I like inviting people over to my house for dinner and such. I like to be a good host, so I have a fully stocked liquor cabinet, a selection of beer and wine, and a lot of mix.
The problem comes at dessert, I don’t drink coffee. So I want to buy some nice Starbucks coffee to have on hand to make for guests. But there will be quite a bit of time in between coffee making.
Soooo, my question is, how should I store the coffee? In the freezer? Sealed container? In “bean” format than grind when necessary?
Buy whole bean coffee and store it in the refrigerator in airtight container.
Do not store it in the freezer - it dries out the beans.
It should last six months to a year, depending on the bean. Oilier beans (espresso, french roast, most dark blends) will not last as long.
You can buy very good coffee at some grocery stores in bulk. That way you can buy no more than you will serve. Starbucks sells theirs in pounds, and at a premium price.
I’ll have to disagree with bughunter. Coffee should be stored in the freezer in a tightly sealed container.
But since you’re not going to be making it often: Many excellent coffees are available in pre-measured vacuum sealed packages that make one pot. I see them in the “gourmet coffee” section of the supermarket. Then you don’t have to worry about storage. You can also easily get a couple of different types (you should have regular and decaf on hand). You can always buy fresh beans for a special occasion, but if you just want to have some to keep on hand, don’t trouble yourself.
Wow, who would have thought a username like McDeath the Mad would be such a delightful host? So when do you invite all of the SDMB over?
McD - as your friends will know that you do not drink coffee, they will be very pleasantly surprised that you take SO much care. Some people I have known who don’t drink coffee quite simply do not have it in the house and won’t go near it!
Get a bag of Community Coffee, and store it in the freezer until it is needed. Get a small bag, depending on the size of your party. I believe the bags are reasonably inexpensive.
I’ll second a vote for the vacuum-sealed pouches that make one pot of coffee. Because they are vacuum-sealed, no need to worry about refrigeration, etc. Also, no need to measure (something which seems to perplex non-coffee-drinkers). These little pouches are especially easy to find this time of year, as they are being sold as stockin stuffers and such.
