Coffee Bean Freshness

[boldstep]

Hi,
I am just wondering how long you folks find that beans stay fresh (i.e. good tasting) after receiving them, freshly roasted and vacuum packed from say, Intelligencia, under the following circumstances:

1- you leave them in the original vacuum packed bag
2- you open the bag and place the beans in a plastic vacuum container (which you pump to evacuate daily)
3- you open the bag and just leave them in the bag (but fold the top down)

I am finding that even if I use storage method (2), I get about 11 days and the beans start tasting funny. Storage method (3) only allows a few days. Not sure about method (1).

Thanks!

[Niko]

#2 works best after the beans stayed in #1 for 3 days.
I did some testing and found that once the beans degass for the first 72 hrs post roast time, they last longer in the vacuum container for 11-14 days or so depending on the bean.
I haven't bought any commercial roasts in months so I can't answer for those - this is just the home roasted stuff reported here. Two weeks is pretty much the maximum any bean will last, anything beyond that is supermarket quality.

[JohnB]

I use option #4- When beans arrive I break down the order into 4-5 day quantities, vacuum bag using a Foodsaver & place what I'm not going to be using that week in our stand up freezer (0*F). Once a bag comes out of the freezer it doesn't go back so there is no condensation problem. After opening the vacuum bag the beans go in a zip lock bag & are stored in an air tight contain until I use them up.

I've been using this storage method for 6 months now with excellent results. I purchased 5 lbs of Black Cat in mid December & still have a couple bags in the freezer. I notice no difference in taste/brewing in the coffee beans that have been in the freezer 4-6 weeks or longer.

[Niko]

I've been meaning to try the freezer thingy with freshly roasted beans. The thing to try would be to freeze immediately right out of the roaster, this would help tremendously during the weekdays when I'm more crunched for roasting time. It would be awesome to roast 5 pounds on Saturday for the next couple of weeks.
Breaking the batches down would be a must for this.

I've read that beans will continue to degass out of the freezer.
Now that's pretty cool

[Mizspresso]

I've read that beans will continue to degass out of the freezer.
Now that's pretty cool

Yep. This is true. I have been doing vacuum packing>freezing since I started buying good beans. It is a fabulous method. I used to break my pounds down to quarters, but then I started drinking more and changed to 1/2 pound batches. I open a pack and put it into a plastic container for immediate use.

A few weeks ago I pulled out a packet to give to a friend and left the vacuum packed coffee on the counter for a few days. The bag slowly began to re-inflate.

The thawed, unpacked beans seem to be as fresh as when I freeze them. Great aroma, lots of crema. Never done fresh from the roaster but have done the day after (gotten from BFoot).

[Niko]

Nice!
Now that's encouraging, I will try a batch out from the roaster and into the freezer.
extra cool...

[jmcphail]

Can I ask, what vacuum sealing devices are you all using?

-John

[Niko]

I was just about to ask Mizspresso the same thing, it sounds like she's using the standard coffee bags with the one-way valve. She can correct me if I'm wrong and probably regular zip lock bags without the valve once they're out.

The ones I use use are the bags with the gold liner on the back with the valve, after the 2nd - 3rd day I'll store the beans in the vacuum containers with the pump needed to draw the air out. I think these are freezer safe but I still wanted to know what others are using for freezer storage, I don't want to expose these nice containers to subzero temps.

[jmcphail]

I use the valve bags when I produce many pounds for seasonal gifts, but for personal use I've been using the Ziploc plastic containers with the blue screw-on lids. Not vacuum by any means, but convenient and they wash easy.

I've been wondering about actual vacuum sealing, read a bunch of stuff and concluded that none of them work very well, but maybe they are using something I haven't seen.

[Niko]

The ones I use work very well, not much to them...stick the bean in and suck the air out. Check every so often because the vacuum does wear out once in a while.

[jmcphail]

I'm thinking of the more permanent vacuum sealing devices.

