Does Charcoal Go Off? Storing Fuel Properly

Charcoal does not go off

Pure charcoal is close to elemental carbon and does not degrade sitting in a bag. A bag bought two years ago will light and burn perfectly well, provided it has stayed dry. There is no meaningful shelf life to worry about.

Damp is the real problem

Charcoal is porous and absorbs moisture from the air, especially in a damp shed or garage over winter. Damp charcoal is hard to light, burns cooler and produces more smoke as it drives off the water. Briquettes can even crumble if they get wet and dry repeatedly.

How to store it

• Keep it sealed: a lidded metal or plastic bin, not the open bag.
• Keep it off a concrete floor, which wicks moisture upward.
• Store it somewhere dry and covered, not an open lean-to.
• If a bag has got damp, spread it in the sun for a day before using it.

The instant-light warning

Avoid instant-light or match-light charcoal, which is pre-soaked in lighter fluid. It stores fine but it taints food with a chemical taste and is completely unnecessary once you own a chimney starter. Store plain charcoal and light it properly.