This is one of the questions that we get asked the most. And for good reason. Stale coffee is at best meh and, at worst, absolutely tasteless. On the other hand, very fresh coffee is a dream come true. It’s freshness lets you taste all the nuances that are available in a particular brew. From subtle, sweet raspberry to deep chocolate or biting hazelnut notes. But the longer your coffee sits, the less and less flavours are there for your tastebuds. Not a good result.

So, how long do coffee beans stay fresh before you start to lose those delicious flavours? And how do you keep it fresh for longer?

How Long Do Coffee Beans Stay Fresh?

Air, Moisture, Heat—The Enemies of Freshness

Roasted coffee beans don’t stay fresh forever. Over time the process of oxidation causes them to become stale and to lose the flavours that we love about coffee. Oxidation is a fancy way of saying ‘exposure to air’, and it’s the same reason that other food products go bad or that metal rusts.

Coffee is full of oils, acids and chemical compounds. These are typically referred to as ‘solubles’ and they’re the little packets of goodness that give coffee its flavour and smell. But the moment coffee is exposed to air, those solubles start to degrade (oxidise). Of course, the more the beans are exposed to air, the more quickly they become oxidised and go stale.

Humidity (or other moisture) and heat can also make oxidisation occur—something we deal with quite often here in Australia. And once your beans are oxidised, there’s no coming back from it no matter how fancy your brewer is.

So, How Long Do Coffee Beans Stay Fresh, Really?

In our experience, roasted beans are really only good for up to three months. But honestly, it’s really about 90 days for maximum with our coffee. And we’d say 14 to 60 days is the sweet spot for us. For a guide, the coffee we serve in store for customers is usually 30 to 45 days from the roast date.

Oxidation begins to happen the moment that the bean are exposed to air. After roasting, the flavours will begin to build for the first few days, but then the beans will start to lose their freshness. Expert roasters can even notice the difference within minutes of roasting. But that’s not to say that you won’t get a beautiful cup of coffee even after a little bit of time.

Of course, we can’t say exactly when your coffee will be at its peak, because it really varies by the bean. There are just no hard rules. But, if you buy your coffee from a master roaster (like us!) you can certainly ask them guidance on freshness for their different varieties.

How to Best Keep Your Coffee Fresh?

When it comes to roasted coffee it’s best to buy fresh, and buy often. Whole coffee beans will stay fresh longer than ground coffee, too. So, if you are buying your coffee ground, it’s even more important to think in terms of small batches rather than bulk buying. We recommend finishing your ground coffee within two weeks. If you do find yourself with some left over pre ground-coffee, you can still use it for some tasty cold brew.

Good coffee roasters will generally stamp the date of roasting on their bags. Check this religiously. And if you don’t see the roasting date on the bag, best to look for a shop that does give you this information or you simply can’t be sure that it’s fresh.

Finally, follow our coffee storage tips. These will help extend the life and flavour of your favourite roasted beans.

Do Coffee Beans Go Bad?

Not in the same sense that other foods go bad. In fact, coffee is remarkably shelf stable. It will last for years and still not spoil. The main reason is that coffee really doesn’t have any calories. That means there’s nothing for bacteria or other things to feed on (no energy means no attraction!). Also, caffeine is a natural toxin to many of the things that get into our other foods and acts as an organic barrier to spoiling.

But just because coffee beans don’t go bad, doesn’t mean you want to drink stale coffee. It might be perfectly safe, but it certainly won’t be enjoyable.

If you’re worried about how to keep your coffee beans fresh, we’ve got loads of different and supremely fresh roasted beans in our shop. Even better, get on our subscription program and never worry about freshness again!