MWJB I had a compostible bag from Origin that was clearly always open at the side pleats at the top
I emailed them about this exact problem 12 months ago after a kilo turned up very clearly not sealed. Obviously not a priority for them to resolve.
So many companies laser-focussed on the B-Corp nonsense that they’ll sacrifice quality just to get their virtue signalling stamp.
La Marzocco Linea Mini - Mazzer Philos
Ikawa Roaster
It’s never bothered me TBH because they’re coffee’s are usually decent, I just make the assumption they’ve been rested by the time they arrive.
whinmoor85 Why should you have to assume anything though? Their bags have a clear space on them to show a Roasted on date. I do not believe in coincidences any more than I believe in fairies. The chances of me questioning the firm, receiving a non sensical reply then answering that reply, only to find the next order is sent out with beans roasted 25 days ago for one bag, and absolutely no information on the other is an poor humour. The reason beans have to have at least a batch number on is so that they are traceable. We will see what tomorrow brings but I say with confidence that they will not be having my custom again. I have come across many business owners who think they are clever….few are
dfk41 Maybe a daft question, but the bag with the hole is definitely the bag that actually holds the beans? The reason I ask is that I bought some beans from them and I received a bag that was slightly damaged, but this was just a bag around the bag that actually held the beans (which was intact).
That’s a shame, they have supplied the best coffee I have had this year (plus a couple of, cheaper, impulse purchases on my part, that didn’t pan out - but this is typical of any roaster). The holes in the bag are an issue (I’d expect replacement), for me the roast date is not.
If you blacklist every roaster that does something you don’t like, you won’t have anyone you want to regularly buy coffee from…just like I don’t ☺️
MWJB Mark, I will see if I can work out whether the hole goes into the bag or not tomorrow in the daylight. If you were paying £37.40 per 500 gms (as I know you often do) would you be happy receiving something roasted 24 days previously? I know the beans will be fine but it will take me 2 weeks to get through 500 gms of beans for brewed coffee as I also drink espresso based. The point being when you are paying a premium price then I personally expect a premium service. I know folks often think me very unreasonable! I am not. I just expect things to do what they say on the tin. A local roaster to me that I often take a 3 month sub to, sent me the first batch of beans that arrived yesterday. £22 per kilo. They sent the wrong bean. I emailed them to tell them. I did not ask for an exchange or refund or anything like that. I will drink them and probably enjoy the blend as will my guests. SO I can be and often am reasonable!
dfk41 If you were paying £37.40 per 500 gms (as I know you often do) would you be happy receiving something roasted 24 days previously?
I bought a couple of bags from Prodigal Coffee (one of which was £14.67/100g, plus shipping), they recommended 4-6 weeks resting (though I did initially open the bags on receipt), the coffee was very much improved in one case, a little improved in the other. Personally. I’d prefer roasters who are aware of the need for longer rest times to hold the coffee back until ready to brew, so I can order & get straight into it.
MWJB I cannot argue with that Mark, except to say, when we order beans, they arrive with a certain expectation attached to them. The fancy packaging, the backdrop story etc. If they arrived in a plain white bag, all looking the same with a simple marker pen note saying the name and nothing else, the the bar of expectation would be so much lower. Half the fun is waiting and savouring what is to come…….or not as the case maybe!
God Bless you and God Bless President Trump
For me personally, having a roast date is absolutely essential . The info helps me to know where the coffee is “at” , it gives me trust in the roaster that they are being transparent with nothing to hide and confidence that they actually care about the needs of the customer. If they can write some long winded descriptor regarding flavour notes , processing etc and attach an eye catching label often with a QR code then surely they can print a basic roast date and recommended drinking timeframe suggestion to avoid customer confusion?
The devil is in the detail and being consistent and giving information on a product is more likely to keep customers happy and loyal.
I roast my own very often for personal use and I wouldn’t dream of not writing the date on the bag, it’s just basic common sense surely?
dfk41 "We did contemplate putting both dates on a bag, but this confuses many customers. (In our early days, some of our coffees just used to have the roast date on and some customers complained as they thought it was a “expired” best before date!) The compromise we came up with is to comply with the law but make it clear how this relates to the roast date.’
The more I read this, the more I roll my eyes. Plenty of other roasters have both dates on the label. Even so, say, if their customer base cannot distinguish between the terms “Best Before Date” and “Roasted On Date”, then they could simply put the “Roasted on Date” and right next to it a sentence saying “Best consumed within 3 months from the roast date”.
I received exactly the same reply on more than one occasion. We know one can derive the roast date from BBE. The thing is they put the BBE and a note stating “6 months from the roast date”.
I do ask them the roast date before placing an order and would only buy if they are roasted 2 weeks before from the date of enquiry. Because, I tend to open the filter bags immediately for filter and I prefer rested bags even for filter.
What I find not acceptable from any roaster is receiving coffee roasted weeks ago when I am prepared to pay £100 a KG. 😊
Right chaps (and whatever the female version is!), it is back to the working week. I have heard from Paul, the director to say he is not in today but will contact me tomorrow. I am quite happy with that answer for the moment. There is a possibility that a simple series of errors has occurred………let us wait and see
MWJB Do all coffees/roasts come on song at the same resting time? How do you determine this without brewing the coffee?
I find them all different, I’ve known really light roasts take weeks before getting good results and darker roasts ready only a few days post delivery. I normally try them initially to see but I find the roast date a really good initial starting point as to their age and how long they’ve been hanging around.
Maybe I’m just singing from a different song sheet to every else, who knows! 😊
Platypus I find them all different, I’ve known really light roasts take weeks before getting good results and darker roasts ready only a few days post delivery. I normally try them initially to see but I find the roast date a really good initial starting point as to their age and how long they’ve been hanging around.
Which is exactly why it’s important to know roast date. If you order that same coffee again and know it was good x days after roast date, with no roast date on the bag, you can’t replicate that or even understand it.
Will be good to hear from the director of Darkwoods. Just as an example of a great job well done, Foundry, for years, both dates are in the packaging (this is from an old packaging I had lying around):
Any excuse is just… an excuse.
@dfk41 I’m a bit confused matey - if roast dates are such a red line, why keep ordering from them?
whinmoor85 I think you have not picked my beef up. I contacted them to ask why they could not add a roasted on date to the best before date. They replied and I queried the reply. You can work out the roasted on date as they say best before 6 months to the day as opposed to the month. I then ordered again and after the exchange of emails, the beans turned up. One bag had no best before but a roasted on date (remembering they told me they do not do this). The beans were 24 days old on receipt. I am suggesting when buying a premium product at over £70 per kilo IO expect them not to be 24 days old! The second bag had no information on them at all.
Right, matter is resolved. I heard back today with an explanation. I specifically asked not to be refunded but they did anyway due to the damaged packaging. As far as I am concerned, I will continue to place orders with them. I am still on the lookout for a nice punchy, fruity coffee suitable for V60 or Hario Switch if anyone can help!
