How Long Does Ground Coffee Last In The Fridge? Perfect Storage Or A Disaster?

How long does ground coffee last in the fridge is a great question to ask and something many coffee lovers think about.

Straight to the answer in the second sentence is the kind of respect to those of you that are in a hurry, 3 to 4 months is how long your ground coffee will last while stored in your fridge.

Storing your coffee in your fridge though is polemic, keep reading to find out why.

How Long Does Ground Coffee Last In The Fridge?

While many coffee lovers and enthusiasts advise against storing your coffee in the fridge and for good reason (more on this in a moment), I am a fan, a big fan of storing coffee in your fridge even though it does very little to extend its shelf life.

Storing ground coffee beans in your fridge will improve the coffee freshness factor of your specialty coffee and will help you to get an extra day or two out of your specialty coffee and the peak flavor window.

The peak flavor of premium quality coffee starts 3 days after roasting and for 7 days only. Outside of this time period, your coffee is still yet to reach its optimal flavor or is declining from it.

Their overall shelf life is 3 to 4 months of regular coffee and specialty coffee, be it stored in your fridge or your pantry.

Notably, if you keep your specialty coffee for 3 to 4 months, regardless of where you store it, it will have completely lost its unique and vibrant flavors and aromas and will taste like regular coffee.

The advantage of using your fridge is that it helps to maintain flavor for longer before it goes bland.

Read: How long does fresh ground coffee last?

Why Do Many Coffee Experts Advise Against Storing Your Coffee In The Fridge?

Many coffee experts, lovers and enthusiasts are completely against the idea of storing coffee in your fridge as coffee is one of the very best absorbers of flavors and odors.

They also fear the moisture created due to the cooling effect of your fridge causing your coffee beans or coffee grounds to deteriorate, lose flavor and potentially grow mold and bacteria.

These two problems can be easily overcome by using an opaque airtight vacuum coffee canister.

Which is what I advise you to use. Using such a canister will protect your coffee against these two elements that you must be aware of.

Your fridge, due to the reduced temperature, keeps all food items, from eggs to milk and of course your coffee due to the low temperature slowing the oxidation process.

If you are wondering how naturally flavored coffee grounds and coffee beans are made, the companies that make them take advantage of coffee’s great ability to absorb flavors.

To make your own simply just add the food, herb or spice that you want to flavor your coffee with to your coffee canister and leave it for 12 to 24 hours or until your coffee beans and grounds have taken on the flavor that you want then remove them when they are perfect.

How Long Does Ground Coffee Last In The Fridge After Opened

The fact that you have opened your bag of ground coffee gives it a shelf life of 3 to 4 months in your pantry or in your fridge.

There is no advantage in terms of getting an extra couple of months out of your ground coffee and its total shelf life by storing it in your fridge.

The advantage is getting a better quality of flavor from your coffee for longer. You may not notice this with regular coffee, but you will with your specialty grade coffee.

Read: How long does unopened ground coffee last?

How Long Does Ground Coffee Last In The Fridge Unopened

Unopened ground coffee will last for an extra month when stored in your pantry, taking the total time to 5 months.

Again,

this time frame is not enhanced by the fact that you are storing your coffee grounds in your fridge, but you will enjoy fresher flavors for longer, something that is more noted with specialty coffee than with regular coffee.

How To Store Brewed Coffee In Fridge

When you store your coffee in your brewed coffee in your fridge, you must still store it in an airtight container to prevent your cup of coffee from taking on the flavors of nearby foods.

If you can vacuum seal it, that is even better.

The plastic or paper takeaway cup that you got your coffee in from your local coffee shop is not good enough as it is not airtight.

Read: How long does ground coffee last?

How Long Does Coffee With Milk Last In The Fridge

When you store your coffee in your fridge, you absolutely must use a sealed container. Your milky coffee being stored in airtight or better still a vacuum sealed container is an absolute must as you have the added danger of mold and bacteria forming due to the dairy used to make it.