[hlsheppard]

I've read that beans will continue to degass out of the freezer.
Now that's pretty cool

Yep. This is true. I have been doing vacuum packing>freezing since I started buying good beans. It is a fabulous method. I used to break my pounds down to quarters, but then I started drinking more and changed to 1/2 pound batches. I open a pack and put it into a plastic container for immediate use.

A few weeks ago I pulled out a packet to give to a friend and left the vacuum packed coffee on the counter for a few days. The bag slowly began to re-inflate.

The thawed, unpacked beans seem to be as fresh as when I freeze them. Great aroma, lots of crema. Never done fresh from the roaster but have done the day after (gotten from BFoot).

This is absolutely true. I just put about a 1/2 pound of week old blend from the freezer (prior to degassing) to a Ball Jar and it hisses when I open it the next day.

[Niko]

I'm thinking of the more permanent vacuum sealing devices.

More permanent than this?

[jmcphail]

That looks good Niko, is that one of the ones you use that works? What is it called?

[JohnB]

I use a Foodsaver 2480 machine virtually idendical to this one:
http://www.jardenstore.com/Product.aspx?bid=18&pid=4717 but found at Sam's Club & other stores. We have a large garden and use several different devices for preserving food. We've been using the vacuum bagger for several years now with no problems. Being able to make whatever size bag you need is much more convenient then dealing with vacuum containers although I do have several of those also.

[Niko]

That looks good Niko, is that one of the ones you use that works? What is it called?

It's called the vacu vin coffee saver, wholelattlelove used to sell the one pictured above. I don't care much for the newer style - looks like some designer went overboard with the aesthetics, it's about as pleasing as a sty in the eye.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that it does work pretty well

I use a Foodsaver 2480 machine virtually idendical to this one:
http://www.jardenstore.com/Product.aspx?bid=18&pid=4717 but found at Sam's Club & other stores. We have a large garden and use several different devices for preserving food. We've been using the vacuum bagger for several years now with no problems. Being able to make whatever size bag you need is much more convenient then dealing with vacuum containers although I do have several of those also.

Thanks for posting this! Looks like an extremely useful piece of equipment I'll have to look into for other things also...

[JohnB]

Thanks for posting this! Looks like an extremely useful piece of equipment I'll have to look into for other things also...

It's pretty handy for lots of storage uses. With coffee beans you will sometimes have to double bag if you've got a number of broken beans. The bag gets drawn so tight when the air is sucked out the bean can perforate the bag. Doesn't happen often though so not a big issue. We dehydrate a number of items from the garden; hot peppers, ect, & it works very well for keeping them moisture free. Vacuum bagging will also extend the amount of time you can leave a food item in the freezer which is handy if you have a large storage freezer.

[jmcphail]

I dig the vacuum bagger for the gadget factor, too! :P

[Niko]

I dig the vacuum bagger for the gadget factor, too! :P

That's exactly why I thanked him!
I ain't gonna use that for coffee :P - gonna bag other things with it.

[jmcphail]

Lots of possibilities, very versatile.

[Mizspresso]

Wow. The vacuum thread has really taken off.

FYI: I use a Food Saver vacuum device (I think it's the 2490). I pack the coffee in their special bag material. The machine makes a good vacuum and the bags are reusable up to several times (3 or 4). After that they won't form a tight seal.

I read an article on CoffeeGeek about using mason jars, but I thought the vacuum sealed bags would do a better job and I already had the machine that I have used for a long time as a way to keep other foods frozen for much longer. I have kept meat frozen with this method for like a year.

Here's a coffee packet



Niko, I've heard good things about the VacuVins as well, but I like that the packets are more compact and flattish. Also, the vacuum sealer machine is a cool gadget (I know gadget-ness is important).

[Niko]

Wow. The vacuum thread has really taken off.

Yeah, it's really starting to suck


Thanks for posting that bag 'o beans, that's awesome. Now I'll have to show my wife this thread so I can score one of those sealer machines, she said Costco sells them :P
Soon I'll be vacuum sealing everything, watch out folks - you visit my house and you just might get sealed.

