Storing ground coffee...

[Rhezuss]

Ok, i'm a big fan of coffee and got the Breville Café Roma espresso machine last Christmas from my parents (not the best but makes excellent espresso anyways).

Now, I buy my coffee at my local coffee shop, La Brûlerie de Québec, which IMO, as the most fresh coffee around and which is nice, as over 50 kinds of beans. They grind it there too.

I have an opaque airtight container to store my ground coffee. Even with this, the coffee loses it's smell and taste after only a week...

Is there any tricks to keep it a little longer?

 

[Jeraden]

The problem is that you are having them grind it. Just buy the whole beans and grind it yourself. Get a burr coffee grinder if you can. Whole beans last a lot longer than ground coffee. Once you grind it, its usually only good for a week or so before it starts to get stale.

 

[Rhezuss]

The problem is that you are having them grind it. Just buy the whole beans and grind it yourself. Get a burr coffee grinder if you can. Whole beans last a lot longer than ground coffee. Once you grind it, its usually only good for a week or so before it starts to get stale.

Any other recommendations for a grinder, any specs I should be looking for?

And, how much longer do the beans last compared to ground coffee?

 

[NetWareHead]

Freeze it

 

[LookBehindYou]

Foodsaver works great.

 

[Texashiker]

mylar bags and oxygen absorbers

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Any other recommendations for a grinder, any specs I should be looking for?

And, how much longer do the beans last compared to ground coffee?

I'd like answers to these questions too. I'd like to grind my own coffee beans but can't decide on a good grinder.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Problem with the feezer method is that coffee flavor comes from oil extracted from the grind....if you freeze it, the freezer will dehydrate the coffee.

Foodsaver will keep it from spoiling due to the air-tightness, but coffee emits C02 for days after it's roasted. If you put it in an air-tight container, the C02 will eventually need to be bled off somehow...perhaps by using the handheld food saver vaccuum is your best bet.

I used to use this: http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=HatSTr_9K4rt0gGrqrScBw&ved=0CEwQ8wIwAw# from VaccuVin....but it was stolen in a burglary and I haven't replaced it yet.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I'd like answers to these questions too. I'd like to grind my own coffee beans but can't decide on a good grinder.

Blade grinders are the cheapest. (I own a mr coffee that I picked up for $9.99)

Burr grinders are the best...but they can run $50-100 easy. Research on Amazon.

 

[Scarpozzi]

One more tid-bit of knowledge to make a consistant pot of coffee. Due to the multiple roasts I make at home, I started using my food scale for coffee measurement rather than a scoop. (since all roasts vary in moisture/oil content)

It allows me to be more precise depending on the moisture in the individual roast. I typically use 2oz of coffee for a 8-10 cup pot or more depending on the roast and how rich I want the flavor to be...no I'm not columbian...just too cheap to pay for Starbucks.

 

[JSt0rm]

its ok to freeze the coffee over a short term (2 weeks or so) it will help it stay fresh.

Other then that you need to vacuum seal it. The problem is that the beans are releasing gases so they will break the vacuum seal over time. so you need something like this

http://www.amazon.com/Bean-Vac-Cordl.../dp/B001SGXMJG

 

[SagaLore]

If you can't grind it yourself, then put the beans in a brown paper bag (for sack lunches), and stick in the refrigerator to keep it cool (not in the freezer) with a small sack of rice (to keep moisture buildup down.)

 

[The Boston Dangler]

i have 1 of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCG-.../dp/B0000A1ZN7

it's ok, not great. it grinds consistently unless the cup is over-filled with beans (i like a medium-coarse grind). coffee dust is starting to accumulate in the power switch, causing it to stick on or off sometimes. i like that it's compact and simple, but the next one will have an external power switch and hopefully be a bit cleaner.

 

[Ns1]

buy a grinder.

here's my workhorse:

http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-...1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1314041428&sr=1-1

 

[Rhezuss]

Might as well end up buying a burr grinder if I want my coffe fresh...

 

[The Boston Dangler]

buy a grinder.

here's my workhorse:

http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-E...4041428&sr=1-1

me like

 

[JSt0rm]

Might as well end up buying a burr grinder if I want my coffe fresh...

Blade grinders work. Its really hard to tell the difference.

 

[Rhezuss]

buy a grinder.

here's my workhorse:

http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-E...4041428&sr=1-1

It's the one i'm eyeing at the moment.

 

[0roo0roo]

burr
blade makes uneven grind, over/under extraction.

 

[JSt0rm]

I get a even grind with blade. The problem with blade grind is that it heats the bean as it grinds.

 

[D1gger]

We use this grinder, and it works great.

http://www.krups.ca/All+Products/Coffee+Grinders/Products/GVX2/GVX+2+Burr+Grinder.htm

It is very adjustable to get the level of grind you want for your machine.