Practices for Green Coffee Storage

To prolong the life of your green beans and preserve their quality, consider these best practices:

Seal and Protect: Store coffee in sealed, light-proof, and oxygen-resistant bags, such as GrainPro, EcoTact or vacuum-sealed packaging.
Control the Environment: Keep coffee in a stable, temperature-controlled space (18-22ºC is ideal) and avoid fluctuations in humidity or light exposure.
Monitor Green Coffee' Moisture Levels: Coffee with moisture content outside the 10-12% range or high water activity levels is less likely to age well.
Cup Regularly: Regular cupping ensures that you can assess a coffee’s evolving profile and determine its suitability for continued use.

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Storage Conditions

Proper storage is critical. Green coffee should be kept in sealed, light-proof bags at consistent temperatures, ideally between 18-22ºC, to minimize exposure to oxygen and humidity. Preliminary findings from two studies conducted in Poland (first and second) suggest that the ideal conditions for coffee storage are temperatures between 18–22ºC with 50% humidity.

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Cup Quality Over Time

I visited majority of coffee producing countries with vast differences in environmental conditions such as altitude, humidity, barometric pressure, temperature or simply weather patterns. I've learned that coffee’s age is only one piece of the puzzle. Through years of cuppings and quality control, I found that certain coffees defy conventional expectations, holding their profiles well beyond the typical 12-18 month window. Whether it’s a naturally processed Ethiopian or a high-altitude anaerobic Colombian, the best measure of quality is always the cup itself.

It is industry known amongst cuppers focused on quality control, that high water activity levels in green been which haven't yet left the origin, might put flavour in a risk. Shipping coffee involves frequent stops, exposures to diverse weather conditions and travels long periods. "Stressed" green coffee can be eradicated to a undrinkable states in extreme cases. Often, coffee appear to taste "woody", "baggy" or simply "harsh".

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