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Green bean question

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 11:03 am
by johnny
Sorry if this has been covered before, I have searched but could find my answer.

How long to green beans last before they spoil ? .... I drink about 250g a week on average so its not like they will be building up, just wondering how much I can buy in 1 go wihtout them going off ?

thanks guys

RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 11:53 am
by espressomattic
I think the average is about 2 years in the right conditions.

Just watch out for any Cambodian 'aged' coffee......

RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:09 pm
by johnny
2 years ???? ... wow, plently long enough ... I was thinking I might end up with 6 month old greens ..... looks like I have nothing to fear

Thanks

RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:16 pm
by Steve
It really does depend how fresh crop they are. But I find after 12-18months its a down hill slope. 12 months (current crop) is the best to aim for.

RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 8:15 pm
by zix
Yeah, and buying a stash that will last you two years would be rather a lot of money, too. Plus there is always the risk that you get a bad batch, or just get tired of a particular origin and find you have 9 kilos left of it...
I sometimes buy larger amounts, for instance there was the yirg group buy that one from TMC organized a couple of years ago. But strangely, these bulk orders never last as long as I plan for them to last... if I buy to cover me for the next 6 months, I am mostly out of greens within 3 months. Anyone else here with the same problem?

Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 8:32 pm
by espressomattic
Steve wrote:It really does depend how fresh crop they are. But I find after 12-18months its a down hill slope. 12 months (current crop) is the best to aim for.


That is why you are a roaster and I am not ;) :P

Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:19 pm
by Bertie_Doe
zix wrote:But strangely, these bulk orders never last as long as I plan for them to last... if I buy to cover me for the next 6 months, I am mostly out of greens within 3 months. Anyone else here with the same problem?


When my stash drops to 2 kilos, I panic and put in another order. Last week 10 kilos arrived from HB, even allowing for visitors, this should last me 6 months.

A happy discovery last month, was the remains of a pack of Br Deterra BY, which I'd bought in July 06. 200g, just enough for a roast. Not at their peak best, but very drinkable.

RE: Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 1:05 pm
by Steve
I think that's bang on Bertie. They will still be very drinkable and good, just not as good as they were. If you can put up with that for an unusual coffee you may not find again then that's very good. I have a very small amount of a special coffee from 2005 that I'll roast one day, I'm sure it will be awful.

Recently I got give some 20 year old Cameroon that I don't think was good back then. Lets say it wasn't so good :)

RE: Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:48 pm
by quoad
I've recently dug into a bag of Columbian Huila / Antioc decaf from... um... a year or two back.

It was sitting around because, frankly, I've just never quite *got* it. Tried a few roasts wi me iRoast, borked them all, just... couldn't... work out... where the goodness lay.

So after getting the Zaff, I tried a couple of Hottop roasts! Thinking it might show 'em up in a whole new light!

And still couldn't find out where the goodness lay, only this time they were (noticeably) a year older / flatter n all :D

NOT my finest coffee hour :D

They've been... permanently retired :)

I'd also hazard a guess that some beans age quicker than others. Some varieties of bean seem to go down hill far, far faster than others regardless of storage once roasted - so I'd guess that might hold true for their green cousins n all.

RE: Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:50 pm
by quoad
p.s. I - also - ordered 4kg of green decaf Sumatran yesterday.

But having gotten through 140g of that on a single day recently ( :oops: ) can't see that being a six-month issue. Thank god for decaf :oops:

And I'd hate to run out of the Sumatran. For a wee while, at least :D

Re: RE: Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 11:00 pm
by Bertie_Doe
quoad wrote:I've recently dug into a bag of Columbian Huila / Antioc decaf from... um... a year or two back.

So after getting the Zaff, I tried a couple of Hottop roasts! Thinking it might show 'em up in a whole new light!

And still couldn't find out where the goodness lay, only this time they were (noticeably) a year older / flatter n all :D



I also have a Hottop. What level of roast did you take the Huila to?

Re: RE: Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:54 am
by quoad
Bertie_Doe wrote:I also have a Hottop. What level of roast did you take the Huila to?


WELL. My notes say tenuous / possible / might-be 2nd, so veryvery early (possibly the first) second crack; or possibly slightly before.

Thoughts?

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:38 am
by CakeBoy
quoad wrote:
Bertie_Doe wrote:I also have a Hottop. What level of roast did you take the Huila to?


WELL. My notes say tenuous / possible / might-be 2nd, so veryvery early (possibly the first) second crack; or possibly slightly before.

Thoughts?


Confused! ;) :P

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:07 pm
by quoad
CakeBoy wrote:Confused! ;) :P


Sorry :D

The early edges of second crack. Possibly the first whiffle of second crack. Possibly slightly before.

My notes ALWAYS make sense at the time of writing :D

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Green bean question

PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:52 pm
by CakeBoy
I was just kidding, your notes did make sense enough. Reading back in our tasting log can be quite funny at times :D