Although it can keep well for 3 days in your fridge, I strongly advise that you stick to the next day or two-day rule for reasons of health and flavor.

Speaking of flavor, your brewed coffee, be it with or without milk, will lose flavor the longer that you leave it.

A cool little brewed coffee fact is that it is at peak flavor for only 30 mins after brewing.

How To Keep Ground Coffee Fresh For Months And Even Years

Keeping your ground coffee fresh for months and even years requires the use of two airtight opaque vacuum coffee canisters.

The first one is for long term storage of your coffee ground or coffee beans which you fill, create the vacuum and store in your freezer.

The second one you fill with only two weeks worth of coffee, activate the vacuum seal and store in your fridge. This is your day-to-day coffee.

Fill your second coffee canister, the one that you keep in your fridge, with the coffee that you keep in your freezer.

This is how you keep your coffee in perfect condition for maximum flavor and freshness.

Your freezer slows down the oxidation process to almost a dead stop, allowing your coffee grounds to stay fresh for up to years and whole beans for 3 years.

You absolutely must open your coffee bag and use a vacuum coffee canister for both freezing and refrigerating your coffee as the original coffee packaging is not strong enough to resist freezer burn and to prevent your coffee from taking on the flavors of the food in your fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions About – How Long Does Ground Coffee Last In The Fridge?

How Do You Know If Ground Coffee Has Gone Off?

When your coffee bean or coffee grounds are fresh, they will have a strong typical and traditional coffee aroma. When they have gone off, the aroma will have gone flat, musty and smell ashy and dusty.

How Do You Store Coffee After Grinding It?

The best way to store your coffee grounds after grinding is to keep them in a professional and purposely designed coffee canister that is:

• Airtight.
• Has one way valve.
• Heat-resistant.
• Opaque.

These characteristics help to protest your coffee grounds against the elements that lead to their degradation.

What Is The Best Way To Store Ground Coffee Long-Term?

The best way to store ground coffee long term is to use a special airtight vacuum coffee canister that is opaque and heat-resistant. The removal of air via the vacuum will reduce the degradation of your coffee and protect it from moisture, heat, light and odors.

Does Ground Coffee Go Bad Faster?

Yes, it is 100% true that ground coffee will go off faster than whole bean coffee.

Once you grind your coffee beans, you are increasing the total surface area. This increases the exposure of your coffee grounds to air and oxygen and accelerated the oxidation process and their degradation, causing them to lose their flavor and aroma faster.

Can You Freeze Ground Coffee?

Yes, you can freeze ground coffee in order to help it to maintain freshness for longer, but you must protect your coffee grounds against freezer burn.

The weak, flimsy and thin packaging that they come in is not strong enough to resist freezer burn. You will need to open the package and use a vacuum coffee canister.

How Many Times Can You Make Coffee With The Same Grounds?

You can only use coffee grounds once. If you reuse the same coffee grounds twice and still get a good cup of coffee, you will need to take a look at the setting of your coffee maker or your brewing technique and figure out why you are not getting the maximum flavor from the first cup that you brew.

Do Used Coffee Grounds Go Mouldy?

Yes, when your used coffee grounds, or fresh coffee grounds for that matter, are in contact with moisture they can develop a blue or green mold called Trichoderma which is beneficial for your soil and compost pile.

How Long After Grinding Does Coffee Lose Flavor?

Your ground coffee will start to lose flavor, aroma and taste in as little as half an hour. This is why coffee lovers have a strong preference for whole bean coffee and grinding the coffee beans immediately before brewing.

Final Thoughts – How Long Does Ground Coffee Last In The Fridge?

Knowing how long does ground coffee last in the fridge and the positive effects that it has on the freshness and vibrant flavors of your coffee and the advantage of using your freezer, all that is left for you is to get your hands on a couple of opaque airtight vacuum coffee canisters and maximize your coffee experience.

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Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location