Can you freeze ground coffee? The quick answer to the question is that you can freeze ground coffee, but you shouldn’t.
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Why you shouldn’t freeze Ground Coffee?
Generally, storing freshly-ground coffee in the freezer or refrigerator is a bad idea; it adds moisture to the ground coffee, adversely affecting the taste.
To protect our freshly-ground coffee while in storage, we want to keep out moisture, light, heat, and air. Consequently, there are a number of things to keep in mind when planning to grind coffee in advance of brewing.
About Grinding Coffee beans
When we grind coffee beans, we want to preserve the flavor present in the beans. And we must be careful about the grinding process. We want our grinder to be clean; no residue from the previous grindings. And the container that we store the ground coffee in must be clean and dry. Else, we initially compromise the coffee grindings. Also, we want our container to be able to keep fresh air, moisture and light out. Else, the coffee will lose its fresh taste. Ideally, we would be able to vacuum-seal the ground coffee after each access. But that is normally beyond our means.
Where to Store Ground Coffee
The location of your ground coffee makes a difference. Keep in mind that controlling temperature, light, air, and moisture are important factors in storage. Our ideal location is in a dark spot, away from any source of heat, and impervious to additional moisture and fresh air. In most family kitchens, this means we would ideally store our ground coffee in a cupboard or pantry, back at the rear of the shelf where it is dark and cool.
What Container Is Good for Storage?
We would like our container for the ground coffee to be opaque; keep the light out. Also, we want the container to keep moisture and fresh air out; this means a container that has an air-tight lid. There are jars and canisters that come with this type of lid. The only down-side to these for storing ground coffee is that when they are made of glass, they do not keep light out. If using this type of container, one would want the storage area to be dark, like the back of a closet or kitchen cabinet.
Best Containers for storing coffee beans
There are now containers available that are specifically made for storing fresh ground coffee. They are typically made from some kind of metal or pottery; plastic is also a possibility. Since the containers are made specifically for storing fresh coffee grounds, they are typically made of an opaque material and have air-tight lids. Some containers are available that have a valve built in to the air-tight lid that releases carbon dioxide from inside. Carbon dioxide is released from the coffee bean roasting process. Some coffee experts say that degassing of the ground coffee prevents a slight metallic soda water taste.
Some experts claim that plastic and metal can impart strange tastes to the ground coffee. They recommend glass or pottery, which are relatively inert materials. Remember to store glass containers in a dark area.
Summing it up
The goal of grinding coffee beans ahead of brewing a cup or pot of coffee is to save time and energy in grinding. The disadvantage of grinding ahead is the degrading of taste to the coffee. The goal of minimizing this degradation means storing our ground coffee in the best possible environmental conditions. And according to the experts, this means protecting the grounds from the effects of light, heat, moisture, and fresh air. To provide these conditions, store your freshly ground coffee in an opaque, air-tight container made of inert material. And then store that container in the darkest corner of your kitchen or pantry, away from light and heat.
Keep in mind that the grinding process should be done with clean materials, including your container and grinding machine. This will help lead to having coffee for days (perhaps weeks) after grinding that tastes the freshest possible. Just remember. Don’t freeze your ground coffee!
