Anyone had bad experience with these vacuum bags?

MuddyOne

One set came along the vacuum sealer , the could hold 250 And they Were doing their job just fine . After defrosting, smell , aroma, taste .

I freeze my beans within One week after delivering , once I ran out of first set I ordered these from Amazon , same brand but these can hold 200g

I open them and beans are stalled, bad smell, no aroma like you left open bag for weeks.

They stay vacuum sealed no air pockets , I only freeze 1kg once a month , weird.

Platypus

Do you vacuum into a hard brick? If so could one of the beans have punctured the bag and where they were so densely frozen it may not have been obvious but moisture has crept in?

jrling

I have just bought a vacuum sealer for storing beans like you are, but have not tried it yet. Freezing one week from delivery, if roast date was a day or so prior, could the beans still be degassing whilst in the vacuum bag? That could let air/moisture in, if the seal was under pressure and not making a perfect seal? Only a theory.

As a matter of interest, is freezing vacuum sealed beans better than just keeping the beans in vacuumed bags in a cool, dark cupboard? The latter would remove any risk of moisture getting into the bag.

MuddyOne

Platypus

Yeah they are hard bricks , if bean has punctured the bag wouldn’t it become saggy when air gets in?

This is not experience from just one or two bags but across several freezes ,with the one I posted in the picture.

The ones , from same brand, that came with sealer and were slightly larger were working perfectly.

Platypus

MuddyOne

I thought perhaps if the bag of beans was packed tight against other items in the freezer then maybe not if only a tiny puncture but I honestly don’t know. I tend to freeze with the beans in the original coffee bag they came in with valve taped and then in a freezer bag and air removed. I find they don’t go like a hard brick them which isn’t ideal for flavour/oil’s apparently from old posts I’ve read.

Some bags I’ve bought off Amazon have been really hit and miss and just don’t seem to seal, it’s a bit pot luck sometimes. I would perhaps contact Amazon and make them aware there’s a possible problem and see what they suggest.

I suppose you could test them out with something less valuable than coffee to see if there is a problem with either the bag or the machine not sealing it properly?

Platypus

jrling is freezing vacuum sealed beans better than just keeping the beans in vacuumed bags in a cool, dark cupboard?

I believe studies have shown freezing slows down the ageing of the beans , it doesn’t stop it completely but don’t quote me on this . I’ve had beans in the freezer for a good while and not had a problem. I can’t remember whether the ageing is accelerated once they are removed but I keep thinking maybe I read it somewhere. Sorry all a bit vague I know 🙈

Platypus

This video seems to sum up freezing beans well but no mention of avoiding the “brick” effect of aggressively vac packing so not sure about that. From reading other sources the general consensus does seem to be that degradation of flavours etc is accelerated once thawed so it’s recommended to freeze in smaller volumes that you’ll use within 2-3 days.

jrling

Thanks Platypus. That video is superb and really goes into the science, which I like.

Next up, I will do an A/B comparison between vacuumed room temp/frozen beans - taste is of course the final arbiter.