How Long Does a Bag of Coffee Last?

Q: How long does a bag of coffee last?

A 12 oz (340 g) bag makes about 18 double espressos or 22 drip brews; a 250 g bag about 14 or 16. Buy the size you will finish within three weeks.

Work backwards from how many drinks you make, not from how long the bag lasts on a shelf.

What a bag makes

A 12 oz (340 g) bag, the common US size, makes about 18 double espressos at 18 g, 22 filter brews at 15 g, 11 French press pots at 30 g or 22 three-cup moka pots. A 250 g (8.8 oz) bag makes:

Espresso at 18 g (0.6 oz) a shot: about 14 drinks
Filter at 15 g (0.5 oz) a brew: about 16 brews
French press at 30 g (1.1 oz) a pot: about 8 pots
Moka pot, 3-cup, at roughly 15 g (0.5 oz): about 16 brews

Match the bag to the window

Coffee is at its best from about five days to five weeks after roasting. Once opened, two to three weeks before you notice a decline.

So the right bag size is the one you will finish in that window:

One drink a day: 250 g (8.8 oz) lasts two weeks. Correct.
Two or three drinks a day: 250 g (8.8 oz) lasts a week. Consider 500 g (17.6 oz) or a subscription.
One drink at weekends: 250 g (8.8 oz) will go flat before you finish it. Buy smaller, or freeze in portions.

Buying a kilo

Cheaper per gram and usually a mistake unless you drink a great deal. A kilo at two drinks a day takes five weeks, and the last third will be past its best.

If you do buy in bulk, freeze it in weekly portions, thawed sealed and used within a few days.

Last reviewed 30 October 2026

Keep reading

How long do coffee beans stay fresh?
Coffee beans are at their best about 5 to 35 days after roasting. A best-before date tells you nothing; a roast date tells you where in that window you are.
How long should coffee rest after roasting?
Rest coffee about 4 to 10 days after roasting for filter and 7 to 21 days for espresso. Very fresh beans are still full of CO₂ and brew unevenly.
How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?
About 60 to 80 mg of caffeine in a single espresso, 120 to 160 mg in a double and 90 to 140 mg in a 250 ml mug of drip. Dose decides it, not strength.
How much coffee should I use per cup?
About 60 g (2.1 oz) of coffee per liter of water for drip, so 15 g (0.5 oz) for a 250 ml cup and 21 g for a 12 oz mug. Espresso: 18 g in, 36 g out.
How should I store coffee beans?
Store coffee beans airtight, opaque and at room temperature, away from the four things that make coffee stale: oxygen, light, heat and moisture.
Is a coffee subscription worth it?
A coffee subscription is worth it for freshness and variety rather than price: beans shipped days after roasting beat anything on a supermarket shelf.