I'm trying to come up with a solution for long term coffee storage for both ground coffee and the beans.

Right now, I am repackaging ground coffee into one gallon sized Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. I know this will vastly improve the shelf life, but I don't know how much extra time this will buy. Since oxygen absorbers are relatively new, there is not a lot of data available about what repackaged self life to expect.

My plan is to continue repackaging, and to test a bag about 2 years after the original best-by-date. I will continue to occasionally test batches until I get some coffee that taste a bit off. At that point I will have a better idea about the (bag and absorber) "protection factor". I would love to have a firm answer, but don't think I have time to wait for someone else to do the homework.

Traditionally only dry items have been candidates for bag and absorber packaging. That is a good general rule for real long term storage, but does not mean that removing the oxygen from items like coffee, very slightly oily, will not vastly extend the shelf life.

I expect "world events" will overtake my little experiments, and I will be drinking my coffee long before it goes bad. I don't think we have time to wait 5-10 years for someone to do test to determine all the unknowns for us.

The way to store coffee long-term is by purchasing green beans and roasting them yourself as you need them. Green beans (whole beans) stay "fresh" for up to a year in a normal container, like a tin or glass jar or foil lined bag.

If you completely seal them off from light and oxygen and maybe even nitrogen purge them then they should stay "fresh" indefinitely, well for several years anyway.

What about instant coffee? Although it tastes worse than a good cup of joe, it should store better (all it is is just crystals).

Instant coffee? I think I'd rather do without!

Coffee snobness aside, that is a pretty good idea, though.

In an emergency shortage, I'd take instant coffee over no coffee at all...especially if I'm on night watch and trying to stay awake during some civil unrest emergency...

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If it's in your pack, but you don't know how to use it...it's useless. So, always test your skills as a form of preparation...Don't wait until your life depends on it. That's a lesson you don't want to learn the hard way.

I would have to agree, caffeine is better than no caffeine!

Besides, I don't know about you folks, but my day isn't started until I've had my coffee. I just don't feel "normal" without it, and it would be a great way to settle frazzled nerves.

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Ahh, the sweet smell of a morning cup of addiction

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I accidentally left one of those big 5lb. silver bags of Ipenema Brazil coffee from Starbucks in a corner for almost 2 years. (It was a cool dark pantry) I just forgot it was on that shelf behind the door.

When we opened it, the coffee was just find. (It was whole beans).

I think I read that they seal them, then use that funny valve on the side to vacuum out and fill with nitrogen twice to make sure.

I am glad to see that I am not the only one looking to store GOOD coffee for long term storage. I have a lot of money tied up in long term storage provisions. But the coffee available is less than satisfactory.
I gotta have my coffee and I can't stand canned. I read a bit about this and roasted coffee lasts for a year MAX. No good. That will not work when I have a garage filled with 20+ year food stores.

These guys have green (unroasted) coffee packed for long term storage. Five 2-lb bags (5-mil) packed in nitrogen with oxygen absorber and placed in a bucket also packed with nitrogen. Includes roasting instructions and smart enough to use a square buckets. (Who ever came up with the crazy idea of using round buckets to pack long term food stores?) Cheap too even when compared to canned coffee.

http://www.coffee-reserves.com



BTW: Coffee is thought to one of the best barter items....along with TP