# Another coffee storage question.



## sand133 (Sep 28, 2013)

Hi guys, current I am buying beans from places like Monmouth and Union Roasted which come in a paper bag. I put the bag and the contents into a Illy container and put this in the fridge. I am using a Hario Skerton to grind the beans but unfortunately don't have the time in the morning, so I grind the right amount I need for my espresso machine the night before into the jar that comes with with the Hario and use the screw lid and place in the fridge.

Any tips on how to make my set up more efficient so I preserve the freshness in the beans the ground?

Thanks Guys


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

sand133 said:


> Hi guys, current I am buying beans from places like Monmouth and Union Roasted which come in a paper bag. I put the bag and the contents into a Illy container and put this in the fridge. I am using a Hario Skerton to grind the beans but unfortunately don't have the time in the morning, so I grind the right amount I need for my espresso machine the night before into the jar that comes with with the Hario and use the screw lid and place in the fridge.
> 
> Any tips on how to make my set up more efficient so I preserve the freshness in the beans the ground?
> 
> Thanks Guys


First of all, don't use the fridge.

The chilled, but not frozen environment and the metal of an illy can will help promote condensation, something deadly towards coffee.

That and coffee in the fridge is one recommended method of removing odor, because coffee is like a sponge for aromatics.

Imagine old cheese flavoured espresso.

If you must preserve them, take your bag of coffee, tape any vavles or air holes with insulated tape and freeze.

Then only remove what you want the day before grinding (wet coffee will not grind well) and thaw in a well ventilated place to prevent moisture.

Replace the rest of the frozen coffee into the freezer and seal against moisture as soon as you remove what you need.

Secondly, you really should grind moments before you brew, otherwise correct storage is pointless anyway.

The best recommendation would be to get up 5 mins earlier or get an electric grinder.

Finally, how long are you holding onto your coffee?

Over the course of a month, the coffee will be ok if left out in its bag or a masonry jar, or even a clean illy can.

If you don't intend to use your coffee right after buying it, you should consider freezing, but you will find if you are using the coffee after buying it, the taste will be better if you leave it out and let it stale naturally over the course of drinking it.


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## spinningwoman (Sep 25, 2013)

Me, I'd rather buy a cheap electric burr grinder or get up 10 minutes earlier to use the hario. Letting ground beans sit overnight like that surely takes away the whole point of grinding your own. Do you grind for the whole day or just per cup, and how many cups at a time?


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## sand133 (Sep 28, 2013)

Thanks for the response.

I buy a 250g pack which lasts me exactly 2 weeks.


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## sand133 (Sep 28, 2013)

I grind for 1 cup for that morning and that's it.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

sand133 said:


> I grind for 1 cup for that morning and that's it.


How do you define 1 cup?

what metrics do you use for measuring your coffee?


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

sand133 said:


> I am using a Hario Skerton to grind the beans but unfortunately don't have the time in the morning, so I grind the right amount I need for my espresso machine the night before into the jar that comes with with the Hario and use the screw lid and place in the fridge.
> 
> Any tips on how to make my set up more efficient so I preserve the freshness in the beans the ground?
> 
> Thanks Guys


Just wake up five minutes earlier and you'll have plenty of time to grind your beans. It'll be worth it!


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Yep, just grind the beans in the morning just before brewing. It makes the world of difference.


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## marcuswar (Aug 19, 2013)

Kyle548 said:


> First of all, don't use the fridge.
> 
> If you must preserve them, take your bag of coffee, tape any vavles or air holes with insulated tape and freeze.
> 
> Then only remove what you want the day before grinding (wet coffee will not grind well) and thaw in a well ventilated place to prevent moisture.


I store my beans in the freezer and grind from frozen... I don't bother thawing as I find the heat of grinding thaws them.

Recently I bought a Vac Vin Jar and have started decanting 250g of beans from the 1Kg bag in the freezer into the Vacu Vin jar each week.

Marcus


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