[JohnB]

I pulled a small vacuum bag of the fabled Esmeralda dated 9/8/07 out of my freezer today & brewed it up in the French Press. Still made excellent crema in the press & still tasted great!

[Niko]

Now I'm really tempted to have a roast-a-thon and straight to the freezer :P
Only thing is, I don't have anything fancy to stick the beans in other than standard Ziploc bags - might be OK since the beans won't even have time to degass anyway.

[boldstep]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their advice on storing beans... I am encouraged by what I am hearing about the freezer/vacuum packing option. Beans can be pricey and it kills me to see them go bad!

[Mizspresso]

Now I'm really tempted to have a roast-a-thon and straight to the freezer :P
Only thing is, I don't have anything fancy to stick the beans in other than standard Ziploc bags - might be OK since the beans won't even have time to degass anyway.

No! Don't do it!!

The reason I started using the FoodSaver system in the first place was to protect meat from freezer burn, which is basically the sucking out of moisture in the freezer.

Ziplock bags do not protect well enough to truly block this process.

We all know you're a gadget freak, so you should just go to Costco and pick up the real thing. I bought mine there for $99 a couple of months ago. Too bad I didn't know you then. I sold the old one on CoffeeGeek for $30.

Or you could just contact these people..

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/hsh/555160875.html

[Niko]

Don't worry...I didn't Ziploc anything
I'm so lazy I'd never get around to it since it's so low-tech (and ghetto) without that nice gadget.
That link you posted, are those good units? Wow, and only 20 bucks

[Mizspresso]

Yes, that is a good unit. It is the same model I sold. I paid over $100 for it new a couple of years ago.

My new one has a variable vacuum setting and has the bag cutter integrated into it instead of the extra piece you see in the ad.

[Niko]

Hmm, no extra piece needed with the new one?
I might go for the newer one instead :P

...that is, if my wife doesn't shrink wrap some of my parts to stick in the freezer since I've really pushed my luck in the last (umm ) dozen years or so.

[JohnB]

The bag cutter has been integrated into the Foodsavers for quite some time so no idea how old that unit is. Check out the Foodsaver site & read up on the different models. The model numbers will be slightly different on the Sam's Club/Costco? models but they all do basically the same thing. The prices vary by what they include in the kit. Most will come with a supply of bags & 2 different sized vacuum jars.

[Niko]

vacuum jars...?
please do tell :P

[JohnB]

vacuum jars...?
please do tell :P

The 2440 & 2480 kits come with 25oz & 1.5ltr size vacuum containers as shown in the pic below. The unit comes with a special hose that plugs into the jar lid so you can vacuum seal the jar. I've used these for storing coffee out of the freezer but prefer the bags for in freezer storage.

[Niko]

I can see why you prefer the bags in the freezer - the same reason I don't want to put my vacuum jars in there...awkward and bulky.

[jmcphail]

Something has been bothering me about vacuum packing roasted coffee, and I've put my finger on it finally.

The valve bags allow the roasted coffee to degas without the bags exploding. When I put coffee fresh out of the roaster in a valve bag it generally inflates the bag like a balloon, with the excess going out through the valve. I presume that the outbound gasses push out the air in the bag and eventually reaches an equilibrium, with no air entering the bag from the outside due to the one-way valve.

Wouldn't coffee placed in a vacuum tend to destroy the vacuum with the gas that is venting from the beans? it seems like it would inflate just like a valve bag. I've heard of gas replacement systems that are used to combat just this thing, actually.

Maybe there's something I'm not getting or have overlooked? This could be a worthy experiment for any new owner of a vacuum sealer system perhaps...

[Mizspresso]

Yes, this does happen. I talked about it somewhere up this thread. It does not happen while the bags are in the freezer, but if you thaw one it will begin to inflate within a day or so.

[jmcphail]

Interesting, thanks for the information Mizspresso.

I wonder if the degassing halts because of the vacuum, because of the lack of oxygen, the freezing, or some combination of all three?

