Ok so...I read through the to freeze or not to freeze article here...and the conclusion seemed to be that freezing is a good way to keep roasted coffee beans fresh from long periods of time. But what hasn't been clear is whats a good way to package the coffee for freezing. Original package from the roaster with the valve taped over seems to be popular but what if I want to split a package?

I was thinking of using smallish mason jars but I have a couple of worries...one is that the moisture in the air trapped inside the jar will condense on the beans and damage them....the other, more serious one is that when the beans thaw out I've read they can degass a lot if they were frozen right after roasting...could this create enough pressure to damage the jars?

Am I worrying over nothing? How do people who freeze their beans package them?

Jars, original bags or just normal food plastic bags have all worked out fine for me. Search for "mason jars" using the search in the upper right corner to get a lot of info on the topic.

Condensation can be easily avoided: when you remove a jar from the freezer, let it come back to room temperature before opening it, then leave it at room temperature until you finish the jar. Choose the jar size according to the amount of coffee you use in a few days; ie ensure all coffee is consumed at its best.

Regarding building pressure inside the jars, it doesn't seem be an issue for anyone, probably because the jars are made to support it.

I use recycled glass jars from jam, honey, etc... I check that they are air/water tight and clean them really well. Take the label off and fill them to the brim with freshly roasted beans (typically from 5 - 8 days post roast depending on delivery time). When I open up the jar (after it has defrosted a few hours) I get a noticeable thwuck sound. I've been doing this for a couple years now and never had an exploding jar.

We used taped over valve bags in the original blind tasting articles posted on this website, but this was for reasons of saving space in the freezer and having consistent packaging.

In actual practice, I use taped over valve bags for some friends I roast for, but for myself I always use either Mason jars or recycled glass jars used originally for the sale of fresh food products such as pasta sauces and refrigerated salad dressings.

I don't think that any of this packaging is truly "airtight," in a physical sense, however they are close enough that it doesn't seem to matter. Condensation on previously frozen beans as they return to room temperature is something that has been written about ad nauseum on the internet and in some roasters' literature, however I am unaware of any valid scientific testing about its effects on coffee, one way or the other. It tends to be used in discussions by people who have no real evidence that freezing harms coffee, but who nonetheless are adamant in their opposition to it.

ken

Thank you everyone

I'll be able to split up my bags of beans and freeze the extra much more confidently now

Will help a lot, especially with online order, and I'll even be able to have more than one kind of coffee at a time. Will be making some online orders soon I think

When I freeze, I use wide mouth mason jars and standard canning lids. I fill the jars and seal them with this attachment for a foodsaver vac machine - http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T03-002...00005TN7H/ . Into the deep freeze and then remove a jar the night before I need more coffee. When I unscrew the ring and pry up on the lid I get varying degrees of a pop/whoosh of gas escaping but have never had a problem with jar damage - works well. GL