Hi All,
I just purchase a couple of bags of coffee beans from WLL. Maromas and Carraro beans. I was looking forward to trying these highly reviewed beans. I was hit with "bummer" on receipt today. Both bags are from production dates in April and June 2021!!

Wow I like to smell the roasted coffee when I open the boxes but with these two bags there was no aroma. I squeezed both bags hard to smell from the bags one way valve and got "Nothing". No aroma at all. Zilch, Nada, Zero!! I didn't bother to open the bags up.


Can you recommend any sellers of these brands that send recent roasted beans only?

Thanks for any advice.

I would suggest
a) let WLL know.
b) ask WLL for a refund.

Italian style blends are almost always going to be ~1 year old when you buy them. Fill mason jars and freeze immediately upon opening the bag and use them one at a time or single dose grind directly from frozen.

You can find many threads on here discussing how Italian Bean blends behave differently than fresh roasted "modern" coffees. I have a Tim Wendelboe subscription but that doesn't stop me from enjoying a shot of Lavazza Super Crema out of the freezer that is a year plus old and tastes like melted chocolate ice cream.

Thanks Kris,
I am waiting for reply on review I posted. I think I have to send the beans back on my dime and pay a restocking fee.

Thanks Chris,

Dude, I shuddered when you said your beans are a year old and taste like chocolate ice cream. Are you sure you're not pulling out the ice cream from the freezer instead of the coffee beans. Or maybe you make affogato in the morning.

I will research some more on using old italian coffee beans before I give it a try.

Coffee is Not Returnable to WLL.
Have researched coffee beans aging and found the following.

1. Freezing recently roasted vacuum sealed coffee beans extends life up to 3 years. Cool, but also degrades the flavor and aroma some. Also recommended to use within week after taking them out of freezer.

2. Recently roasted beans vacuum packed in a one-way valve can last 3-5 months if unopened. 2-3 weeks after opened.

3. Recently roasted Nitrogen flushed beans in a one-way valve can last up to a year if unopened. 2-3 weeks after opened.

4. Store bought whole beans in un-opened bag should be used within 6 weeks of roast date.

I will try my just received 1 year old Maromas and Carraro beans and leave a comment afterwards.

So I guess some will learn a lesson about WLL.

I am having good success with freezing beans in 8oz mason type jars at maybe 7-8 days after roast. I wish my beans would last 3 years but unfortunately even at only 1 or 2 shots a day, a couple weeks is about par for the course. i think my next one is Cimarron Courthouse 1kg, but the RB sweet brazil blue is resting VERY nicely on my tongue - hadn't had it in a few days - that's the nice thing about freezing! - "I think I'll have (looks at a bunch of different jars...) ... THAT ... this morning!!!

burgieman70 wrote:Thanks Chris,

Dude, I shuddered when you said your beans are a year old and taste like chocolate ice cream. Are you sure you're not pulling out the ice cream from the freezer instead of the coffee beans. Or maybe you make affogato in the morning.

I will research some more on using old italian coffee beans before I give it a try.

There is a whole art to how Italians roast these bean blends so they can withstand LONG periods and still present as what they are roasted to be. Search the site and you'll find lots of people talking about it.

In the end I'd say open the coffee you bought and try it. Put it in mason jars right away and then try dosing and grinding directly from frozen and see how you like it. You might be surprised.