[JohnB]

I believe the freezing definitely slows it down but with shipping times I seldom bag anything that isn't at least 2-3 days after roasting. I have had a couple of bags inflate slightly in the freezer but its only noticeable because they were so tight previously.

[jmcphail]

But in any case no additional gasses are coming in contact with the beans inside the vacuum bag, I wouldn't think.

I wonder if the vacuum somehow "forces" degassing, makes it happen faster or whatnot?

[michael]

how long do you have to thaw the beans after freezing before grinding

[JohnB]

A couple minutes if you are just using a small amount. I usually let them come up to room temp if I just pulled them out of the freezer although I doubt you'd have any problems grinding them cold. Not much moisture in a roasted bean so they are more cold then frozen.

[Niko]

It would be an interesting test to pull a shot between beans right out of the freezer vs. room temp.

[JohnB]

By the time they run through the grinder, get batted around by the doser, fall into the basket & get tamped I'd guess they'd have warmed up a bit.

[Niko]

Yeah I believe it, but I'm still curious if anything at all changes...you know there's so many variables in pulling an espresso shot - I'm just curious if anything at all changes.

[JohnB]

Half of the latest shipment bagged, tagged & headed for the deep freeze. Each bag contains enough for 2 or 3 doubles so it will be used up within 24-36 hrs before it can start to go stale.

Any new Foodsaver owners?

[boldstep]

I'm definitely going to get one of those FoodSavers. Thanks for the great idea!

[Walter]

The valve bags allow the roasted coffee to degas without the bags exploding. When I put coffee fresh out of the roaster in a valve bag it generally inflates the bag like a balloon, with the excess going out through the valve. I presume that the outbound gasses push out the air in the bag and eventually reaches an equilibrium, with no air entering the bag from the outside due to the one-way valve.

Yes, but unfortunately not all air will be pushed out, rather the CO2 which is emitted from the degassing beans will mix with the remaining air. What comes out the valve is always a mixture of air (N2, O2, CO2 and whatnot else) and the CO2 from the beans. Hence there will always remain some O2 in the bag which will cause some premature oxidation of the beans.

Wouldn't coffee placed in a vacuum tend to destroy the vacuum with the gas that is venting from the beans? it seems like it would inflate just like a valve bag. I've heard of gas replacement systems that are used to combat just this thing, actually.

Yes, the CO2 from the beans will fill up the vacuum, but in this case chances are that we already got rid of the destructive Oxygen and the beans end up in their own protective-gas.

----

However, I would not recommend to vacuum seal beans repetitively as this will force out most of the CO2 from the bean which under normal circumstances remains within the bean and protects it to some degree from the intruding Oxygen as soon as the beans are exposed to air. From this aspect i think deep-freezing is the better method as long as you wait with opening the bag until all the beans have reached room temperature, or else the humidity of the air will condensate on the surface of the cold beans and this will soon destroy part of the delicate flavors.

Just my 2cts...

[JohnB]

However, I would not recommend to vacuum seal beans repetitively as this will force out most of the CO2 from the bean which under normal circumstances remains within the bean and protects it to some degree from the intruding Oxygen as soon as the beans are exposed to air. From this aspect i think deep-freezing is the better method as long as you wait with opening the bag until all the beans have reached room temperature, or else the humidity of the air will condensate on the surface of the cold beans and this will soon destroy part of the delicate flavors.

Just my 2cts...

I would agree about repetitively vacuum sealing the beans. Put them up in small amounts so they will only spend a day or two on the counter in a zip lock bag or other container.

Although I hear about condensation on the beans in many posts I have yet to see it when I remove a bag from the freezer. Whether I leave the bag intact until warm or cut the bag open I've yet to see any moisture forming on the beans in the 6 months I've been freezing beans.

[Niko]

I'm about to get a Food Saver on the next trip to the big warehouse store
I roasted 5lbs in the Behmor yesterday and that would come in handy.

