Is it best to keep bag sealed for the post-roast resting period?

#1: Post by **xiotaki** » October 2nd, 2023, 3:00 pm

so I am trying to figure out, when people say they wait 1-2 weeks post-roast before they use the beans (for them to be at their best). Are those instructions specifically for beans in a sealed bag only, or can I open it and start using some while I wait?

I'm thinking busting the bag open could accelerate the beans going stale. Wouldn't that make for bad beans 1-2 weeks in?

#2: Post by **Jeff** » October 2nd, 2023, 3:23 pm

Sealed, as it generally it isn't about the beans "going stale".

#3: Post by **Milligan** » October 2nd, 2023, 8:28 pm

Generally sealed is best. Some roasters nitro fill the bags while others "hot pack" them with a valve so CO2 forces most of the O2 out during the initial off gassing. Light roasts do not off gas much CO2 so you may not see a valve on all bags. Prodigal, for example, doesn't use a valve. You can freeze beans along the way to put them in stasis. Then you can compare different resting periods. I'd shy away from vacuum sealing roasted coffee though because the vacuum can pull gases out of the beans.

There are two different things going on as coffee ages (perhaps more as well.) It off gases CO2 and other volatiles, this can be beneficial. The other is compounds in coffee oxidize when oxygen is present, this is bad and considered stale. Hence why sealed in a zero/low O2 environment is best.

#4: Post by **jpender** » October 2nd, 2023, 9:15 pm

That's what I've always figured as well. But then, how do you decide when it's rested long enough?

October 2nd, 2023, 9:28 pm

Milligan wrote: ...I'd shy away from vacuum sealing roasted coffee though because the vacuum can pull gases out of the beans...

Are you saying not to vacuum seal freshly roasted beans, until they naturally degas in their own bag a few days and then I can vacuum seal in my own specialty bags and freeze?

October 3rd, 2023, 9:04 am

jpender wrote:That's what I've always figured as well. But then, how do you decide when it's rested long enough?

that part is a trial and error. supposedly roast level and bean makes a difference as to how long to wait. you just have to experiment with your beans to see how they taste at different times. or if you're lucky enough to have access to the roaster, simply ask them.

#7: Post by **JohnB.** » October 3rd, 2023, 9:35 am

With the medium roast coffees I enjoy for espresso I will open the bag 6 days post roast and pull a shot just to see how much more time it might need. If it's not ready I seal the bag back up and try again in a day or 2. Once it's ready it goes into qt canning jars and all but one gets vacuum sealed. All the jars then go into a storage freezer. The vac sealed beans will keep 6 months or longer.

October 3rd, 2023, 12:29 pm

are you vacuuming the air out of the jars with a special cap or are you placing the entire jar inside a vacuum seal bag?

October 3rd, 2023, 12:34 pm

Using an old Foodsaver vac machine I've modified for manual control and their wide mouth canning jar attachment.

October 5th, 2023, 1:59 am

John, I'm curious if you lose an aroma after a few rounds of opening and re-sealing the jars. I've noticed if I pull a full vacuum from a bag the aroma is almost non-existent. i'm