Coffee Ratio LabCoffee Freshness & Reorder Calculator: Will Your Beans Go Stale Before You Finish?
Whole-bean coffee generally tastes best from a few days to about 4 weeks after roasting when stored airtight; ground coffee is best within about a week of opening. Enter your roast date, bag size and daily use to see your finish date, how many days will be past peak, how much to freeze and when to reorder.
Freshness windows are general guidance, not food-safety limits — coffee rarely becomes unsafe, it just loses flavor. Many coffees taste best after resting a few days past roasting.
How long does coffee stay fresh?
| Coffee | Best flavor | Still fine to drink |
|---|---|---|
| Whole beans, airtight or valve bag | ~4 to 30 days after roasting | 1–2 months, gradually flatter |
| Whole beans, loosely closed | ~4 to 21 days after roasting | Several weeks, noticeably flatter |
| Pre-ground, after opening | ~1 week | Several weeks, flat |
| Frozen in airtight portions | Months, with slow decline | Longer |
These are general guidelines; dark roasts tend to stale a little faster, and some light roasts improve for a week or two after roasting. Read the full guide on how to store coffee beans, and use the bloom test to check freshness in the cup.
Never run out (or let beans go stale)
- Choose a bag size you finish within about 3–4 weeks of the roast date.
- If you buy bigger bags to save money, freeze extra in weekly airtight portions straight away.
- Set a reminder for the "order by" date above so new beans arrive as you finish the last ones.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a 12 oz bag of coffee last?
A 12 oz bag is 340 g. At 16 g per brew and 1.5 brews per day, it lasts about 14 days. At one 15 g cup a day, about 22 days.
How long do coffee beans last after the roast date?
They taste best for roughly a month after roasting when stored airtight, then slowly lose flavor.
Does coffee expire?
Dry coffee rarely becomes unsafe if kept dry, but it goes stale and loses aroma. Discard any coffee that smells musty or shows mold.
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