meshkaffe wrote:If you don't end up liking it then you have a kilo of coffee you have to suffer through.

Alternatively you can cut your losses and dump it. That's what I did with more than half of a kilo I bought from Lusso that I simply did not enjoy. I've composted so many bags of beans over the years. If it's just a little sub-par I can still get something out of it. But when I really don't like it into the green bin it goes. I just tossed a bland, grainy bag of peaberry Yirgacheffe from a local roaster along with a way-too-bright-for-me natural from Black & White that had just been sitting in the freezer unloved for months. Good riddance!

I've never frozen beans before, I suppose that preserves them? What's some guidelines for that, if any? Like after I freeze then should I "thaw" then before grinding and brewing?

jpender wrote:Alternatively you can cut your losses and dump it.

Well, you can also just gift it to a friend. I have done that multiple times with smaller 12 oz bags that I just could not stand for the life of me! Btw which Lusso offering did you have to toss?

Word_Truth wrote:I've never frozen beans before, I suppose that preserves them? What's some guidelines for that, if any? Like after I freeze then should I "thaw" then before grinding and brewing?

I am no expert on this per se, but here's what I do. I freeze in clean empty cans of Illy beans (I got lots of those from a previous coffee-life). People also recommend mason jars for smaller quantities and those test tube things for single dosing purposes. I have occasionally frozen stuff in original bags themselves, but wrapped in aluminum foil or packed well in a ziplock bag (just to create an additional barrier to the recirculated air inside your freezer). You do not have to thaw. I often get great tasting shots when grinding from frozen, but I have a single dose grinder and I am careful not to let moisture build up on the beans.

kinda-niche wrote:Btw which Lusso offering did you have to toss?

It was an experimental roast they did a couple of years ago. While it wasn't undrinkable there came a point where I just didn't want it anymore.

I recently ordered Dragonfly's Espresso Vesuvius that's advertised as a classic Southern Italian style blend. Man oh man, is this thing roasted dark or what. At least the name checks out... (The roast level puts Peet's to shame lol)

I have tried pulling 7-8 shots by now and am sitting on the finest grind setting I've ever used on the Niche (I kept dialing it finer as the pressure just wouldn't go past 5-7 bars -- the issue persists) and even at a 1:1.5 ratio, it tastes way too dark and bitter. Anyone tried this "traditional" blend before? What kind of recipe worked for you? (The roaster suggests a 1:2.5 ratio, but I do not buy it.)

Word_Truth wrote:I've never frozen beans before, I suppose that preserves them? What's some guidelines for that, if any? Like after I freeze then should I "thaw" then before grinding and brewing?

Mason jars work great for me. When you pull a jar out, don't open it until it's thawed completely. I just set mine on the counter overnight and it's ready to go in the morning.