How long after purchasing a can of coffee can it be stored and still remain fresh?

Question

My mother in law stock piles coffee cans some dating back 6 years. I keep telling her to get rid of it but she insists it is still good because the freshness seal is intact. I disagree. What is your opinion?

Answer 1

Guilty, guilty, guilty !!

I've been known to stock-up now and again.

I've never tried anything beyond 18 months --ground coffee.
I drink my coffee black and I am a bit particular.

I have not noticed a quality drop when opened.
However, once opened, 1 wk or 18 months previously unopened, quality begins to drop quickly.
Once opened, I store mine in fridge, in a tightly sealing canister to extend taste quality.

I don't know if I would attempt to hold it for 6 year -- I don't know if quality would hold up this long, but quality of life would be a concern.
It would just steal too much space which might be used better in another manner.

You might suggest to your significant other to guide the mother-in-law from this obsession -- or at least help her rotate her stock.

"Mom, can I take/borrow a can of coffee ?"
"Mom, why don't you let the store, store your coffee, so you can make room for other things you are more likely to use"
Get the other siblings involved also.
Intervention ?? maybe ... :-)

You should step back from you disagreement stance, and no "I told you so's" else what is 6 years of coffee will be 10 years.

Good luck -- step lightly with in-laws ;-)

Answer 2

LOL.....you are not alone, my mother did the same. She had coffee going back 15 years and more. I found a coupon in one that expired in 1991 !!!!

The cans of coffee keep a lot better than these plastic ones they come out with now.

I read an article that said that coffee was only good for 2 years, but I personally have opened that old coffee of my moms and I have never had a bad pot out of it. I would say as long as the seal is intact it is OK.
Remember about 10 years ago, they decided to clean out all the government fallout shelters and distributed all the food to the poor and homeless....There wasnt a single case of anyone getting sick or dying from food that was over 30 years old.
Now, the same is not true for canned goods such as fruit and vegatables.... They do tend to go bad after a few years.

A lot of us just have a personal grudge against older stuff because we don't understand older peoples passion for storing stuff. Most do it because their parents grew up during the depression and have a fear of running out or suddenly being poor.

Answer 3

A can of coffee with the freshness seal intact can last over 60 years.

Answer 4

I agree if the seal is intact but I would start using any beyond 5 years and I generally don't stock anything over a year. But if it whooshes when opened it is OK

Answer 5

With the freshness seal 5-6 months. :)

Answer 6

The coffee should be fresh as long as the seal is unbroken. Coffee begins to lose freshness only after the seal is broken.

Answer 7

Coffee when vacuum sealed can last a very long time. But I personally would not use it after a year or after the use by date.

Answer 8

As long as it has not been opened, it will stay fresh for a very long time. After 6 years I am sure it will be fine.

Once opened it will stay fresher if stored in the fridge or freezer.

Answer 9

About 40 years easy. Heck I've coffee in the larder, just closed with selaphane [soft plastic] and an rubber band. It's been there nearly two years and it's still great.

Just agree with everything she says. I don't have to agree with you, you're not family and I'll never see you again so I can afford to tell you the truth.

Answer 10

My husband and I never drink instant coffee; so I'm not sure why we have a can of it in our cupboard. It's been there for at least 3 years. Its not opened and I would assume it's not bad. As coffee is dry. (its probably considered an unperishable.)