Coffee bean storage

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Coffee bean storage is a broad term describing the packaging and preservation of coffee beans throughout the process from harvesting to brewing. Although the term is applicable to many phases of this process, it is typically applied to ideal home storage for maximum consumer coffee enjoyment.

Contents

Green coffee

After the cherries are put through the pulper and the seeds have been soaked, they are set out to sun-dry for a period of one week. The beans are periodically raked to ensure even drying. Once dried, the beans will form a thin, paper-like shell called parchment. Once formed, the parchment will increase the beans’ storage life considerably. [1] When the beans are ready, the parchment is removed, and the beans are graded and sorted according to size, weight, and defects. The sorted beans are then stored in 60 or 70 kg sacks called sisal bags that help the beans retain moisture for a longer period of time. [2] The storage time cannot exceed one year for the beans to be considered a current crop. If the green coffee remains in storage for longer than a year, it is considered an old crop and is less valuable because of its drier state. [1]

Roast coffee

Once a coffee bean is roasted, it is either packaged immediately for sale or ground and then packaged for sale. Packages used are typically either an airtight plastic container or vacuum-sealed wrapping, or a folded-over bag with a pressure relief valve. Each type of package has its own advantages. The airtight containers allow the maximum freshness of the bean and prolong its shelf life, whilst the valve allows excess carbon dioxide, and other gases to escape. The carbon dioxide, as much as 10 L/kg of coffee for dark-roasted coffee, is not released because it is harmful to the flavour—quite the contrary, it protects the beans against oxidation, but excess pressure could damage the container. Reported experience is that a few days of carbon dioxide release is needed between roasting and brewing for best results. There is also informed opinion that storage of freshly roasted beans in a can pressurised with nitrogen gas, with excess pressure buildup vented via a relief valve, provides optimal storage for extended periods while promoting a beneficial ageing effect related to the distribution of natural oils by the pressure. [3]

Home storage

Once bought, the method of storage used depends on the type of coffee purchased. Green beans store the best in cooled airtight containers, and can easily last in this state for a year without losing flavor. [4] [5] Roasted whole beans are best stored in airtight containers out of the light. The best material choices for the container are ceramic, or opaque glass. Plastic and metal may alter the flavor of the coffee bean. [4] In addition, for the first week of storage, containers should be opened or vented by a relief valve to release the carbon dioxide gas that will be produced by the roasted beans to prevent the gas from changing the quality of the coffee. [4] Whole bean roasted coffee stored in this manner will last for about two weeks. The advisability of freezing roasted beans is controversial. [4] [6] [7] [8] Those advocating freezing believe that the flavour can then last for one to two months. [4] [8] If beans are frozen, leaving them frozen until brewing best preserves the flavour of the coffee. Frozen beans will grind the same as unfrozen beans, but refreezing beans alters the quality of the coffee. [4] Coffee grounds are stored in metal containers that are non-reactive [9] airtight ceramic or glass containers, like roasted beans. Due to increased total surface area of coffee grounds, the grounds go stale in days, rather than weeks. In addition, freezing has no effect in increasing the storage life of coffee grounds. [4]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dry ice</span> Solid carbon dioxide

Dry ice colloquially describes the solid form of carbon dioxide, whose chemical formula is CO2 (s). It is commonly used for temporary refrigeration as CO2 does not have a liquid state at normal atmospheric pressure and sublimes directly from the solid state to the gas state. It is used primarily as a cooling agent, but is also used in fog machines at theatres for dramatic effects. Its advantages include lower temperature than that of water ice and not leaving any residue (other than incidental frost from moisture in the atmosphere). It is useful for preserving frozen foods (such as ice cream) where mechanical cooling is unavailable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Instant coffee</span> Drink made by rehydrating powdered coffee

Instant coffee is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans that enables people to quickly prepare hot coffee by adding hot water or milk to coffee solids in powdered or crystallized form and stirring. The product was first invented in Invercargill, the largest city in Southland, New Zealand, in 1890. Instant coffee solids refers to the dehydrated and packaged solids available at retail used to make instant coffee. Instant coffee solids are commercially prepared by either freeze-drying or spray drying, after which it can be rehydrated. Instant coffee in a concentrated liquid form, as a beverage, is also manufactured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebreather</span> Portable apparatus to recycle breathing gas

A rebreather is a breathing apparatus that absorbs the carbon dioxide of a user's exhaled breath to permit the rebreathing (recycling) of the substantially unused oxygen content, and unused inert content when present, of each breath. Oxygen is added to replenish the amount metabolised by the user. This differs from open-circuit breathing apparatus, where the exhaled gas is discharged directly into the environment. The purpose is to extend the breathing endurance of a limited gas supply, and, for covert military use by frogmen or observation of underwater life, eliminating the bubbles produced by an open circuit system and in turn not scaring wildlife being filmed. A rebreather is generally understood to be a portable unit carried by the user. The same technology on a vehicle or non-mobile installation is more likely to be referred to as a life-support system.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee bag</span> Container used for shipping and storing coffee

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee preparation</span> Process of turning coffee beans into a beverage

Coffee preparation is the process of turning coffee beans into liquid coffee. While the particular steps vary with the type of coffee and with the raw materials, the process includes four basic steps: raw coffee beans must be roasted, the roasted coffee beans must then be ground, and the ground coffee must then be mixed with hot or cold water for a specific time (brewed), the liquid coffee extraction must be separated from the used grounds, and finally, if desired, the extracted coffee is combined with other elements of the desired beverage, such as sweeteners, dairy products, dairy alternatives, or toppings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slushy</span> Flavored frozen drink

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Carbice Corp. v. American Patents Development Corp., 283 U.S. 27 (1931), is a decision of the United States Supreme Court extending the patent misuse doctrine against tie-ins to cases in which patents were used to tie the purchase of unpatented elements of patented combinations. The Court had previously held that it was unlawful to require the purchase of supplies as a condition of a patent license, where the supplies were not claimed as part of the patented combination.

References

  1. 1 2 Drent, Les. "Coffee Farming in Kona, Hawaii". Coffee Times. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  2. Egberts, Douwe. "Coffee Development - From Bean to Cup". Archived from the original on 25 November 2010., "Hollandbymail.com", retrieved 2/2011
  3. Milos, Giorgio (6 October 2010). "The Coffee-Storage Conundrum: How to Keep Beans Fresh". The Atlantic. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Paajanen, Sean. "Proper Coffee Storage". Archived from the original on 11 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  5. Goodwin, Lindsey. "Coffee Storage—Airtight Coffee Storage Methods". Archived from the original on 31 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  6. Goodwin, Lindsey. "Should I Store Coffee in the Freezer?". Archived from the original on 31 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  7. Meister (14 October 2010). "Taste Test: To Freeze or Not to Freeze Coffee Beans, v2.0" . Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  8. 1 2 Fox, Ken (March 2009). "Coffee: To Freeze or Not to Freeze" . Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  9. "How to store coffee beans - a practical guide". 9 January 2019.