Is it okay to keep beans in a glass jar?

Storing coffee properly is essential for preserving the nuances roasters work so hard to develop. Many home enthusiasts enjoy using glass jars because they are aesthetically pleasing, easy to clean, and do not harbor odors like plastic containers might. From a food safety and material standpoint, glass is a perfectly acceptable choice. However, when it comes to freshness, the material is only half the battle.

Light is one of the primary enemies of coffee longevity. UV rays accelerate the breakdown of the aromatic oils that carry the flavor of your coffee. If you keep your glass jar on a sunny countertop, you are essentially accelerating the aging process, leading to the early onset of staleness. If you are committed to using glass, ensure your jars are kept inside a dark cupboard or drawer where they are protected from light exposure.

Air, or more specifically oxygen, is the other major factor. Every time you open the jar, you introduce fresh oxygen, which leads to oxidation. For this reason, it is often better to use smaller jars to store your daily consumption, rather than one massive container that you open and close multiple times a day. If your glass jar doesn't have a high-quality airtight seal, your beans will lose their brightness and aroma within days.

In practice, if you have a beautiful glass jar, use it! Just be mindful of where it lives in your kitchen. If you want to go the extra mile, store the majority of your beans in their original, valve-sealed bag inside a cool, dark spot, and only decant a few days' worth of beans into your glass jar at a time. This method gives you the best of both worlds: convenient, attractive storage without sacrificing the quality of your morning cup.