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Coffee Drink Recipes

Cappuccino on Ice

Ingredients: 1 and 1/2 cups fresh brewed coffee, strong 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup half and half cream 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Directions: 1. Brew coffee 2. Combine coffee and milk in a medium bowl. 3. Whisk half and half and vanilla in with coffee mixture until … [Read More...] about Cappuccino on Ice

Danish Coffee

Ingredients: 8 cups hot coffee 1 cup dark rum 3/4 cup sugar 2 cinnamon sticks 12 cloves, whole Directions: 1. Brew fresh coffee 2. Pour all ingredients into medium saucepan and stir thoroughly 3. Simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally 4. Pour each serving into a … [Read More...] about Danish Coffee

Cafe Borgia (hot) 4 servings

2 cups strong Italian coffee   2 cups hot chocolate   whipped cream   grated orange peel (garnish)   Mix coffee and hot chocolate Pour into mugs Top with whipped cream and orange peel … [Read More...] about Cafe Borgia (hot) 4 servings

Greek Frappe

Ingredients: 1 1/2 tsp Nescafe Instant espresso 2 tsp sugar 3 ice cubes 1/4 cup cold water 1/4 cup cold milk Directions: 1. Add sugar, coffee, and 1/4 water into a jar that you can tightly seal. Shake for 30 seconds, or until well mixed and foamy. 2. Add ice to tall glass and … [Read More...] about Greek Frappe

Classic Creamy Iced Coffee

Ingredients: 1 oz fresh ground, dark roast, coffee 8 oz water ice Half and Half Sugar as desired Directions: 1. Brew coffee, preferably in a French press for this recipe. 2. Add as much half and half and sugar as desired to bottom of glass. Stir well to mix. 3. Pour coffee … [Read More...] about Classic Creamy Iced Coffee

Holiday Coffee Drink Recipe

2 cups powdered non-dairy coffee creamer 1 1/2 cups instant hot chocolate mix 1 1/2 cups instant coffee granules 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg In a large bowl, stir together the coffee creamer, hot chocolate mix, instant coffee, sugar, nutmeg … [Read More...] about Holiday Coffee Drink Recipe

You are here: Home / Just Coffee / Coffee Beans / The Coffee-Storage Conundrum: How to Keep Beans Fresh

The Coffee-Storage Conundrum: How to Keep Beans Fresh

October 6, 2010 by admin

Let’s look at bags first. If your favorite coffee can be found in a supermarket or other kind of store, and isn’t scooped as whole beans or ground fresh on-site, look for brands packed in bags with a one-way valve. They are common. You can spot the valve, which looks like a little round button, near the top of the bag. In addition to protecting contents from moisture and light, one-way-valve bags allow coffee to be packed soon after roasting, without forced degassing.

That’s a good thing, because it means carbon dioxide remains present in the bag, pushing out oxygen to protect against oxidation and promote proper aging. The valve also allows small amounts of carbon dioxide to escape from unopened bags, protecting against the bag exploding during normal rises in atmospheric pressure. But the valve giveth and taketh away; escaping along with the carbon dioxide are those essential volatile aromas. Bottom line: You’ll want to open one-way-valve bags within a few weeks of the roasting date.

But how to know the roasting date of non-store-roasted, bagged coffee? Forward-thinking roasters like Intelligentsia and some others have started to stamp the roasting date on bags. Otherwise, there is an unscientific approach that works pretty well: hold the bag with the valve close to your nose, squeeze gently and let a little gas escape. If the coffee is of a good age, you’ll sense good, intense aromas. [Corby’s note: But remember, those escaping aromas mean less in your cup! The problem, as Giorgio points out, is if the good aromas have already been lost, in which case you smell nothing, or whether the odor is frankly stale, in which case you shouldn’t buy it.

Try to use up the contents quickly—ideally, within a few days to a week—because of the ensuing rapid staling. The one-way valve fully opens the first time you open the bag, and serves no purpose afterwards.

Non-valve bags are the norm for coffee packed fresh at your local roaster or café. [Corby’s note: Though Starbucks and other large roasters used to, at least, ship bulk coffee in valve-lock bags.] They are a viable packaging option if the coffee going inside was freshly roasted three to five days beforehand, allowing for sufficient initial degassing. Maybe a day or two on the long side won’t make a big difference, but more than that, and you’ll experience a variety of issues, like the overabundant crema and taste flaws described earlier. I strongly recommend asking the barista or counterperson how recently your choice was roasted. If the person isn’t sure, I’d recommend not buying. When you do buy, start using fresh-packed coffee right away—simply keeping the bag sealed doesn’t stop the rapid degassing process—and finish it within a few days to a week.

If finishing a bag that quickly isn’t in the cards, you can extend your coffee’s life through refrigeration. The key is first transferring it to an airtight container, then making sure to bring it to room temperature before preparing, especially for espresso. [Corby’s note: I don’t think Giorgio’s way! I never believe in refrigeration. Keep in an airtight bag at room temperature for five or so days, and that’s it.] For longer-term preservation, you can put an open one-way valve bag or any non-valve bag in the freezer. Know that there will be some flavor and aroma loss. [Corby’s note: a lot!] I don’t recommend freezing coffee intended for espresso under any circumstances.