[Walter]

Although I hear about condensation on the beans in many posts I have yet to see it when I remove a bag from the freezer. Whether I leave the bag intact until warm or cut the bag open I've yet to see any moisture forming on the beans in the 6 months I've been freezing beans.

I doubt you will ever see any moisture on the beans. After roasting they are so dry, that the cellular matrix will act like a sponge and absorb the moisture immediatly. The adverse effect will remain the same, IMHO...

[JohnB]

I doubt you will ever see any moisture on the beans. After roasting they are so dry, that the cellular matrix will act like a sponge and absorb the moisture immediatly. The adverse effect will remain the same, IMHO...

That would indeed be a minute amount of moisture on beans I use up with 36 hrs. I have closely inspected the beans as they are warming & never seen a hint of moisture so I do think the issue is somewhat exaggerated.

[Walter]

That would indeed be a minute amount of moisture on beans I use up with 36 hrs. I have closely inspected the beans as they are warming & never seen a hint of moisture so I do think the issue is somewhat exaggerated.

I suppose you've already seen the amount of moisture which condensates on the bag, when you take it out of the freezer? On the beans - when they are exposed - the amount of moisture per surface unit should remain the same as on the bag.

But then again, if you don't notice a difference in taste it is okay for you and you should stick to it...

[JohnB]

I suppose you've already seen the amount of moisture which condensates on the bag, when you take it out of the freezer? On the beans - when they are exposed - the amount of moisture per surface unit should remain the same as on the bag.

But then again, if you don't notice a difference in taste it is okay for you and you should stick to it...

Surprisingly I have seen no moisture/condensation on the bag either. Just removed a bag from the freezer this morning which I didn't open for an hour or more. At no time was there any sign of moisture on the outside or the inside of the vacuum bag. Maybe we just have low humidity in the house. :)

[Niko]

Well, I finally broke down and bought a Foodsaver :P
Just packed one item so far and it really sucks....the air out of the bags really well
I give it two thumbs up

[Mizspresso]

We're all sucking in our breath, awaiting the results!

[Niko]

It works great!
I'd give it more than "two thumbs up" if I had any more (thumbs that is) :)

[JohnB]

We've had ours for several years & no real complaints yet. If you try to bag moist items it can be a little tricky but there are ways around that. My only real beef is that when you buy replacement bags you always get twice as many large ones as small. I prefer the small ones so now I seal the large ones down the middle leaving a space to cut them in half after I load & seal the beans in each side.

[Niko]

My only real beef is that when .....

no pun intended, right?



OK, OK, the joke was about vacuum packing the beaf

[Niko]

I find that sometimes a bag will lose its suction, it looks as though the beans aren't as tightly packed as they were when the food saver first packaged them.
Do you find this happening sometimes, John?
How about you Barbara, has it ever happened to a bag in the freezer to you?

Doesn't always happen to me but I've noticed it happened to about 2 or 3 bags so far...

[bbqnut]

I find that sometimes a bag will lose its suction, it looks as though the beans aren't as tightly packed as they were when the food saver first packaged them.
Do you find this happening sometimes, John?
How about you Barbara, has it ever happened to a bag in the freezer to you?

Doesn't always happen to me but I've noticed it happened to about 2 or 3 bags so far...

It is probably the outgassing, and I am pretty sure that my freezer is extra cold, and therefore I only see it at room temp. I think some whose freezer is less cool sees this issue.

Unless of course you can verify an actual leak. In that case, you might need to lay down 2 seals on both ends, which can help.

[JohnB]

I find that sometimes a bag will lose its suction, it looks as though the beans aren't as tightly packed as they were when the food saver first packaged them.
Do you find this happening sometimes, John?
How about you Barbara, has it ever happened to a bag in the freezer to you?

Doesn't always happen to me but I've noticed it happened to about 2 or 3 bags so far...

