A harvest visit to the estates, from Coimbatore
What we do on the estates between December and February, and how to see a coffee harvest on a weekend from the city.
Where to keep your coffee at home
Bag, tin, jar or fridge: what air, light, heat and moisture do to roasted coffee, and how to store it well.
Roasted coffee has four enemies: air, light, heat and moisture. Every storage choice is about keeping those away for as long as possible.
The bag we send is a good container. It has a one-way valve that lets out carbon dioxide from the freshly roasted beans without letting air in, and the foil lining blocks light. After opening, squeeze out the air, roll the top down tightly and seal it with the zip or a clip. For most homes, that is enough.
If you prefer a container, choose an opaque, airtight tin or a ceramic jar with a rubber seal, just big enough for the coffee. A big jar, half empty, leaves a lot of air around the beans. Clear glass jars look good on a shelf, but light dulls the coffee, so keep them in a cupboard. Keep coffee away from the stove, the top of the fridge and any sunny window, especially in Coimbatore’s summer, when kitchens are warm through the day.
The fridge is not a good place. Coffee absorbs smells from food, and every time you take the cold bag out, moisture condenses on the beans. If you must keep coffee longer than six weeks, freeze it in small sealed portions and thaw each one only once. Better still, buy smaller amounts more often. Our subscription sends 250 g or 500 g every two or four weeks, so coffee arrives roughly when the last bag runs out.
