So a quick one here. I have on order a Niche grinder which for me and I guess many will be the first delve into single dose. Looking forward to trying different beans throughout the day but the question is how do you store your open bags to keep them as fresh as can be. I’ve heard all sorts or things but I’m after ideas on containers, where I.e fridge or room temp and how long for. I normally buy 1kg bags so it’s a rush to use them up. Thanks in advance. Pete

@"pete10uk"#p2304 I have used coffee vac and airscape. i’m not happy with both as the beans looses aroma and freshness in a few days. I open the containers at least 6 times a day Now, I’m storing one-day worth of beans in a glass jar. I take them out overnight from the freezer. I also store 18g/20g beans in 60 ml glass jar. These work well for me. A lot of people are happy with airscape, though.

Pete, depending on consumption. Some use airscape or vac vin, or whatever other form (which is fine for a week or two max). Some would do that, but offload the next 2-3 days into single dose containers. All at room temp. For long term storage, consider vacuum packing (or equivalent) and freezing. See: > @"LMSC"#p592 I am reviving that thread here.

For less frequent use I keep in the freezer in small doses. My main bag I keep in an airscape. I’m not convinced it’s any better than an airtight container, but it looks nicer on the side. At my use rate I typically get through a bag in about a week and haven’t seen any noticeable degradation in flavour. Some might have keener palates though.

Funnily enough, I'm working on the subject myself at the moment. Over the last few years of not working I've been smoking through lots of tins of pipe tobacco. I know they have an airtight seal - anaerobic aging of tobacco is a good thing - so I imagine they might be quite good for coffee once they've been through the dishwasher.

Thanks all for this. I did try searching the forum earlier but didn’t get this related topic. Either a smelling mistake or an error. But thanks this answers the question and I think for me I’ll try freezing with daily defrosts for the main bean and single doses in freezer for any specials. Cheers

@"pete10uk"#p2333 when you say daily defrosts for the main bean, you don’t want to be opening and closing the same bag from the freezer on a daily basis. Depending on how much coffee you drink in a given week, as an example you might want to let your fresh beans degass in the bag they came in (number of days depends on roast level), then freeze 500g or 750g in 250g batches, apportion a weeks worth of the remaining beans into single dose containers and keep the rest in an airscape or other airtight container. Once you run out of room temp beans you can defrost 250g overnight ready for the following week. I still need to test whether defrosted beans will be dialled in at the same setting as when they were “fresh”.

[URL=https://i.imgur.com/gUdD9PL.jpg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/gUdD9PL.jpg[/IMG][/URL] I take any suitable container, preferably glass, and fit a one-way valve cut from a coffee packet into the lid. I use a step drill to cut a hole in the lid for a press fit. Seal the back with silicone if the fit is not perfectly tight. The freshly roasted beans emit CO2 which is heavier than air, and this causes the oxygen to be driven out through the valve. As I roast my own beans, I find this is a cheap (free!) and effective way to store my coffee and keep it fresh.

I saw these on Instagram yesterday. [upl-image-preview url=//i.imgur.com/OYTXKH1.jpeg] Glass spice jars with stainless steel cap. Could be useful for single dosing and relatively inexpensive. Apparently can store up to 24g so there will be some headspace with a standard 18g dose. £2 for 2 from ikea: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/oertfylld-spice-jar-glass-stainless-steel-60391350/

They look good i had some off amazon but then got these weber ones via a wood working mate [upl-image-preview url=//i.imgur.com/TSzg7nI.jpeg ]

Don't laugh but I have considered wide syringes with caps…so air can be driven out.

Niche Coffee Storage.

dfk41

We are splitting the atom again! Every one will have their viewpoint. For me, it is a two stage process.
Buy beans in whatever size bag you wish, then split them up into dose size and store them. Some folks suggest tubes of some sort, whereas another chap I have seen vacuum packs them into small packets suitable per dose.
The second alternate is to split your purchase into manageable size. For me, that is 250 grams. Now, some will then freeze that in the manner that has been well documented. I am not a fan of that for many reasons. You are having to open your deep freeze door multiple times per day. The air in a freezer is not dry. Yes, taping over the one way valves does sound cute!
The method I use, is to buy kilo bags and rest them for however long it takes. I then vacuum pack them into 250 gm size. If the beans release further gas, so what? C02 is widely used as a preservative. I then take the 250 gm bags and when I want to, stick them into an airscape where they stay for 4 days or so. YEs yes, every time I open the lid the beans are becoming exposed……so flipping what?

Doram

dfk41 Every one will have their viewpoint.

True. For me it’s home roasting. I know when I want my next batch and how long I want it rested, so I roast it accordingly. Job done.

This way I can buy beans in one go once or twice a year and always have freshly roasted coffee. I took a year’s break from roasting recently and bought roasted coffee. Comparing the two methods I find that (for me) home roasted coffee: 1. Is much more convenient than having to juggle roasted bean purchases; 2. Tastes better; 3. Cheaper. That’s a win-win-win for me.

