# Coffee losing flavour over course of 2 weeks



## julesee (Aug 12, 2014)

One thing I have noticed (and im not sure if this is my imagination or not) is that when i open a new bag of beans (500 grams or 1kg), the first couple of cups have a great distinctive flavour. But over the course of the rest of the bag the flavour starts to disappear. The latest beans this has happened with are coffee compass' sweet bourbon (though this is happening with most of my beans). Im storing beans that are not in my grinder ( ill use those over 3-4 days) in an airtight container. Any thoughts as to what i might be doing wrong or whether this my imagination?


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## hubrad (May 6, 2013)

I usually buy 1kg at a time, and only measure one shot's worth into the grinder. I'm generally getting through the kilo in a month or slightly less. It's a surprising difference between the last cup of last month's bag and the first of this month's.

Just think how it is with ready ground from the supermarket..


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## julesee (Aug 12, 2014)

Right....anything further we can do to minimise the loss of flavour?


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

Bung half in the freezer and take them out when required


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## hubrad (May 6, 2013)

Drink faster? ;-)

I do take the precaution of using the 1kg bag as a stock bag, pouring a couple of hundred grams at a time into one of the smaller poptop bags. Keep both in a cool place.. easy in our house!

Nature of the beast, I suppose.. we can only rejoice that we are able to get the beans freshly enough roasted that we get to appreciate the difference.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

hubrad said:


> Drink faster? ;-)
> 
> I do take the precaution of using the 1kg bag as a stock bag, pouring a couple of hundred grams at a time into one of the smaller poptop bags. Keep both in a cool place.. easy in our house!
> 
> Nature of the beast, I suppose.. we can only rejoice that we are able to get the beans freshly enough roasted that we get to appreciate the difference.


Absolutely agree with the above, I decant a smaller amount of beans into a small Kilner type jar. Something that takes around 100-120g of coffee to completely fill, as having too much air space isn't a good thing. Then carefully reseal the large bag after ensuring as much air as possible is squeezed out. It helps if the larger coffee bags e.g. 500g or 1kg have a good quality ziplock seal (and 1 way valve) at the top to allow you to reseal them well.


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## PeterF (Aug 25, 2014)

I bought two vacuum 250 gm containers from Coffee Compass. As you push the lid shut it expels all the air out through a one way valve. My 500 grams of beans taste exactly the same from start to finish over a period of 2 weeks. In fact my last batch was Red Bourbon!


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## julesee (Aug 12, 2014)

PeterF said:


> I bought two vacuum 250 gm containers from Coffee Compass. As you push the lid shut it expels all the air out through a one way valve. My 500 grams of beans taste exactly the same from start to finish over a period of 2 weeks. In fact my last batch was Red Bourbon!


Many thanks for all the replies - this sounds like a great idea!


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## julesee (Aug 12, 2014)

I think the vacuum containers from Coffee Compass have done the trick. Am only pouring out small number of beans into the grinder each day from the container and am still getting great flavours a few days later


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## AlexNguyen (Jan 3, 2015)

I find out a good suggestion from my buddy. he said "The best way to store coffee beans *after being opened* is in an opaque, airtight container at room temperature (unless you have a resealable bag with a degassing valve designed for storing coffee).*After being opened, the beans are considered fresh for 2-3 weeks, although if you are strict about the storage you may be able to get up to 5 out of them". *


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## PeterF (Aug 25, 2014)

julesee said:


> I think the vacuum containers from Coffee Compass have done the trick. Am only pouring out small number of beans into the grinder each day from the container and am still getting great flavours a few days later


Glad your happy with them. They really work without any faffing about!


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## julesee (Aug 12, 2014)

AlexNguyen said:


> I find out a good suggestion from my buddy. he said "The best way to store coffee beans *after being opened* is in an opaque, airtight container at room temperature (unless you have a resealable bag with a degassing valve designed for storing coffee).*After being opened, the beans are considered fresh for 2-3 weeks, although if you are strict about the storage you may be able to get up to 5 out of them". *


Didnt work for me - i was using an airtight container stored in a dark place and was loving flavour quickly


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## julesee (Aug 12, 2014)

PeterF said:



> Glad your happy with them. They really work without any faffing about!


Yep good man Peter - im over the moon about this... Still marvelling at the flavours im getting with CC's sweet bourbon after a few days in the container!

Got to say im pretty astounded that such a simple modification to my coffee storage has led to such a big improvement in flavour... Strongly recommend others with the same problem try the same.


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## Vieux Clou (Oct 22, 2014)

If you put freshly-roasted coffee in then CO2 outgassing from the beans should top up the jar for a couple of days, but you could always get a cheap CO2 dispenser as used by home brewers and put a layer on top as well.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

I purchased a few of these (500g x 2 and 250g x 1, I think they were):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vacu-Vin-Coffee-Storage-Container/dp/B000XTFQZM

Prices fluctuate. The two larger containers including pump were circa £10 and the smaller one was circa £8 and didn't include a pump. Delivery was free if order was £10+

Have yet to try them as up until today didn't have any fresh beans. Will see how long they can keep beans fresh for...


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## sjenner (Nov 8, 2012)

DoubleShot said:


> I purchased a few of these (500g x 2 and 250g x 1, I think they were):
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vacu-Vin-Coffee-Storage-Container/dp/B000XTFQZM
> 
> ...


I am not sure that I would use one of those...

This is my personal observation, but if you suck all the air out of an empty space, you leave a vacuum (of sorts). Naturally, nature abhors a vacuum, so I reckon that something has to fill the space... Step forward, even more CO2 gas from your beans... I just think that this is counterproductive, the idea is to keep the CO2 as near to the sweet spot as possible...

My solution is to drink it as fast as it comes out of the bag, but failing that and if you must keep it in a container of some sort, the one that I have used is called Airscape.

The difference with this container (there may well be others available) is that not only does one suck the air out, one replaces the remaining void with the inner lid... Right on top of the beans, which removes the gap between the beans and the lid.


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## julesee (Aug 12, 2014)

sjenner said:


> I am not sure that I would use one of those...
> 
> This is my personal observation, but if you suck all the air out of an empty space, you leave a vacuum (of sorts). Naturally, nature abhors a vacuum, so I reckon that something has to fill the space... Step forward, even more CO2 gas from your beans... I just think that this is counterproductive, the idea is to keep the CO2 as near to the sweet spot as possible...
> 
> ...


Interesting - id note that the amazon one would require a dark place as the box is transparent..... still the Coffee Compass one works well for me


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

From watching a comparison video by wholelattelove on youtube of a few different storage containers, the Vacuvin does allow CO2 to escape through the top of the lid whilst not allowing any air in, much like how one-way valves work on coffee bags. And whilst the photos show the plastic to look transparent, it is tinted enough to keep a degree of light out. That's the marketing behind them anyway which lead me to purchase them. Lots of favourable reviews from owners on Amazon. Will see what my own findings are. If not much cop may look into something different...


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## knightsfield (Sep 22, 2014)

Have seen people use a wine bottle with one of those vacuum pumps to store coffee beans


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