Storing 25-50 kg coffee greens

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warlock
Posts: 27
Joined: 2 years ago

#1: Post by warlock »

Hello brilliant baristas,

I am looking for some guidance with storing green beans.

I have 25 - 50 kg coffee beans that I need to store well so it can be fine and last for a year or two.

Can you please recommend how I could store them? I understand airtight container would be an obvious answer but an specific brand or product recommendations would be highly appreciated.

Thanks again :)

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civ
Posts: 1148
Joined: 17 years ago

#2: Post by civ »

Hello:
warlock wrote: ... storing green beans.
... 25 - 50 kg coffee beans ...
It is not that complicated nor do you need to spend too much.

For the past six years or so I have been purchasing greens in 30kg. half-bags.
With my coffee drinking pattern this amount lasts me about two years, give or take a month or so.

I roast 750 grams each time, so what I found to be an adequate solution was to use zip-lock type bags.
Look for the best quality bags you can find, the reusable freezer duty type.

I fill them, control their weight and suck the air out of them with a thin straw as I finish the closing procedure.
It is not a perfect vacuum but I have found that it does not need to be. YMMV.

This gives me a total of 40 sealed bags which I put in cardboard boxes (think shoebox size) which will snuggly hold 6 bags each.
This box size is convenient for me to store, you may want to use something larger/smaller.

I get six boxes with 4.50Kg. greens each (6x750) which are stored in a cool dry place without extreme temperature swings.
The remaining 750g. bags are kept in a drawer under my roasting table. ie: the kitchen counter.

I have had no problems whatsoever with this method.

Of course, there are other ways to do it but this one has proven to be easy and inexpensive.
In contrast to the thermally sealed bags equipment, these bags can be used again.

Best,

CIV

warlock (original poster)
Posts: 27
Joined: 2 years ago

#3: Post by warlock (original poster) »

civ wrote:Hello:


For the past six years or so I have been purchasing greens in 30kg. bags.
With my coffee drinking pattern this amount lasts me about two years, give or take a month or so.

I roast 750 grams each time, so what I found to be an adequate solution was to use zip-lock type bags.
Look for the best quality bags you can find, the reusable freezer duty type.

I fill them, control their weight and suck the air out of them with a thin straw as I finish the closing procedure.
It is not a perfect vacuum but I have found that it does not need to be. YMMV.

This gives me a total of 40 sealed bags which I put in cardboard boxes (think shoebox size) which will snuggly hold 6 bags each.
This box size is convenient for me to store, you may want to use something larger/smaller.

I get six boxes with 4.50Kg. greens each (6x750) which are stored in a cool dry place without extreme temperature swings.
The remaining 750g. bags are kept in a drawer on my roasting table. ie: the kitchen counter.

I have had no problems whatsoever with this method.

There are other ways to do it but this one has proven to be easy and inexpensive.
In contrast to the thermally sealed bags equipment, these bags can be used again.

Best,

CIV
Hey CIV,

Thanks for the idea. I like the zip up lock method for convenience but I realized I might be looking at 200kg and this might not work for that.

What do you think?

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civ
Posts: 1148
Joined: 17 years ago

#4: Post by civ »

Hello:
warlock wrote: Thanks ...
You're welcome.
warlock wrote: ... zip up lock method for convenience ...
Easy, convenient, low cost, green in more than one sense. 8^D
warlock wrote: ... might be looking at 200kg ...
You did say 25/50Kg. 8^)
200 is another matter altogether.

I don't have any experience in storing greens for more than 24 months nor would it seem reasonable for me to do so.
I buy in 30 kg. loads because it is the smallest volume of greens a local importer/roaster will sell me at what he says is wholesale. 8^|

200 kg. is a very high volume, it represents the contents of 3.33 x 60kg. bags.
To use it up in 24 months, I would have to roast almost 8.5 kg / month.
In my 750g roaster it would mean roasting more than once every three days.

I have not read of anyone storing such quantity nor would I recommend it unless you are roasting to sell.
And even if that is the case, you may want to start smaller until you know what your bean flow* will be.

* amount of greens needed over a defined period of time to be able to seamlessly supply coffee to your clients in that same period.

Best,

CIV

BodieZoffa
Posts: 408
Joined: 3 years ago

#5: Post by BodieZoffa »

I have upwards of 70 lbs onhand at any given time and roast upwards of 10 lbs monthly. I keep all green in the original bags it's sent to me in and I don't feel the need to seal, etc. as in I let the coffee breathe. I keep all bags in a heavy duty tote with the lid loose and in a room where temps average mid-upper 60s year round and relative humidity in the 40-50% range. I've had green stored in this manner as long as 11 months with no decline whatsoever in taste, texture, etc. I do rotate/roast my stockpile so nothing sits too long, but have no hesitation whatsoever pushing things up to 1 year and see no real reason to vacuum pack/deep freeze green as you will see mentioned. Thing is to find what works for your situation and stick with it.

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CarefreeBuzzBuzz
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#6: Post by CarefreeBuzzBuzz »

Do you have access to a vacuum sealer?
Artisan.Plus User-
Artisan Quick Start Guide
http://bit.ly/ArtisanQuickStart

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mkane
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#7: Post by mkane »

If I had 200kg of beans sitting around a vac sealer would be icing on the cake.

warlock (original poster)
Posts: 27
Joined: 2 years ago

#8: Post by warlock (original poster) »

civ wrote:Hello:

You're welcome.


Easy, convenient, low cost, green in more than one sense. 8^D


You did say 25/50Kg. 8^)
200 is another matter altogether.

I don't have any experience in storing greens for more than 24 months nor would it seem reasonable for me to do so.
I buy in 30 kg. loads because it is the smallest volume of greens a local importer/roaster will sell me at what he says is wholesale. 8^|

200 kg. is a very high volume, it represents the contents of 3.33 x 60kg. bags.
To use it up in 24 months, I would have to roast almost 8.5 kg / month.
In my 750g roaster it would mean roasting more than once every three days.

I have not read of anyone storing such quantity nor would I recommend it unless you are roasting to sell.
And even if that is the case, you may want to start smaller until you know what your bean flow* will be.

* amount of greens needed over a defined period of time to be able to seamlessly supply coffee to your clients in that same period.

Best,

CIV
Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes it is for sale commercially. :D

warlock (original poster)
Posts: 27
Joined: 2 years ago

#9: Post by warlock (original poster) »

BodieZoffa wrote:I have upwards of 70 lbs onhand at any given time and roast upwards of 10 lbs monthly. I keep all green in the original bags it's sent to me in and I don't feel the need to seal, etc. as in I let the coffee breathe. I keep all bags in a heavy duty tote with the lid loose and in a room where temps average mid-upper 60s year round and relative humidity in the 40-50% range. I've had green stored in this manner as long as 11 months with no decline whatsoever in taste, texture, etc. I do rotate/roast my stockpile so nothing sits too long, but have no hesitation whatsoever pushing things up to 1 year and see no real reason to vacuum pack/deep freeze green as you will see mentioned. Thing is to find what works for your situation and stick with it.
Oh interesting, would you be comfortable describing the original bags the coffee is stored in? Also is it to much to ask for a pic?? Thanks

warlock (original poster)
Posts: 27
Joined: 2 years ago

#10: Post by warlock (original poster) »

CarefreeBuzzBuzz wrote:Do you have access to a vacuum sealer?

No, not the moment. But would you recommend a particular one ??

quote="mkane"]If I had 200kg of beans sitting around a vac sealer would be icing on the cake.[/quote]
Haha, that seems to be a popular notion :) :idea: would you have any recommendations for vacuum sealers??

Thanks :D

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