Coffee storage

I like these smaller TightVac containers because the narrower diameter mouth allows me to pour into the little sauce boat thingy (Loveramics).

Another version (same size different color).

@Cuprajake - there was a whole discussion about storing coffee beans which started as a post of mine on CFUK just before that imploded and a lot of us moved over here, and, if memory doesn’t fail me, @LMSC carried on with the discussion over here. It was very informative.

I’ll see if I can find the thread when I have some time - it was one of the very first threads on this forum.

Edit: found the thread. (I just typed “airscape” on the search box): https://coffeetime.freeflarum.com/d/71-airscape-issues-and-single-dosing

MediumRoastSteam - @Cuprajake I think an airescape - but equally the coffee bag itself - are fine for keeping beans for a a week, maximum. My experience with one is that I thought in could keep coffee in there for longer, but soon came to realise the beans have degraded considerably since. I now vac-pack in smaller portions (say, 5 days worth) and, when I want to drink them, I decant them into small pots. I don’t think they are perfect air tight, but they do the job for the immediate short term storage.

My airscape is now used to store tea bags, which are fresher now. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Before you spend money on expensive storage, please try to get one of these a shot and see if it works for you!

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/oertfylld-spice-jar-glass-stainless-steel-60391350/

If getting the latter, you might need a little larger capacity. MediumRoastSteam will be able to advise the capacity as I believe he still uses one of these canisters.

I now vacuum pack the beans in small Foodsaver bags, which I freeze. Freezing preserves the beans; vacuum packing in of and by itself is (from what I have read) not as effective (as freezing), but will keep out other food odors/gasses that might permeate the beans. While my reading does not lead me to believe that vacuum sealing affects bean quality, I only lightly vacuum seal.

There are fully re-useable Foodsaver bags available. Alternatively you can open a sealed bag by cutting the top sealed portion off with a scissors, and then re-use the bag.

I had initially vacuum sealed and frozen sufficient portions for 1 weeks consumption, but now divide into single dose bags and freeze. I then grind the frozen beans, which has (in a number pundits views) significant benefits; that is an entirely different topic. I then empty the bag’s contents into a dosing cup on a tarred scale (to confirm weight), RDT and pour into a single dose grinder.

If the bag contains an exact dose and your grinder does not retain grinds, then you do not even have to weigh before or even after single dose grinding. However as I have some grind retention with my Eureka Mignon (which can vary from none to 0.5g), even with a single dose hopper and bellows, I still weigh at every step. If the bellows was more effective (I have the Eureka single dose hopper and bellows, which does not seem to be effective), then I might be able to simply be able to pour a measured dose of beans into the grinder, grind, not weigh my portafilter, and just pour my shot. That would be nirvana! Any suggestions are welcome.

Inspector Coarser or finer?

If that was addressed to me about my “adjust coarser” remark above, then yup, coarser. But by barely a smidge.

It’s hard to be sure, to be honest, because it could be more to do with me not getting my tamp pressure cosistent enough, that being hard to do with my shoulder problems. Shot times can extend a bit, going from aroud the 30s mark, plus or minus maybe 2s, to 36, 38 even 40s (to get a pretty consistent 20g in, 40ml-ish out).

But if I’ve had several on the trot do that, and adjust a smidge coarser (from about 15.5 to 15.7, with the decimal point bits being estimated by eye, on the Niche ring) and the shot times come back to the original 30s-ish, pretty consistently, the only thing I can think of is it’s choking a bit at the first setting, and going a tad coarser seems to stop it.

But if I’m reading it wrong, I’d be happy to know what I’m missing.

There’s the Fellow Atmos which has mixed reviews and the Soulhand which I’ve seen a few people on Instagram use. Haven’t found any critical long term reviews on it unfortunately.

Looking for some new smallish storage jars. Currently have one Airscape and 2 coffee vac but they’re too big as I only use 250g of coffee in each.

250g Airscapes are about £25 at the moment.

Has anyone seen / tried these?:

Wondering if they work as a concept or is a dedign like the Airscaoe where you can physically close out the headspace between the beans and the lid better?

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mLkw6ZG

£32 for 3. Ordered - worth a gamble at that price

dutchy101 Wondering if they work as a concept or is a dedign like the Airscaoe where you can physically close out the headspace between the beans and the lid better

My perspective is that the air (O2) still leaks in. The question then becomes: how much coffee do you consume a day? Let’s assume that the coffee has already rested in a sealed bag, that you then open after 2 weeks. You now have an open bag of say 440g. If the 440g is say 7 days worth, then the O2 will begin to take its toll by day 4, with significant taste change by day 7. Hence, you might wish to lightly vacuum pack 220g and freeze that, and use the other 220g from an Airscape.

I personally divide my 1 lb (440g) of coffee into 4 × 110g portions, which I lightly vacuum pack and freeze. I might vac pack 2 to 4 lbs into 110g portions in one evening, which I freeze. I then defrost 110g, which typically lasts me 3 days. I then place the 110g into airtight single dose jars (the small 18g capacity ones with hinged lids and silicone gaskets), which speeds up my morning process.

PS Those hinged lid jars are great and come in many different sizes. I buy cheap no name ones on Amazon, but there is a highly quality brand manufacturer in Europe. Just can’t remember the name at the moment.