seal between the filter and the gasket, which, in addition to damaging the moka pot, ruins the flavor of the coffee.
  • Choosing the right dose. You can't be too cautious with the amount of coffee you put into the machine. Adding too much or too little can affect the final result. To get the optimal dose, you can use an electronic scale.
  • Respect the cooking times. It may seem obvious, but coffee often loses its aroma because it's left on the stovetop too long. By removing the moka pot from the heat before the coffee begins to bubble—that is, before it's completely brewed—we preserve its aromatic properties.

When it expires

Coffee, like any other food, has an expiration date, which must be printed on the packaging. However, the expiration date refers to the aroma, and if the container is tightly closed, the aroma lasts for months. Conversely, coffee is perfectly edible even after the expiration date.

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