Vacuum Packaging for green coffee

[PinkRose]

What are the specs on the vacuum you use Peter? Is 5 or 10 Pa sufficient in your opinion?

Unfortunately, I see that Peter's last visit to the Coffee Forum was in 2017. I hope he'll come back, and start hanging out with us again.

~ Rose

[Mr.Peaberry]

Unfortunately, I see that Peter's last visit to the Coffee Forum was in 2017. I hope he'll come back, and start hanging out with us again.

~ Rose

Ahhh...too bad! I hope he's well though. His absence is not due to ill health or worse?

[Mr.Peaberry]

If green coffee is too moist, it will difficult to draw and keep vacuum in the bag. Also you may need to double bag it because the vacuum bag is easy to get punctured.

The only reason to vacuum green coffee, imho, is to freeze it for storage. The better the vacuum, the longer the frozen beans will be preserved.

[PinkRose]

Ahhh...too bad! I hope he's well though. His absence is not due to ill health or worse?

I sent him a Private Message through this forum.

A message should show up in his personal E-mail to let him know. I hope it works, and I hope he responds and lets us know he's alive and kicking.

[Mr.Peaberry]

Well, purpose of vacuum is to isolate from oxygen to slow down oxidation process. And the purpose of freezing is to slow down algae/bacteria growth. Low temperature can also slow down oxidation since it's a chemical process.
So vacuum packaging can at least serve the first purpose. But if the beans are too moist, you will create water vapor in the bag which has oxygen in it too.

Exactly...which is why I do not advise vacuum for long term storage except for freezing...AND the more oxygen extraction the better, so don't skimp on the vacuum pump and end up with poor extraction.

[peterjschmidt]

Hey! Rose's PM worked! All is well here, just busier than I'd like and something had to give...

The vac-sealer I used was just a standard FoodSaver, Mr. Peaberry, so I don't know what their specs are.

I stopped vac-sealing, only because I got it through my thick skull that coffee, being an agricultural product, will have another harvest next year so there's no need to stock more than a year at the most.

I still think there's some value in the practice, with no downside other than the cost and time. If the beans are too moist to begin with, then I'd agree w/ WhyCoffee that it would trap that moisture in. But we're not dealing with beans that have that level of moisture are we?

I like that vac-seal bags have a very low permeability. For me, storing beans and roasting in my basement, humidity is the main enemy and w/ vac-sealed beans that was no longer an issue. Sucking out most of the oxygen should help w/ shelf life, but as I said above I no longer see the need to stock up on my favorites because there'll be another favorite next year.

I do like grain-pro a lot. But once a bag gets opened I leave it open and simply monitor and adjust my humidity levels w/ a dehumidifier.

[Mr.Peaberry]

Hey! Rose's PM worked! All is well here, just busier than I'd like and something had to give...

The vac-sealer I used was just a standard FoodSaver, Mr. Peaberry, so I don't know what their specs are.

I stopped vac-sealing, only because I got it through my thick skull that coffee, being an agricultural product, will have another harvest next year so there's no need to stock more than a year at the most.

I still think there's some value in the practice, with no downside other than the cost and time. If the beans are too moist to begin with, then I'd agree w/ WhyCoffee that it would trap that moisture in. But we're not dealing with beans that have that level of moisture are we?

I like that vac-seal bags have a very low permeability. For me, storing beans and roasting in my basement, humidity is the main enemy and w/ vac-sealed beans that was no longer an issue. Sucking out most of the oxygen should help w/ shelf life, but as I said above I no longer see the need to stock up on my favorites because there'll be another favorite next year.

I do like grain-pro a lot. But once a bag gets opened I leave it open and simply monitor and adjust my humidity levels w/ a dehumidifier.

Glad to see you're not taking the dirt nap, Peter! Seriously though...thanks for replying! I think one has to be processing quite a bit of greens in order to consider integrating vacuum packaging...or at least purchasing expensive beans such as those won at COE auctions as Alex suggests. I'm more into how to preserve roasted beans for storage via freezing. Degradation occurs at a much more rapid rate of course.

[topher]

There was a company in Costa Rica (the coffee source) back in 95 that vacuumed packed their coffee and put them in boxes. The selling point was storage. Boxes stacked great. I still talk to that rep who opened a brokerage a couple years later. He told me years later that in theory it was a great idea. He said that it was actually bad for the coffee. I am going to call him next week and have him explain why.

[Mr.Peaberry]

There was a company in Costa Rica (the coffee source) back in 95 that vacuumed packed their coffee and put them in boxes. The selling point was storage. Boxes stacked great. I still talk to that rep who opened a brokerage a couple years later. He told me years later that in theory it was a great idea. He said that it was actually bad for the coffee. I am going to call him next week and have him explain why.

You have my attention!

[calh]

+1 its great