Storing coffee beans

[eldub]

Greetings from Iowa.

I'm curious as to how you professional roasters are storing your coffee beans, both green and roasted. My current plan is to store green beans in their burlap bags on top of pallets. I've been looking into USDA approved food storage containers for roasted beans. Below is a link to a rubbermaid brute container with sliding lid and optional dolly. (However, the dollies are a bit expensive.)

Prosave Sliding Lids For Brute Containers

Thanks in advance. Any comments or ideas would be appreciated.

Scott
Corazon Coffee Roasters

 

[coffee_fanatic]

Hello eldub! I usually store my coffee beans in an extra freezer or sometimes I'll just put them in a jar and place it on a shelf in the basement. I hope this helps!

 

[WonFeri]

Hi, Eldub. actually green beans is easy to store. Just keep it away from damp areas, recommended jars. FYI the fresh flavor of roasted beans lasted approximately a month. Better suggestions one week. So if you wanna drink fresh coffee that still have aftertaste sensations don't keep roasted beans too long. ^^,

 

[eldub]

Thanks for the input.

I don't plan on keeping the roasted beans around for long. However, we will be roasting batches up to 25 lbs at a time and will need to be put in some type of container between the time they are roasted and bagged.

lw.

 

[shadow745]

Our former supplier has an in-house roastery. They store green coffee on pallets in the burlap bags. Roasted coffee is stored in large (Brute 30gal +/-) trash cans lined with dark garbage bags. They are roasting 2-3,000 lbs. weekly last time I asked and this system works great for them.

 

[eldub]

Thanks shadow. I've been looking at the brute line of containers as well. Makes me feel better to hear it from a pro like you.

scott

 

[shadow745]

What they use is the plain dark gray trash cans, no lids that I ever remember seeing. I seriously doubt the coffee stays in them long enough to really matter given the volume they roast.

The containers/lids in your link are a nice touch though.

Don't know about the "pro" comment, lmao.

 

[PinkRose]

I vote for the "pro" comment. It's quite right.

Rose

 

[expat]

Eldub, I think a lot of it depends on your climate and surroundings.

On the cliamte I live in a wet climate so high humidity. I leave my beans in the burlap bags till close to roasting time. Then I put the beans I want to roast in a plastic bin -- either single origin beans or a blend -- with a lid on and let them sit and "equalize" for several days. After roasting I store in a plastic bin with a lid. I made the mistake of storing in a heavy cardboard box one time but the cardboard absorbed he moisture in the air and transferred it to the beans and they lost their crispness. If you ate one of those roasted beans it was like eating wet wood. So that batch got pitched out (an expensive lesson, as if I needed any more!) Even though I sell my my roasted coffee in bags with a breather valve, and could grind and pack immediately, I find the flavor of the coffee is better if I let it sit at least 24-48 hours after the roast.

As to surroundings I mean what type of building are you storing your beans in? My roastery is built very "tight" Even though I live in a rural area I've never had a mouse or rat be able to sneak into my roastery (from what I understand, but have never witnessed, these little critters love green coffee beans). It helps that there are a couple of very tenacious cats roaming around, and I've seen them on more than one occasion coming through the fields with dinner in their mouth. So that would just be another consideration. If varmits are a problem for you then I'd store my green beans in bins with tight sealing lids and get them out of the burlap bags.