On to cans, where lots of confusion reigns. The most common canning process is vacuum packing, which does an excellent job protecting coffee from moisture, oxygen, and light—better than bagged coffee. You can store it for many months on the shelf, or in your pantry, before unsealing. But vacuum packing has one major flaw: The coffee must be completely degassed before packing, because there is no valve to let gas escape. Without degassing, vacuum-sealed cans are prone to expanding, or even exploding. The problem is that full degassing prior to canning causes immediate loss of very desirable, volatile aromas that come from coffee’s natural aging process. So the tradeoff is clear: gain shelf life, lose some aroma and flavor.

The other major canning method, pressurization in a modified atmosphere, provides the best of both worlds: protection from staling-inducing elements while permitting proper aging though carefully calibrated degassing. Full disclosure: This method was invented in the 1930s by illy’s founder, Francesco Illy, by chance as he was seeking the best way to transport his coffee from Trieste, Italy, to Switzerland. [Corby’s note: And it’s also Illy’s opinion—its canning method best shows its own blend, as other companies’ storage methods do, dictated by economy and technological prowess. And Illy has always been at the technological forefront.

This method puts newly roasted coffee in a rigid, sealed can with a special, one-way valve. As with vacuum packing, the air is drawn out. But a critical, extra step then occurs: the introduction of inert nitrogen gas, which pushes out any residual oxygen while increasing internal pressure, promoting   proper aging from the start. As gas fills the can, the can’s internal pressure increases, effectively slowing down future degassing.

During the initial 10 to 15 days, a strong aging effect takes place, improving the quality of the coffee. The high internal pressure spreads the natural oils around the coffee cells (see photo), creating a barrier whereby the volatiles normally forced out by escaping carbon dioxide remain trapped inside. The net effect is shelf stability for months, enabling long-distance transport with no quality loss.

Cain, Abel, and other biblical siblings aside, understanding coffee packaging can make your coffee a truly religious experience.

Filed Under: Coffee Beans, Just Coffee

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Cooking With Coffee

Sour Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake (makes 9+ servings) Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 … [Read More...] about Sour Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Coffee Souffle Recipe

Makes 10 Servings 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup white sugar, divided 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1 envelope (1 tablespoon) … [Read More...] about Coffee Souffle Recipe

Mud Slide Chocolate Cake with Coffee and Kahlua

Yield: 12 servings Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1-3/4 cup strongly brewed coffee 1/4 cup … [Read More...] about Mud Slide Chocolate Cake with Coffee and Kahlua

Chocolate Covered Espresso Almond Biscotti

The ultimate accompaniment for espresso and cappuccino is biscotti. This dessert is surprisingly easy to make and it can make a wonderful impression … [Read More...] about Chocolate Covered Espresso Almond Biscotti

Cappuccino Muffins

Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 2-1/2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp instant espresso coffee powder (or instant coffee) 1/2 … [Read More...] about Cappuccino Muffins

Mocha Cream Cheese Cake

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake 1/2 cup hot strong coffee 1/3 cup cocoa powder 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup … [Read More...] about Mocha Cream Cheese Cake

Dark Roast Coffee Gelee

Ingredients: (For Gelee) 6 tbs finely ground dark roast coffee 2 and 1/4 cups boiling water, plus 1 tbs cold water 1/2 cup cugar 1 and … [Read More...] about Dark Roast Coffee Gelee

Thanksgiving Cinnamon Coffee Cupcake Frosting Recipe

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 pinch salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup butter, softened 3 cups … [Read More...] about Thanksgiving Cinnamon Coffee Cupcake Frosting Recipe

Café d’Epoca & its Profile Discovery tool

Café d'Epoca recently launched its website that revolves around personalization and coffee discovery.  You take a simple 6 question profile assessment quiz and it designates your flavor profile type.  It then recommends which Profile Coffee type you should drink and associated origin coffees that match your flavor type. It's fun, beautiful and interesting.  Take a look here, Cafedepoca.com … [Read More...] about Café d’Epoca & its Profile Discovery tool

Differences Between Coffee Roasts

For the most part there is a standard that is followed within the coffee industry when it comes to identifying different roast levels, but this is prone to vary within different regions, different countries, and even within different companies. It's important for coffee drinkers to understand the key differences between these roasts to help them better identify their ideal brew and purchase the … [Read More...] about Differences Between Coffee Roasts

Mocha Coffee Recipe

Ingredients 1 cup hot brewed coffee 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon white sugar 2 tablespoons milk Directions Pour hot coffee into a mug. Stir in cocoa, sugar and milk. … [Read More...] about Mocha Coffee Recipe

Coffee Grounds in Your Garden

How to Use Coffee Grounds in Your Garden Throw it in your compost: Coffee grounds are 1.45% nitrogen and contain calcium and magnesium to add some trace minerals you may not get from your other organic material.  Coffee grounds are a green material (I know coffee is brown, but same idea as grass clippings) so you should add with at least equal amounts of brown material (leaves) but if you are … [Read More...] about Coffee Grounds in Your Garden

The Coffee-Storage Conundrum: How to Keep Beans Fresh

Let's look at bags first. If your favorite coffee can be found in a supermarket or other kind of store, and isn't scooped as whole beans or ground fresh on-site, look for brands packed in bags with a one-way valve. They are common. You can spot the valve, which looks like a little round button, near the top of the bag. In addition to protecting contents from moisture and light, one-way-valve bags … [Read More...] about The Coffee-Storage Conundrum: How to Keep Beans Fresh

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