Vacuum containers for beans

"Gene" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

I presume you want to store roasted beans. If you use a heavy vacuum, you will force oily and aromatic substances out of the bean, thus accelerating ageing. Are you sure you want to do that?

Ivo

Correct regarding my wish to store roasted beans. My understanding was that the enemies of freshness are air, light and humidity, and that the best way to fight these was to store the beans short-term in an air-tight, light free container at room temperature. Is the creation of a vacuum in the container over-kill?

You might like to look into "Nitrogen flushing" The enemy of losing flavour is oxidation and if you van remove the oxygen they you don't have the problem. (Not long term but long enough)

Nitrogen is heaver than oxygen so if you "flush" the container with nitrogen gas then there is no oxygen in it to oxidise the coffee oils.

I have used this to preserve the oils that I use in my business.

you can probably get the nitrogen from a good wine shop in small canisters.

HTH

If you just let them be for a little while, the CO2 emitted from fresh roasted beans is going to 'flush' the O2 out - even N2 should you find the habit of nitrogen flushing appealing... Even a vaccum is not going to be sustained for long as the gasses emitted from the beans obviously contradict this...

Keep them air tight, pitch black and cool, and remember to consume within 9 days and you will have the optimum taste. If you need to store them longer, put them in airtight bags/containers and drop them in a freezer... make sure that they reach room temperature before you open the bags, to avoid condensation. Eventually pack them in smaller bags, containing 2-3 days of consumption.