Storing beans under vacuum

[Javaphile]

The one-way vale is to allow escaping gas to exit? Is that just CO2? Wouldn't the CO2 have to build up a bit in pressure to activate the valve? Or do you give it a squeeze every so often to collapse the bag again?

You only need to squeeze the bag once to get the air out, when you fill/close it. After that the 'air' in it is CO2 and the one way valve will vent that before the bag pops from internal pressure. Oxygen is the staler of the beans, not the CO2. Hence there is no need to squeeze the CO2 out of the bag.


Java "Puffy bags!" phile

[fatboy_1999]

I'm thinking more of a short term storage method, practical for daily use, to preserve that "just roasted" feel of the coffee for as long as possible. The heat strip on my sealer isn't strong enough to make an airtight seal on commercial coffee bags, sadly. The zip-loc seals are as you said not air tight, which is a shame.

If it is really important to you to get the actual seal, you can use a standard houshold iron to make the seal on the bag above the zip lock.
Alternatively, impulse heat sealers (300mm) that are strong enough can be had for around $30 delivered from a certain auction site.

I only seal bags that I am sending to other people. For my own use, they just stay in our pantry with the zip-lock closed until we are ready to start using the bag. Then it goes into a clip top storage jar beside the coffee setup.

[Journeyman]

The one-way vale is to allow escaping gas to exit? Is that just CO2? Wouldn't the CO2 have to build up a bit in pressure to activate the valve? Or do you give it a squeeze every so often to collapse the bag again?

[Yelta]

I'm thinking more of a short term storage method, practical for daily use, to preserve that "just roasted" feel of the coffee for as long as possible. The heat strip on my sealer isn't strong enough to make an airtight seal on commercial coffee bags, sadly. The zip-loc seals are as you said not air tight, which is a shame.

As Javaphile says, the subject has been covered pretty well over the years and the consensus has been that "one way valved bag kept in a cool dark area is the best storage method"

[Darkfalz]

I'm thinking more of a short term storage method, practical for daily use, to preserve that "just roasted" feel of the coffee for as long as possible. The heat strip on my sealer isn't strong enough to make an airtight seal on commercial coffee bags, sadly. The zip-loc seals are as you said not air tight, which is a shame.

[Javaphile]

A search of the forum will show that a number of people here have experimented with using vacuum packing over the years and the results they saw.

In brief, consensus is that using a heat sealed (The Ziploc strip alone does not make an airtight seal.) one way valved bag kept in a cool dark area is the best storage method.


Java "Bagging it up" phile

[benspawn]

I tend to re-use the one-way valve bags. I just roll the top down and clip it right before the one-way valve is. I also store them in a dark/dry cupboard away from any heat sources and haven't noticed much of any bean degradation. I go through about a kilo in 3-4 weeks I'd say.

[aaronpratt]

I always wanted to try out a vacuum storage solution, but have been content with one way valve bags which I'm just re-using. They're the ones that can be found on BeanBay - they're actually really well made in comparison to the paper based ones I've received with previous roast orders from non-sponsors.

In saying that, I've always wanted to see what they hype is about. Eager to hear what everyone else has to say.

-Aaron

[Darkfalz]

Just sharing my experience with coffee storage. I found coffee goes stale quickest in the hopper, followed by a sealed bag. Even just 1 week old tends to already significantly reduce the quality of the shot.

So I've been vac storing my coffee for the last year or so in the small vac cannister for Sunbeam vac sealers (comes in 3 sizes, smallest is perfect for 250g coffee).

What I found however is that cutting off the vac about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way works best (I have LEDs that indicate when it's sort of half way done or something, and I stop it then) - so that I get a pressurised, air tight seal, but there's still some air in there. If I let it run all the way, I'll notice that on the first go, it runs for a long time, and it's sucking air/gas out of the beans that should possibly be there (CO2 perhaps). If I over-vacced them like this, I'd find them to be a bit lifeless. Maybe the pressure forces this air out sooner than it shoud.

Does this sound crazy or sound from a coffee ageing principle? Anyon else vac their coffee?