Ideal storage conditions??

[Javaphile]

So what are the ideal storage conditions (temp/humidity) for green beans?

Ive seen so many different figures quoted out there Im not sure which to believe and as Im stockpiling beans (currently about 80kg on-hand, yes Im stockpiling against the sharp price increases expected later this year) I want to make sure that the conditions in the storage room are perfect for long-term survivability of the beans.

Java "Hoarder Extraordinaire" phile

[wattgn]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

Javaphile --> Coffeecus Maximus

So what are the ideal storage conditions (temp/humidity) for green beans?

Ive seen so many different figures quoted out there Im not sure which to believe and as Im stockpiling beans (currently about 80kg on-hand, yes Im stockpiling against the sharp price increases expected later this year) I want to make sure that the conditions in the storage room are perfect for long-term survivability of the beans.

Java "Hoarder Extraordinaire" phile

[garglebutt]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

I dont think 80kg is extreme in this particular circle as I consider my 35-40kg to be a fairly modest stash.

Im sure there is much debate about ideal storage conditions, particularly when you consider monsooned beans, but in normal circumstances I think temperature around 20-22 degrees C and 50-60% humidty would be optimal.

Like wine, I suspect a major factor is minimising variation and rate of change in temperature and humidity rather than average.

[Javaphile]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

I dont think 80kg is extreme in this particular circle as I consider my 35-40kg to be a fairly modest stash.

Im sure there is much debate about ideal storage conditions, particularly when you consider monsooned beans, but in normal circumstances I think temperature around 20-22 degrees C and 50-60% humidty would be optimal.

Like wine, I suspect a major factor is minimising variation and rate of change in temperature and humidity rather than average.

I would whole heartedly agree that an 80kg stash is not at all extreme amoung this crowd. I am however quickly working my way towards that mark as I have another 30kg of some favorites on order from the same supplier awaiting their next shipment. And if theyre able to get any of several other coffees again Ill be getting 10kg or so of each of those as well. I can easily see having 150-200kg stashed away in the next couple of months. I hope to have it all done before the big summer harvest and the likely sharp increase in prices that will occur then due to small harvests in Brazil and Vietnam.

Java "Now I just need to find a bigger roaster!" phile

[wattgn]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

I would whole heartedly agree that an 80kg stash is not at all extreme amoung this crowd. I am however quickly working my way towards that mark as I have another 30kg of some favorites on order from the same supplier awaiting their next shipment. And if theyre able to get any of several other coffees again Ill be getting 10kg or so of each of those as well. I can easily see having 150-200kg stashed away in the next couple of months. I hope to have it all done before the big summer harvest and the likely sharp increase in prices that will occur then due to small harvests in Brazil and Vietnam.

Java "Now I just need to find a bigger roaster!" phile

My goodness. This is really big coffee country!!

(Strains of Bonanza blaring out in the background)

LoL

[Javaphile]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

My goodness. This is really big coffee country!!

(Strains of Bonanza blaring out in the background)

LoL

Nah, thats off to my south and west a ways. This is Little House on the Prairie country where every cellar is filled to the rafters with beans, beans, glorious beans. ;D ;D ;D

Java "Hiding from the tornados" phile

[Dimal]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

Hi Java,

Most references Ive seen on long term storage pretty well mimic what Wired recommends above. One link here: http://tinyurl.com/dc96s and another one here: http://tinyurl.com/bg92u sum it up reasonably well. Of course, you could always join the fray at a.c., starting with this lot.... http://tinyurl.com/dcjz6

I suppose you could always build a kind of.... Coffee Cellar that is designed to meet all the critical criteria? Oh No! Not another project. Sheesh!

Mal.

[Javaphile]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

Hi Java,

Most references Ive seen on long term storage pretty well mimic what Wired recommends above. One link here: http://tinyurl.com/dc96s and another one here: http://tinyurl.com/bg92u sum it up reasonably well. Of course, you could always join the fray at a.c., starting with this lot.... http://tinyurl.com/dcjz6

I suppose you could always build a kind of.... Coffee Cellar that is designed to meet all the critical criteria? Oh No! Not another project. Sheesh!

Mal.

Yeah it seems like the most commonly quoted figures are the 70F/50%RH ones.

My current plan is to store them in the closet (with the door removed) in the third bedroom here which is quite small (2.5m x 3m) and is in the process of being turned into my server room.

As part of the conversion I am installing a thermostaticly controlled Air Conditioner wihch will keep the room at a constant temp of my choosing so temperature is not a problem.

Humidity on the other hand will probably be an issue as with the AC running the air will be on the dry side so Ill probably have to put a humidifier of some kind in there.

Java "Theres *always another project!" phile

[Dimal]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

Javaphile wrote:

Humidity on the other hand will probably be an issue as with the AC running the air will be on the dry side so Ill probably have to put a humidifier of some kind in there.

You can get an A/C with Humidistat Control you know. Im not totally sure how they actually control humidity, maybe dribble condensate on to a sponge in the Air Supply path. Could be worth tracking down though, save you having to have more appliances than necessary in the room?

Have fun...
Mal.

[robusto]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

Air conditioned storage rooms, humidifiers --- this is getting worse than wine snobs! Try putting a wide plastic container full of water in the room with the AC on, and measure the RH with a simple weather station gauge. Evaporating water should provide humidity. Adjusts the evaporation rate by smaller/bigger rimmed contain(s).

[Javaphile]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

If the humidifier I already have (for wintertime use in my bedroom) turns out to be inapropriate for the job Id planned on trying to use an old one I have laying around with a burned out motor. Its the type that blows room air through a wicking honeycomb filter that sits in water. I figured Id simply remove the exterior case and leave the honeycomb exposed to the air.

However, because the room is also my server room I dont think this will work. There will be a total of 4-6 computers in the same room running 24/7, including a monster IBM server with a huge external RAID array. With the kind of heat that these systems will put into the room the AC will be kicking on very regularly and Im not sure that a totally passive humidifier will be able to put enough moisture into the air to maintain a 50% RH level.

All of this project will be done with equipment I have on-hand. I will not be running out and buying any special equipment for it.

I will not be storing the beans in my basement as while it may be cool enough (for most of the year anyways), its far too humid and I dont want the beans to absorb the flavor of the cigarette smoke (the only place I allow smoking in my house) or any of the other assorted smells floating around down there.

I do believe in providing as ideal conditions as possible but Im not going to spend a fortune to provide them. The conversion of the bedroom into a server room is a long planned project that had been on hold until my kid graduated and moved out and had nothing to do with coffee. The AC and humidifier were already planned as part of the server room project and are not being added because of the coffee.

I decided to store my coffee stash there because the conditions as designed for the computers are exactly what the beans need and there was room to put them in there. The addition of this bean storage facility wont cost me a single penny.

Java "Killing 2 birds with 1 stone" phile

[Dimal]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

Good one Java,

Since this is strictly a, use what youve got lying around the house challenge, is it possible to petition off a corner of your Server Room in some simple way that will allow you to control the humidity in a smaller space than the whole room, while still gaining the benefit of the A/C cooling overall?

If you could do this, it may be possible to reap the rewards for both the server farm and the beans?

Mal.
(Just tilting the thinking cap over slightly).

[Javaphile]

Re: Ideal storage conditions??

Unfortunately anything that maintains a difference in humidity levels will also maintain a difference in temperature, and any difference in temperature will cause condensation on the cooler surface.

The room is small enough that it should be pretty easy to maintain the proper humidity level with-out too fancy of a set-up and 50% RH shouldnt be a problem for the electronics. Especially not at 70F.

A good suggestion though Mal, keepem coming.

Java "Always futzing with things" phile