I recently purchased an Airscape container for roasted coffee bean storage. I was wondering where to store the container of beans. I read several HB threads about coffee storage which recommended letting frozen beans reach room temperature to reduce condensation forming on the beans when exposed to room air. This is probably not a major problem in arid climates, but I live in New Orleans where the humidity is 50% on a dry day. So I'm wondering where it would be best to store my Airscape & beans: freezer, fridge, or pantry ???

I store beans for several weeks in the freezer, then pull out a few days worth to keep in the Airscape in the pantry.

I don't think putting an airscape with beans into the freezer is a good idea. The airscape can is made of steel, which is likely to experience water condensation on the inside of the container when you freeze it. When I freeze coffee beans I've found that Food Saver vacuum sealed bags work perfectly. The airscape doesn't do as good a job at keeping way from the beans as the Food Saver does. It's certainly better than a simple closed jar for storing them at room temperature on the shelf, but not a whole lot better. I have tried using the plastic Food Saver vacuum jars in the freezer, and these seem to work nicely, but they are rather large and not as convenient as the bags.

I just started freezing beans within the last 6 months finding no adverse effects from how I freeze. I order three 12oz. bags of various beans (for variety) from different roasters. My favorite thus far is Barrington and Olympia. Anyway, because I can get free shipping at every roaster (that I know of) with THREE 12 oz. bags---I order the three. When it arrives, I double tape over the valve. I then wait until the bags are at least 6 days post roast. At that point, I put two of the bags in double Hefty zip lock bags, swooshing any air out and put in freezer. Take one out the night before I'm going to use it. I don't freeze the bag I am going to start using once it hits 6-8 days post roast. That goes in the Airscape container in our dark cupboard. I keep the beans in the bag it came in & close it up, swooshing air out before I put the covers on the container. I go through a 12 oz. bag anywhere from 7-10 days--so never notice any staleness.

Pressino wrote:The airscape can is made of steel, which is likely to experience water condensation on the inside of the container when you freeze it.

I'm not sure it really makes a difference if the container is metal or plastic or glass with regard to how much moisture from the air freezes on the inner surface. Does it? And even if it were true that steel induces greater condensation wouldn't that actually be better than condensation on the beans?

That said, the Airscape is intended to minimize air contact for beans you are regularly accessing. It's the functional equivalent of a squeezed ziplock bag in that the volume shrinks along with the contents. So if you're planning on pulling beans out of the freezer every day why not use an Airscape? One question is whether or not the seals work well in freezing temperatures. An Airscape also takes up a lot of space for just one parcel of beans. I often have several opened (zipped up) bags of beans in the freezer at one time. There's no way I could fit even two Airscapes in our overpacked freezer. So I use (doubled) bags. There are downsides to that as well (they wear out, they can be punctured, they can leak).

But if you have the space and the Airscape seems to hold a seal, why not?