In the March/April issue of "Roast Magazine," Willem Boot states, "... every excess minute of cooling will reduce the sensory shelf life of your coffee by one day."

A stunning assertion. Does it hold-up in anyone else's experience?

I can't answer the question but I have a couple of my own based on your statement.

1- Does the article state exactly what they define as "sensory shelf life"? - as opposed to say useful or optimal shelf life?

2- Does the article define what acceptable cooling rates and end time of cooling might be? I could bring home some liquid nitrogen from my lab and cool my beans REALLY fast but I doubt that would lead to optimal shelf life!

Thanks -

GC7 wrote: Does the article define what acceptable cooling rates and end time of cooling might be? I could bring home some liquid nitrogen from my lab and cool my beans REALLY fast but I doubt that would lead to optimal shelf life!

"Ensure that your roasting machine allows for a four-minute cooling process (to ambient temperature) or faster."
H-B thread on cooling too fast: here

GC7 wrote: Does the article state exactly what they define as "sensory shelf life"? - as opposed to say useful or optimal shelf life?

No sensory shelf life definition.

Probat recommends turning off the stirrer arm once the coffee is evenly spread, while the HotTop stirrer arm constantly moves during cooling. Not sure, if one method is more efficient than the other. Both roasters have fans below their perforated cooling trays.

I use a small desktop fan to speed the HT cooling to room temp in under 4 minutes. Not sure if it prolongs storage, but it does appear improve the taste.

Using a fan is a nice tip and especially if it improves the taste and possibly blow away some remaining chaff.

I've been roasting outside and with winter temperatures my beans are cold to the touch at the end of the five minutes hottop cooling phase. This weekend in 60*+ temperatures the beans might have been close to ambient temperatures but they were not cool. I'm wondering about 90* summers.

Rotating the stirrer arm for the full time will certainly help cooling as it provides a variable surface area directly in the airflow.

Greetings,

How does one measure "sensory shelf life"? Do they sell sensory shelf life sensors?

Cliff

I use a couple of wide bottomed mesh "pans" that are sold as letter holders (like you'd put on a desk) for mail. The fan points upward and de-chaffs the coffee (all over me) and has the coffee cool very quickly (0-2 pounds in less than a minute and 2-4 pounds in less than 2 minutes).

Cheap, simple and effective (my preferred method).