And then I also store the beans in a VacuVin container so can minimize the air inside. (Also spotted a cheaper alternative now).

Uncletits

dfk41 I always love David’s common sense approach and not making it over complicated - I do the same 250g vacuum pack but then freeze once degassed

spasypaddy

sir James Hoff of the Mann says you can grind straight from frozen for mild benefits. Anyone actually tried it in the real world?

drdre89

spasypaddy i was considering doing this for decaf beans. i read that decaf beans stale alot quicker than regular beans … so by freezing individual 18g mason jar portions, and grinding frozen direct should be able to retain the optimal flavour

DavecUK

spasypaddy sir James Hoff of the Mann says you can grind straight from frozen for mild benefits. Anyone actually tried it in the real world?

I always wonder about the moisture condensing onto cold stuff…dunno…I don’t eat anything frozen except ice cream really?

HVL87

Pompeyexile and as they are clearly…clear, well that’s the UV light argument out the window.

If you are keeping them in direct sunlight it might be an issue. If not then it’s not a problem?

Pompeyexile If beans are frozen, I assume they can’t de-gas so don’t have to worry about that…or do I?

Best practice (from my understanding) would be to let the beans degass first (x number of days past roast) and then freeze.

I think freezing is an excellent way to keep beans “fresh” and I’m experimenting with it at the moment (vac pack and freezing). I have read that beans may stale quicker once defrosted, so I’m also looking at freezing single doses and grinding straight from the freezer. In a recent video I believe Hoffman didn’t notice any difference in the cup between room temp and straight from frozen beans (filter not espresso).

@spasypaddy drdre89

I have tried exactly that with frozen decaf beans from extract as recommended on here. I dialled them in 8 days past roast date - 27s shot. On the same day I froze 6 single doses in 60ml aromatherapy jars. The next day I tried grinding directly from the freezer. Apparently the grind can be finer but more uniform. Without changing the grind setting the shot ran for 31s. So I would probably adjust half a step coarser on the Niche. Didn’t notice any freezer burn on the beans but I’ll keep an eye over the coming days/weeks.

These may work for single doses and freezing with limited headspace for an 18g dose?

https://www.lawsonshop.co.uk/storage-jars/mini-glass-jar-clip-top-60ml/#tab_delivery_anc

Pompeyexile

Interstingly I thought freezing my beans when taking them out of the freezer as soon as the warm air hit them there would be moisture appearing on them and so, when I grind that would be the same effect as stirring the beans with a wet spoon handle to stop static. That is not the case. I have ground straight from frozen and there was static. I have poured the frozen beans out and stirred with a wet spoon handle and there is no static whatsoever.

Pompeyexile

Taking the frozen beans out of the freezer less than five seconds so I can’t imagine that being an issue as far as opening and closing the freezer door and loss of coldness is concerned. From freezer into the grinder less than a minute, so again I don’t think ‘going stale’ is an issue. I do let the beans de-gas for a few days before putting them in the freezer, but I’d be interested to know how long people think that should be.

HVL87

Pompeyexile so again I don’t think ‘going stale’ is an issue.

My concern is beans going stale when keeping larger batches in the freezer, defrosting and storing at room temp until used.

Do you keep beans in the freezer and open and close them each time? If so this can apparently introduce fresh humid air which can cause crystallisation of ice on the beans.

Pompeyexile I do let the beans de-gas for a few days before putting them in the freezer, but I’d be interested to know how long people think that should be.

Personally I degass for the same amount of time as I would before using the coffee. So it’s roast level and bean dependent. Maybe 7 days for a medium/dark roast and 10 days for a light roast?

Pompeyexile

I just take the packe out quickly weigh out the amount I want push any air out re-seal and put straight back in the freezer. I have not seen any ice on my beans…Ooh er missus!

As I only use 16 to 18g at a time or 36 if I’m making one each for me and the other half, storing that amount individually would mean I’d need a lot of small containers. So, maybe the Ikea spice jars might just be worth a try.

DavecUK

Pompeyexile I just take the packe out quickly weigh out the amount I want push any air out re-seal and put straight back in the freezer. I have not seen any ice on my beans…Ooh er missus!

I was going to get a quantity of small pots and freeze either individual doses, or perhaps 90g per time for 5 doses. I think personally, the convenience of grabbing a days coffee out is better than faffing around. It’s not going to go stale in a day or two is it?

LMSC

DavecUK perhaps 90g per time for 5 doses. I

Agree. That’s what we have settled for. Just use the 250g Jam Jar. It will hold 100g, which is good for 5 + doses.

dfk41

In the days, a long time ago when I tried the freezing thing, I found that the temperature a domestic freezer ran at, did not really freeze the bean, just made it cold. Therefore, I used to take enough out for a shot, put them back in and then grind immediately. Luckily my taste buds are not very refined!

Flat_Eric

I just use old herb and spice jars. They hold the right amount, air tight and being glass they wash out nicely and don’t smell of the previous contents!

DavecUK

Flat_Eric Although nut sure about the ones with the clicky lids?

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