[Bhodgson]

I’m buying a Kg of beans per month. I’m looking for advice on how to store the beans. I get through 250g, ish, per week.

im currently freezing 750g. Packed in its bag then in a tight fitting airtight food container. I store the 250g, for the week, in an air tight preserves jar. Stored in a dark cool pantry.

I’ve been looking at Raves Airscape range. But which one or ones.

 

[Alfieboy]

I give my beans 10 days or so to work away the CO2 then vacuum seal them approx 200g per pack - sometimes the freezer sometimes not and then store them in an Airscape which is a small one 12.7 x 12.7 x 10.2 high holds more than the 250g advised but I’m only putting in 200

Neil

 

[Bhodgson]

Ahh, I’d been leaning towards the 250g airscape, for day to day. If you don’t freeze, other than vac sealing, how do you store them. Also what vac sealer would you advise?

 

[Alfieboy]

I just store the vac sealed beans on a shelf - like you if I’m only buying a kilo or so then they’re not going to go off but once they’ve de gassed then it’s good to know they’re airtight
If I have more then I put some vac sealed into the freezer
My sealer is a Bonsen Kitchen one from Amazon currently £28.89 with a pack of bags - works very well
Neil

 

[rob177palmer]

I have been through the vac seal / freezer options over the years and have now come full circle.
I buy by the kilo. Rest on arrival in packaging, decant into an airscape for use and the rest stays in a cool dark cupboard in the retail packaging rolled down tightly.
The result is great.
The Airescape keeps beans fresher when in use and at the speed you are getting through coffee is similar to me - you shouldn’t find any noticeable change with the beans in the cupboard that you can’t adjust for at the grinder.
I stopped vac sealing and freezing due to:

• the faff
• the unnecessary plastic waste (even when reusing pouches)
• temperamental vac machine
• current system producing very similar frames results

The airscape really is great

 

[TomHughes]

If the coffee is light-medium I don't bother freezing. I break up into 250g amounts and put each in a bag and just go through them.
As long as it's kept coolish and out of direct sunlight light-medium takes a long time to stale and if anything can taste better after a month.

I think unless you are wanting to save for 3-6 months than Vaccing is a waste of money and horrible for the environment if you aren't using re-usable bags.

This is particularly evident if you have a 'not-so-good' grinder.
I have attributed this the beans softening slightly, which ends up in a better grind and extraction from grinders with smaller burrs, less torque etc. etc.

 

[rob177palmer]

good point on the roast. I am using light to medium roasts which seem to keep very well with my storage method

 

[TomHughes]

good point on the roast. I am using light to medium roasts which seem to keep very well with my storage method

Yep, definitely.Darker roasts are much more susceptible to moisture absorption and going stale, and the really dark roasts with oil on them will go rancid within a week or 2 left in air.
These are on the only times I would freeze/vac.

 

[Alfieboy]

And I’m a fan of darker roasts and find my method keeps them in great condition (in or out of the freezer)

 

[Bhodgson]

So:
freeze darker roasts In vac bags.
Store lighter roasts, in a cool dry and dark place, in zip bags Or the original bag.
everyone seems to agree the Airscape (250g), or similar for the beans in current use

 

[CannonCoffeeRoasters]

Hey Bhodgson, Seeing as coffee from it's roasted date keeps well for up to a month in an airtight container like the airscape, in a cool dry environment, I wouldn't worry too much about freezing it. Especially if you usually consume 1kg in a month. For darker roasts this may be the exception to the rule, especially those that are italian roast and showing oil on the beans. In that case a zip lock bag in the freezer should suffice.

 

[Bhodgson]

Yeah, my beans tend to be on the darker side.