How Long Does Coffee Last in the Fridge

Author: Samantha Dewitt

Updated: February 23, 2023

Storing Coffee in Your Fridge

Keeping coffee in your fridge is a great way to make sure it stays fresh for longer. But in order to avoid stale, old brew you need to know a few easy tricks to avoid oxidation and rancidity. We show you exactly how to do it!

Understanding Coffee Oxidation

Once your coffee beans come into contact with the air they will immediately start to oxidize, which is going to change the way that the coffee tastes. As a result, you end up with less of the flavor that you would otherwise have.

This problem is increased even further when it comes to ground coffee because there is more surface area to oxidize. This means the coffee will start to deteriorate even more quickly.

How Long Can You Store Coffee?

It depends on exactly what you’re storing to determine how long it’s going to last. For example, coffee beans are designed to last quite a while when stored properly. They can last for up to a year if they haven’t been opened or six months if they have.

On the other hand coffee grounds will generally last only five months when unopened or two months if they are opened. Finally, if you prefer instant coffee you can get up to two years out of it if you store it right.

How to Store Your Coffee Beans

If you’re looking for the best way to store your coffee beans you want to make sure that they are sealed in an airtight container. This will make sure no oxidation can occur. You also want your container to be opaque, which means that sunlight can’t get in.

Next up, make sure that you’re buying your coffee a few weeks to a month at a time rather than getting it too far ahead, which could cause it to go stale before you get to it. This gives you the best level of freshness for your coffee.

Finally, make sure your coffee is in a cool and dry place. That doesn’t mean to put it in the refrigerator or even in the basement, but it shouldn’t get warm at any time. Room temperature to just slightly below is the best temperature for your beans, with no humidity.

Storing Unopened or Sealed Coffee

If you have ground coffee at room temperature you can store it for up to five months. If you put it in a freezer you’ll lose some flavor but get up to two years out of it.

Whole beans will last up to nine months if you store them in the pantry at room temperature or up to three years in the freezer.

Finally, instant coffee lasts up to 20 years in the pantry at room temperature. If you freeze it you can keep it nearly forever.

Freezing Coffee Beans: Is It a Good Idea?

You can freeze your coffee beans, however you are going to lose some of the flavor in the process of freezing and then thawing them out again.

Summary and Conclusion

If you’re looking to get the best possible coffee every time, buying small quantities of fresh beans and storing them at room temperature is the best way to go.