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How to Store Organic Coffee Beans
We take great pleasure in sourcing our coffee directly from family farms that produce organic beans. These farmers take great pride in caring for their fields and products while striving to improve soil quality for maximum flavor, health, and flavor benefits. Their families rely on this income from these crops in order to live healthy lifestyles.
Coffee beans do not fall under the category of processed food products and thus do not have an expiration date; however, over time they will lose some of their freshness. When stored correctly however, coffee beans can often outlive our expectations!
For optimal flavor and aroma retention, coffee beans must be stored in a dark location away from heat and light, in an airtight container like a vacuum sealed mason jar (or any nonreactive material that blocks oxygen and moisture), in order to prevent their exposure to oxygen and moisture.
Refrigerating coffee beans should be avoided as this environment absorbs odors and moisture from other food items and beverages, potentially compromising their flavor and aroma. If necessary, airtight containers with opaque covers should be used to keep out as much odor and moisture as possible.
If you don’t possess the expertise to roast your own beans, we recommend investing in locally-roasted, small batch, organic coffee. Our certified-organic bird friendly coffee comes from family farms located in eastern Nebraska where communities oversee production closely and strive for excellence by taking pride in providing customers with top quality coffee in their region.
Roasting and packaging of coffee are key steps on its journey from farm to cup. Many roasters process both organic and conventional products within their facility and must take measures to prevent contamination of organic with non-organic products.
As part of the roasting and packaging process, all equipment must be thoroughly cleansed between batches to remove residue left by conventional processing chemicals and sanitizers used to meet NOP (National Organic Program) standards. However, these cleaning processes don’t always completely eradicate all contaminants; to meet NOP standards roasters must flush or purge their equipment using organic coffee in order to flush away any residual contamination and meet them fully.
Maintaining the quality of certified organic coffee requires proper care and storage. We suggest placing it in an airtight, opaque dark container that’s out of reach from children and pets for best results. If not used within one month, freezing can extend its shelf life significantly, however this method could ruin its flavor and aroma if done incorrectly.