# Keeping beans fresh



## 2blackrooks (Oct 23, 2013)

Hi all

Planning on ordering my first beans soon probably Rave signiture blend (just a packet), but wondering how long will they stay fresh. I'm the only coffee drinker in the house so i only plan on grinding what I'm going to use or would I be best grinding the whole packet?? or get them to do this, also where's the best place/container to store the beans and ground powder.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Only grind on use just before you pull the shot.

Let the beans rest for a few days before using them and keep them in their original one way valve packaging. If it's resealable keep in this, if not move into air tight jar tupperware box.

If it's a kilo back you can split into several small ones.

The beans need to kept away from light, air and heat. Whatever storage you go for try and fill it up to the top to minimise the air in there


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Great advice above . One last piece of advice . DO NOT KEEP IN FRIDGE !


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Bellabarista have a new toy. I have not tried it but the thoery of it makes sense and I did used to vaccuum pack beans once upon a time. vaccuum packing does certainly seem to have the edge on anything else I ever trie.

the answer though, is to make good coffee and drink more of it!

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/coffee-bean-vacuum-storage.html/


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

Split the beans into smaller airtight containers. (80 gram Lock+Lock). Then open & use 1 box at a time. You then only expose to air whilst transferring from a bigger pack.

I did purchase some vacu seal containers (500 gram) similar to the BB ones but it still necessitates opening & closing frequently so purpose is lost.

Have gone back to storing & using from the small containers. Yhese small ones can be frozen, if you must.


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## totallywired (Jun 25, 2011)

This is how I store my beans. I usually buy 3 bags at a time and leave them in there valve bags, when I open one I decant it into these containers. Works a treat!


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I think Rave also sell the resealable valve bags too for about 50p each. They hold about 200-250g (don't quote me on this). Worth checking them out. I think some people use the glass Kilner jars that you can get from loads of places, supermarkets etc. I think they hold approx 250-300g of beans and are air tight.


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

dfk41 said:


> Bellabarista have a new toy. I have not tried it but the thoery of it makes sense and I did used to vaccuum pack beans once upon a time. vaccuum packing does certainly seem to have the edge on anything else I ever trie.
> 
> the answer though, is to make good coffee and drink more of it!
> 
> http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/coffee-bean-vacuum-storage.html/


I have a DeLonghi version of this £23.99 on Amazon, looks the same to me very good product in my opinion


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## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

Any reasons not to re-use the one way valve, resealable bags the beans came in? It's easy to expel air out of them prior to sealing the zip lock...

Love the Bella Barista container but it doesn't specify how big it is (unless I missed it?)


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

mike 100 said:


> I have a DeLonghi version of this £23.99 on Amazon, looks the same to me very good product in my opinion


Would you not agree the beans are subject to degradation each time you open the canister, unless you are going to use 250 gms + in 1 go.?

That was the problem I had with the vacuum seal & indeed 250 gms resealable bags.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

700 grmas, it says so somewhere


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## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

ronsil said:


> Would you not agree the beans are subject to degradation each time you open the canister, unless you are going to use 250 gms + in 1 go.?
> 
> That was the problem I had with the vacuum seal & indeed 250 gms resealable bags.


Guess it depends on how slowly you drink your coffee!

250g lasts me about a week and I like tasting the shots every day with a little more degradation each day - keeps things exciting!

Different thing if you live in the sticks and have to order kilos at a time tho so liking Totallywired's idea of splitting the beans up into small containers so as to avoid reopening the same container too many times...


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## koahhe (Jun 27, 2013)

Milanski said:


> Any reasons not to re-use the one way valve, resealable bags the beans came in? It's easy to expel air out of them prior to sealing the zip lock...
> 
> Love the Bella Barista container but it doesn't specify how big it is (unless I missed it?)


It specifies up to 700g of coffee


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

ronsil said:


> Would you not agree the beans are subject to degradation each time you open the canister, unless you are going to use 250 gms + in 1 go.?
> 
> That was the problem I had with the vacuum seal & indeed 250 gms resealable bags.


Must admit to not noticing any degradation in the beans, do you mean the beans degrade because the seal is broken on opening thus causing a sudden loss of vacuum?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Milanski said:


> Any reasons not to re-use the one way valve, resealable bags the beans came in? It's easy to expel air out of them prior to sealing the zip lock...


The 1kg bag I had from Rave wasn't re-sealable and I think it better to split the beans into smaller bags.


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

mike 100 said:


> do you mean the beans degrade because the seal is broken on opening thus causing a sudden loss of vacuum?


Each time you open the canister or the 250g bag you let the air in & air (oxygen) can spoil the beans. e.g. If you are using the beans over a period of a week or so you could be letting air into the beans each opening maybe 8-10 times+.

This exposure can spoil the beans. I never purchased beans from Whittards because they kept their beans in large tins & each time some were purchased the tin was opened & re-closed with the air inside. Their beans quickly staled.

You can do a simple test. Buy 2 x 250 grams packs of your favourite beans. Immediately on maturity divide 1 pack between 3x 80 grams airtight containers & use progressively opening & using 1 complete container at a time. Compare that arrangement with continuously opening & closing the other bag or canister through the same period.

When I used the vacu canisters I opened & closed, squeezing out all the air each time. However I did notice after a few days that the coffee in the small airtight containers kept its freshness longer.


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## drude (Apr 22, 2013)

This might be an unfashionable view, but I think it's possible to obsess too much over this. I split large bags, seal them, freeze if unavoidable, but I don't get too bothered about opening a tin of beans once a day to get some out if I am going to finish it in a week or so. At Workhouse Coffee in Reading all the beans are stored in open trays, and yet I've had exceptional coffees there. I've also bought bags there which have been filled from those open beans while I waited, and yet they have been fantastic.

I'd say seal what you can but I don't think there's any major problems likely to result from exposing them briefly to air once a day. I've not done the the simple test suggested by ronsil, but the fact that Greg (Workhouse owner, roaster etc) is happy to store his beans that way is significant. I don't advocate open storage, but I don't get through beans like a coffeeshop does. I'm happy to occupy the middle ground here, though. Your mileage may vary.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

I'm kinda with Drude on this , not saying anyone is right or wrong , I just mean by the way I have 200g ish always in the hopper to help drive it's consistency.


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

I tend not to worry myself either... when i was regularly having coffee, i'd buy a 1kilo bag of rave signature, put some in my hopper and make coffee's till it was gone. The bag (which was just wrapped up tight and put in a tin) was re-opened and then hopper topped up.

As long as it was all used within 3 weeks or so, i noticed little change in the coffee. between 1-2 weeks there was no change, only at week 3 did you occasionally notice the pour getting a little thinner with less crema, but even then, it was generally perfectly tasty at week 3.

Funinacup will also testify that we used a 4 week old bean from a local roaster, and it made some of the tastiest coffee i've ever had.


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