This happens every once an a while so I just use that bag first. Since all the beans are from the same batch when I see it my guess is the bag is leaking. The broken beans can have a sharp edge & perforate the bag. My freezer is set to 0*F & all the bags are at the same temp also if one bag from a batch was outgassing they'd all be outgassing. If you leave the bags out for a few hours before dropping them in the freezer you should catch the bad ones. Once the beans are in the freezer I doubt it makes much difference as far as freshness goes as long as loose bags aren't going to be in the freezer for extended periods of time & you don't see moisture forming inside the bag.

[Niko]

still scratching the 'ol head over this but I think it's a combination of things here. Let's just say I'm perfect and I never ever would bag the beans incorrectly OK, glad that's settled.
now I think it's my freezer temp not being consistently low enough to keep the beans from outgassing. I've seen my freezer condensate the frothing pitchers several times so that for sure says something about the temp being higher than it should.
I suppose most freezers do need to defrost themselves, right?
Time to start storing the coffee in the deep freezer I have in the garage...

[JohnB]

Maybe, but if it was outgassing causing the problem & not a leak the bag would blow up like a small balloon as opposed to just having loose beans. When I've seen it I'll have 1 bag out of an entire batch that gets loose. All stored in the same part of my deep freeze & all from the same batch. If its outgassing why aren't they all doing it? I also make a point of never freezing the beans until 48 hrs after the roast if I'm buying them locally so most of the outgassing is already done.

Next time you have a loose bag squeeze it & see if the air gets out.

[Niko]

Next time you have a loose bag squeeze it & see if the air gets out.

Damn! ...why didn't I think of that?!

[zoey]

Ok, I should start this by saying that I've been reading about cardiorespiratory stuff since 9am today. So, I'm a little jumpy from sitting all day.

Here's my answer to all of this:

Save your money on gadgets that allegedly will preserve the freshness of your beans.

With all those pennies you've saved, go buy yourself a starter roaster. Get hooked up with a local roaster so you can buy discounted green beans.

Now, use the money you are saving by purchasing discount beans (in my case, I pay anywhere from $4-$7/Lb) to pay for your upgrade roaster.

When you are about 12 hours away from running out of roasted coffee, roast a batch and let it off-gas. Then there is no need to package this, suck that, open a freezer door.....Just enjoy a constant supply of coffee that is, without a doubt, fresh.

Last statement: ROAST IN SMALL BATCHES OR DRINK MORE FREAKING COFFEE. :D


OK, now I'm going to give myself a time out.

[JohnB]

With all those pennies you've saved, go buy yourself a starter roaster. Get hooked up with a local roaster so you can buy discounted green beans.

When you are about 12 hours away from running out of roasted coffee, roast a batch and let it off-gas. Then there is no need to package this, suck that, open a freezer door.....Just enjoy a constant supply of coffee that is, without a doubt, fresh.

A local roaster?? That would be something around here. People in this area buy their coffee at Dunkin Donuts!

Does decaf really off gas that quickly. Most regular beans/blends need 2-3 days after roasting before they are considered drinkable.

Personally I really like having a variety of coffees in the freezer that I can drink whenever the mood hits me. Right now I have some Yirga Chaffe, Mocha Java, Guatemalan Antitlain, Kenya, Pt's Bella Vita, French Roast Decaf, Barrington Gold Decaf, several Terrior s/o Espressos, Sumatra, a few of Peet's blends and a blend from Specialty Java in Minnesota!!

[Niko]

I like the freezer thingy too because I got tired of roasting....like every freakin' day with my coffee habit
I used to roast every day of the week and I got tired of it.
I've got Sweet Maria's across the bridge here, only takes a day to get anything

[zoey]

I've tried grinding straight from the roaster; a few hours later, 6 hours later, 12, 24, a few days.....

Seems like anything outside of 10 hours is good to my palate. Actually, I enjoy the flavor changes as the beans mature (up to a point).

I'm on my fourth day post-roast of some Sumatra decaf and I can taste quite a difference (not in a good way). The shots aren't pulling as well either.

I just roasted some Tanzania (regular) for mgwolf. It's hard to roast for someone that you know nothing about!

