# Freezing beans



## James811 (May 10, 2014)

Hey guys, a few questions about freezing beans?

Do beans de-gas when frozen still? My reason is that I'd like to buy some 1k bags but as I only use about 500g every 2 weeks I'm home it would be ideal for me to freeze some until the next time I'm home. So do they de-gas when in the freezer therefore needing a valve or can I Tupperware them from a few days old in the freezer? Sorry for the long winded question, also how long do they take to defrost ready for putting into the machine?

James


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Thy won't degas if you either put them in a airtight container or, if they are in a bag with a valve, tape up the valve - so they don't need a valve of there is one. (My understanding is that is more to do with preventing any moisture being absorbed by the beans, which you don't want.) Because they don't degas they will still need to rest when they come out of the freezer - so that deals with the time to defrost question or if you have rested them before freezing - I usually leave them overnight at room temperature still in the sealed container. If you can't wait overnight - maybe a couple of hours - depending on quantity (I usually freeze in small batches.)


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Once your beans have degassed you could freeze them in an airtight container, and then take them out the night before they are needed


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

I think they will degas regardless of what you put them in but freezing seems to slow down the staling process.

I used to fanny about a lot but now I just shove 250g in the hopper at a time and store the rest in the freezer.

Life's too short too get ocd about coffee.


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## James811 (May 10, 2014)

Thanks guys, I'm going to pop some in the freezer in 250g batches and take out as needed after freezing as soon as they're delivered.

Appreciate the help


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## w1lldabeast (Dec 7, 2012)

They do keep quite well in the freezer. The fact that you can still pull good shots after a while in the freezer without water just gushing through the puck means that they do not continue to degas whilst frozen. As for flavour loss it is such a hard thing to judge and impossible to test, I've never noticed any real difference. As the others have said, the most important thing when removing from the freezer is to keep the beans in an airtight container until they return to room temperature. If you don't, all the moisture in the warn air will condense on the cold beans and they will be tasting nasty and stale in no time...


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## np123 (Dec 15, 2014)

Spazbarista said:


> I think they will degas regardless of what you put them in but freezing seems to slow down the staling process.
> 
> I used to fanny about a lot but now I just shove 250g in the hopper at a time and store the rest in the freezer.
> 
> Life's too short too get ocd about coffee.


Just seen this and that's good to know others feel that way. I feel I could get very OCD about it all but just putting low quantities in makes the most sense.


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## James811 (May 10, 2014)

Glad it's helped someone else, just to clarify, can the beans be frozen and defrosted in the bags they come in (the ones from rave etc) or not because of the valve?

Does the the valve need to be taped up and then the tape left on when defrosting?


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

James811 said:


> Glad it's helped someone else, just to clarify, can the beans be frozen and defrosted in the bags they come in (the ones from rave etc) or not because of the valve?
> 
> Does the the valve need to be taped up and then the tape left on when defrosting?


I freeze loads of beans but not sure myself how long beans will last in the freezer before they are a definite no go. If I've been given beans in 250g bags I will put the bag into a Tupperware box and then into the freezer but as Mr spaz mentioned I'm also not going to get to anal about single dozing and throw 250g into the hopper and leave them there.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

James811 said:


> Glad it's helped someone else, just to clarify, can the beans be frozen and defrosted in the bags they come in (the ones from rave etc) or not because of the valve?
> 
> Does the the valve need to be taped up and then the tape left on when defrosting?


 Yes to all: you can freeze the beans in their bags, tape up the valve and then leave the tape on until they have defrosted.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

dwalsh1 said:


> I freeze loads of beans but not sure myself how long beans will last in the freezer before they are a definite no go. If I've been given beans in 250g bags I will put the bag into a Tupperware box and then into the freezer but as Mr spaz mentioned I'm also not going to get to anal about single dozing and throw 250g into the hopper and leave them there.


 Scott Rao reports in his book ('The Professional Barista's Handbook') that he found some beans in his mum's freezer that had frozen six years previously, after he had roasted them. He '...eagerly brewed a pot. It was really good.'


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

Phil104 said:


> Scott Rao reports in his book ('The Professional Barista's Handbook') that he found some beans in his mum's freezer that had frozen six years previously, after he had roasted them. He '...eagerly brewed a pot. It was really good.'


That's good to know. I have that book at home but have to confess I've not read all of it.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

dwalsh1 said:


> That's good to know. I have that book at home but have to confess I've not read all of it.


 The gem is on page 78.


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## Mr O (Jan 14, 2015)

Just a quick bump on this thread I found while searching 'freezing beans'

Is there any benefit to vacuum packing beans? I've already got a vacuum packer, just wondered if it would be a benefit or a no go...


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I have read vacuum packing is a no go.


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

Vacuum packing was the way to go but the seals invariably broke down.

Lakeland used to sell the machine & the bags but also gave up stocking them because of the problem


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Just took some Extract Strongman Espresso out of the freezer - the second of the two bags that came as a guest slot on the LSOL sub. Had been in the freezer in November and although not a scientific test, I'd be pushed to taste any difference between this bag and the bag that I had so after they arrived. As above, in the freezer, valve taped up, defrosted at room temperature with the tape still on. Simple, quick, effective. I also freeze small amounts in those clip lock plastic containers, generally to take into work for brewed - and agin, I'd be struggling to taste any deterioration.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

vacuum sealing is a brilliant idea, but there did not used to be enough choice of equipment ad as Ron says, the bags were crap. If you home roasted, as soon as the beans were cool enough you put em in and drew all the air out. Next day you drew out again (drawing out the gasses released as part of the settling down process. You keep on doing this until no gas is produced. Without opening the bag you again draw out anything that is there. No need to freeze or anything else. You open the bag, take out what you need for the day and re vacuum.

But, if you are home roasting you would only roast the amount you needed but it was interesting.


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## malling (Dec 8, 2014)

I rarely buy less then a kg at a time, sometimes I'll get it in one bag other times it is 3-6bags, if it's more then one bag, then valve taped on and toss them in the freezer. one bag, I split it up in 4 and fill up 4 containers and place the 3 of those in the freezer, and I never been able to detect any differences, no matter how long the bags/containers where stored.

And the setting on the grinder always need to be at the setting I started out with, with the first batch, even if 3 months has passed.


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