How To Keep That Fresh Gourmet Coffee Taste

There are four main external influences that will affect the freshness of your gourmet coffee

. These include air, heat, moisture and light. If it is exposed to any of these elements for a period of time, the freshness of the grounds will quickly deteriorate. Each element affects the coffee in a certain way.

Air - When fresh gourmet coffee grounds are exposed to air, they tend to oxidize quicker than if they were kept in an air-tight container. The accelerated oxidization causes them to lose their fresh gourmet taste and become stale much quicker.

Heat and Light - After beans are roasted, they continue to emit carbon dioxide and go through a natural chemical process that changes the flavor over time. When exposed to great amounts of heat and light, the gourmet coffee grounds will cycle through this process much quicker and become rancid before you can use it all up.

Moisture - Adding moisture to gourmet coffee grounds, which can occur when you freeze or refrigerate them, is an excellent way to diminish the flavor of the end product. Adding moisture can dilute the robustness of the grounds. It can also cause the tasty grounds to spoil quicker.

Knowing that these key factors will harm your fresh gourmet coffee, you will want to protect the grounds as much as possible. There are simple steps that can be taken after you buy and store your grounds that may help prolong the shelf life.

Your choice of storage container has a great impact on the freshness of your gourmet coffee. The best way to store it is in an air-tight opaque container. This helps to eliminate both air and light from the spoilage equation. If you leave it in the original package, air and light may enter, especially if not sealed properly. This is one of the simplest ways to keep your grounds fresh.

Remember to store your coffee in a cool, dark area of your home. Cabinets or pantry's are a good spot to put your unused grounds. These places tend to be dark and aren't located next to a stove or oven that can emit heat causing the fresh gourmet coffee to spoil fast.

It is also wise to reconsider the decision of keeping your coffee in the refrigerator or freezer. A refrigerator can produce a lot of humidity which will negatively affect your delicious gourmet coffee. When you freeze it, the water molecules also freeze. When they thaw, the water condenses on the outside of the grounds creating a weak, bad tasting flavor.

Finally, you may choose to purchase your coffee in individual coffee packets. Buying a full pound of ground gourmet coffee may be fresh in the beginning but has a better chance of spoiling before you can finish the whole pound. Single packets contain the perfect amount for one pot or one serving. These packets can be conveniently purchased at many cheaper coffee distributors found online and can even be shipped right to your door! With single packets, you are able to use only the amount of grounds necessary for one pot while keeping the rest in individually sealed packages for your next fresh pot.

When you follow these precautions every time you purchase your favorite gourmet coffee, you have a better chance of keeping it fresh and delicious longer than if you didn't take the proper steps to keep it safe. This will ultimately save you money in the end because you won't be wasting a large amount of the coffee you buy.

by: Amanda Broughton

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