Not to mention that it's 47F in the garage with 84% humidity. I ran the iRoast side-by-side with the Hearthware Precision.

The iRoast is really loud! It makes it hard to hear the cracks. All of the metal vibration noise from the chafe filters is distracting.

[Niko]

you can hear cracks? I thought it was the plastic paneling crackling from the high decibel sound levels

Actually, you can hear the cracks pretty easily on the iRoar if you step back about 3-4 feet, it makes a huge difference when the thing isn't blowing your eardrums off at close range.
It's a nice little roaster despite all the jokes I say about it.
Now I'm going to bust it out soon for another few rounds to get some brighter roasts for French Press

[zoey]

The stuff I roasted for Michael was absolutely horrible! I don't believe it even got to second crack. It was almost "baked".

We poured shots this morning and you could smell the CO2. The cups were about 90% crema. I was pretty embarrassed to say the least. I should have brought some of the stuff I was using or, at least, tried the beans I roasted for him before going over to his house.

Today I opened the garage door and let the moisture out. It was 54% when I started roasting. I had the same freaking problem! Baking the beans. So, I tried a batch using the preprogrammed #1 and the problem went away.

So, somehow my programming must have changed itself. Unfortunately, with the iRoast you can't look at what you have programmed.

[Niko]

It could be the voltage changing, that's why I'd get a VARIAC. The ambient temperature has a dramatic effect on the iRoast roasters.

You can always sink a probe in the iRoast if you need to get internal readings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c88nEXYCbfs

[zoey]

Linky no worky

I don't believe it to be a voltage problem because I used my custom profile on the 1st and 2nd batches (which were both trash). On the 3rd batch I used the #1 pre-program and the coffee came out just fine.

I will have to reprogram my roasting curve and try another batch to see if it corrects.

[bbqnut]

Linky no worky

I don't believe it to be a voltage problem because I used my custom profile on the 1st and 2nd batches (which were both trash). On the 3rd batch I used the #1 pre-program and the coffee came out just fine.

I will have to reprogram my roasting curve and try another batch to see if it corrects.

You have a bad base (control unit) on the iRoast methinks.

Like I said before, this is not uncommon. If it is not under warranty, I recommend saving your money and going with something more reliable.

[Niko]

Linky no worky

Sorry, it was a private video...I'll take care of it right now.

Here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c88nEXYCbfs

[zoey]

That was great!

Now all you need is a vent hood!

I roast in my fully insulated garage. After 2 batches, the smoke is so thick it's hard to see across the garage. The smoke will hang around for days if I don't either crack a window or open the garage door.

[Niko]

I have a vent hood above the roasters. I don't get smoke in the house with any of the roasters with this beastly hood.

[Mizspresso]

I find that sometimes a bag will lose its suction, it looks as though the beans aren't as tightly packed as they were when the food saver first packaged them.
Do you find this happening sometimes, John?
How about you Barbara, has it ever happened to a bag in the freezer to you?

Doesn't always happen to me but I've noticed it happened to about 2 or 3 bags so far...

Yes, I have come across this a few times. I am assuming there must be a small leak. I haven't noticed any degradation of the bean, though. I've also noticed that a bag tightly packed will sometimes loosen up quickly when it thaws while other bags remain tight bricks for a day or so. Accelerated outgassing? I just don't know.

[JohnB]

I've noticed a definite deterioration in flavor once the frozen beans reach 6-8 weeks. The shots still taste good when you first open the bag, just not as good as they once did. They also stale rapidly once the bag is opened. I find that once the beans reach the 6-8 week period they need to be used up the same day the bag is opened as the drop off in taste within 24 hrs is very noticeable.

I had been ordering in 5lb lots & bagging in 50-55g increments but I cut back to 2lbs on my current order & will bag that one in 2 shot (33-34g) lots. From what I've been reading you can expect your frozen beans to age 1 day for every week in the freezer depending on the temp of the freezer. If you are storing in a typical refrig/freezer you can expect more rapid aging then if you store them in a stand alone freezer well below zero.