Storing espresso beans/grounds at work..

tchariya · 05-13-2009, 12:45 PM

I'm finding myself itching for espresso more and more throughout the day. My morning 20oz isn't tiding me over til I get home. So I have hot plate in hand, incoming 3-cup mokapot and delicious beans. Problem is, there is no decent tabletop grinder I can keep in my desk at work. I don't want to have to resort to manual grinding (tiresome!). So I think I'll resort to grinding a weeks worth of beans into a tuperware and sticking it in my desk.

Is this what you would do?
Should I grab something like a sealed jar of glass or ceramic material?

Or maybe I'm missing out on a grinder that would do well at work.

Suggestions

Mister Moo · 05-13-2009, 01:08 PM

You may not find the staleness of week-old (or older) preground coffee acceptable - or maybe you will. It isn't life or death anyhow, right? It's only coffee. It isn't like the New York Times Food & Bev critic will be reviewing your moka, right? Try it. Personally, I'd rather have good black tea than sagging moka but that's me.

If you're going to pregrind (and use it over the course of a week or more) you probably won't notice an improvement with a glass jar over a foil-pouch bag. Grind it, bag it and leave it in your drawer at work.

alley00p · 05-13-2009, 02:07 PM

I have been grinding a 1/2 pound of beans every week and putting them back into the foil pouch, which I fold a couple of times and place a small spring binder clip on it to help keep it air-tight.

At work, I've been using a Bodum Travel Press to make my coffee:

We have an electric kettle that I use for the hot water and it works great. The cup is insulated and keeps the coffee hot for a long time. It runs about $15 at various on-line merchants.

germantown rob · 05-15-2009, 10:05 AM

Setting aside what O2 does to beans there is degassing going on, when degassing stops the coffee is stale. This occurs in the range of 2 weeks and when beans are ground the degassing is done in about 15 min. There is no storage short of freezing that can stop this.

This really has any bearing if you are starting with fresh roast, you are throwing money away by pre grinding like this. If the coffee you are using is already old then grind away and put it in whatever is convenient for storage.

Mister Moo · 05-15-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by germantown rob

... If the coffee you are using is already old then grind away and put it in whatever is convenient for storage.

Rock solid, as always.

replicant_argent · 05-13-2009, 01:31 PM

I think just ziplocking it and putting it in a drawer is an acceptable experiment. Just try to roll all the air out of the baggy when you put it away, and you will minimize oxidation.

tchariya · 05-13-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by replicant_argent

Just try to roll all the air out of the baggy when you put it away, and you will minimize oxidation.

Sounds like something you would do for that wacky tobacc-y smoking stuff!

DocLogic77 · 05-15-2009, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by replicant_argent

I think just ziplocking it and putting it in a drawer is an acceptable experiment. Just try to roll all the air out of the baggy when you put it away, and you will minimize oxidation.

That's $$$.

05-13-2009, 12:45 PM	#1
tchariya Taters of the lost Ark Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 592 Trading: (13)	Storing espresso beans/grounds at work.. I'm finding myself itching for espresso more and more throughout the day. My morning 20oz isn't tiding me over til I get home. So I have hot plate in hand, incoming 3-cup mokapot and delicious beans. Problem is, there is no decent tabletop grinder I can keep in my desk at work. I don't want to have to resort to manual grinding (tiresome!). So I think I'll resort to grinding a weeks worth of beans into a tuperware and sticking it in my desk. Is this what you would do? Should I grab something like a sealed jar of glass or ceramic material? Or maybe I'm missing out on a grinder that would do well at work. Suggestions

05-13-2009, 01:08 PM	#2
Mister Moo I barely grok the obvious Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dan Location: Lizard Lick, NC Posts: 1,417 Trading: (3)	Re: Storing espresso beans/grounds at work.. You may not find the staleness of week-old (or older) preground coffee acceptable - or maybe you will. It isn't life or death anyhow, right? It's only coffee. It isn't like the New York Times Food & Bev critic will be reviewing your moka, right? Try it. Personally, I'd rather have good black tea than sagging moka but that's me. If you're going to pregrind (and use it over the course of a week or more) you probably won't notice an improvement with a glass jar over a foil-pouch bag. Grind it, bag it and leave it in your drawer at work. __________________ "I hope you had the time of your life."

05-15-2009, 10:05 AM	#4
germantown rob Still not Adjusted Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Rob Location: Philadelphia Posts: 330 Trading: (1)	Re: Storing espresso beans/grounds at work.. Setting aside what O2 does to beans there is degassing going on, when degassing stops the coffee is stale. This occurs in the range of 2 weeks and when beans are ground the degassing is done in about 15 min. There is no storage short of freezing that can stop this. This really has any bearing if you are starting with fresh roast, you are throwing money away by pre grinding like this. If the coffee you are using is already old then grind away and put it in whatever is convenient for storage.

05-13-2009, 01:31 PM	#6
replicant_argent Gravy Boat Winnah. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Pete Location: my attorney has advised against giving this information to insane people Posts: 5,326 Trading: (22)	Re: Storing espresso beans/grounds at work.. I think just ziplocking it and putting it in a drawer is an acceptable experiment. Just try to roll all the air out of the baggy when you put it away, and you will minimize oxidation. __________________ www.stogietorch.com Some days call for a stiff Pomade.