Hi all
am looking for a storage container to hold at least 1lb of beans,
something that looks nice and will help keep the beans fresh

i see a number of vacuum products out there now

what about wood ?

DennisS wrote:Hi all
am looking for a storage container to hold at least 1lb of beans,
something that looks nice and will help keep the beans fresh

i see a number of vacuum products out there now

what about wood ?

You don't need anything special to store coffee in. The most important things are to store it away from light and preferably in a cool place. A couple of cheap mason jars from your local grocery store, that you leave in the pantry, will do as much (or as little) for your coffee as any more expensive product you might buy.

ken

Air tight is your main priority... Opaque is Preferable, but not required. There are PLENTY of containers which fit the bill there.

I found these containers at Bed Bath and Beyond, very similar to the "Click-Clack" containers that rocky owners use the lids from. Mine arent the same brand, but the same principle. Mine are clear, but Ive never had any problem with coffee going stale before I use it up, which is generally around 12, maybe 14/15 days PR.

Here is a Motherload of options

And Here are the Click/Clack Thingers

right i guess i was really wondering about the benefits of those vacuum storage containers that are out there

DennisS wrote:right i guess i was really wondering about the benefits of those vacuum storage containers that are out there

No proven benefit that I am aware of for coffee stored at room temperature. For that matter, I don't think there is any proven benefit in vac packing roasted coffee for the freezer, unless you can reach the level of a vacuum that only industrial equipment can achieve.

ken

I would also suggest a mason type jar. I use smaller sizes so that I can fill up to the top and reduce the amount of oxygen that is trapped in the jar when closed. As far as the vac canisters go I don't know if I am imagining this or not but the few times I have tried using a vac canister to store beans it seems as though the vac pulls the oils out of the beans while in storage. Like I said I don't know if it is my imagination this is happening or not but I have had better luck with just a standard 4oz mason jar filled to the brim sealed and then frozen.

Any airtight container works, provided the coffee is kept in a cool place, not in direct sunlight or other UV light source.

I use vacuum containers (Bean Vac, but have used FoodSaver with equivalent results), and for some coffees I think that they give a bit longer lifetime (about 3-7 days), but for others, they make no difference at all. I do think that they are having an effect, since they definitely delay the usability of my lighter roasts by a few days. When I want to use a coffee soon, I allow it to outgas in a valve-bag before transferring it to a vacuum container.

If the vacuum breaks, these things are actually inferior to Mason jars or plastic airtight containers.

I suppose that the ultimate in oxidation prevention would be to use an airtight or vacuum container with an inert wine preservation gas.

-Mike

I really like these glass containers. I have been using them for about a month now. Each glass container holds exactly one HotTop roast and can be washed. I just have to figure out an easy and inexpensive way to figure out what is the opening pressure for the one way valve.

Glass One Way Valve Container and 6oz Pitcher

I've tried vacuum containers and good ol' Mason jars. While using vac jars (actually Vacu-Vin), I noticed that coffee seemed to change (stale) more rapidly. I chalked it up to putting the coffee in a negative-pressure vacuum, and went to Mason jars. Completely unscientific comparison, but coffee stored in Mason jars just seems to stay fresh longer. I also put completely filled Mason jars of coffee into the freezer right after roasting, and the coffee is always excellent when I pull it out and let it thaw.

Give it a try - they're inexpensive and can be purchased almost anywhere. One recommendation is to get a box of replacement lids. The seal seems to become less effective over time (and usage). I change lids every few months.

Ken Fox wrote:I don't think there is any proven benefit in vac packing roasted coffee for the freezer, unless you can reach the level of a vacuum that only industrial equipment can achieve.ken

You're saying here only that the vacuum part is irrelevant, not the freezing, right? O.o