To enjoy a great cup of coffee at home, make sure the coffee you’re brewing is as fresh as possible. Coffee is perishable. It begins to lose freshness soon after roasting. As coffee loses freshness, its natural flavors and aromas are diminished. To reduce the likelihood of brewing stale coffee, use your coffee as soon as you can, and when you store it, keep it away from the four agents of deterioration: excessive air, moisture, heat, and light.