Green coffee beans are sensitive to a number of external factors, such as moisture and heat. They should be stored in a clean, dry, and well-ventilated warehouse in sealed handbags, and is available on pallets to be raised above the storey.
If stored in areas with high temperatures and humidity, the chocolate loses its flavours rapidly and even take on an unwanted taste.
But what about freezing light-green chocolate?
While the practice of freezing cooked coffee beans is becoming increasingly popular, accumulating light-green coffee in below-zero temperatures is still a reasonably new perception. To explore the practice more, I “ve spoken to” two chocolate professionals based in Kenya.
You may also like our article on whether you should be freezing your coffee.
Staling and moisture content
Green coffee is hygroscopic. This means it absorbs moisture easily, even from the environment.
Consequently, preventing it baked and cool is important. Any strong odours( especially those contained in liquids) will pervade the green chocolate and artificially flavour it. This is why there is a need to store lettuce beans in clean and contaminant-free orbits.
As well as being cool and cool, light-green chocolate warehouses and other storage facilities was necessary to have good airflow and be free from dust. Optimal storage problems are essential, as lettuce chocolate is not a long-term stable product, and will lose its flavour within at least 2 years.
But, what about placing coffee at subzero temperatures?
Despite the more traditional storing techniques, freezing green chocolate is one of the newer access people have been using to preserve freshness.
Dr. Christopher Hendon is an assistant professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at University of Oregon. He has conducted extended research into the impact of temperature on coffee aspect and extraction.
“For every 10 oC you cool something down, most of the processes occurring in the bean occur at half the rate, ” he explains in this article. “So,[ the] chill of coffee should thwart chemical reactions that occur over experience( like staling or aging ), by making them started extremely slowly.”
But what about bowl excellence? What kind of impact does freezing lettuce chocolate have on the end product?
In research conducted at the Dedan Kimathi University in Kenya on freezing dark-green coffee, it was actually found that the beaker caliber of frozen chocolate tallied higher markers than coffee stored at room temperature.
Nancy Warui is a licensed Q grader, and was present on the tasting body for these frozen lettuce samples.
“It’s all about science, ” she excuses, “At such low temperatures, the activities within the bean slow down a lot which retains the freshness of the beans.”
After milling, the light-green chocolate she cupped was stored in perforated luggage( same in organization to jute pouches) and then placed in the freezer immediately. The freezer was free of any odours and other contaminants that could have endangered the quality of the nuts.
The nuts were under observation for 75 dates where any varies were monitored regularly, including irrigate work and moisture content.
Juliet Murugi was also on the panel conducting the sensory and cupping assessment of the coffee. She observed the significant change to water activity in the frozen dark-green beans.
“The major finding was how the chocolate in the freezer lost some moisture in the first 3 weeks, after which no more moisture was lost, ” she tells me. “After three weeks, the moisture content totally flattened and continued that direction until the end[ of the study ]. ”
Effects on bowl caliber
During the research carried out by Dedan Kimathi University, a board of five working cuppers assessed the frozen light-green chocolate tests. All of them agreed that the chocolate had unique savor, flavour, and torso characteristics.
“Immediately after lift the tests from the freezer, we cooked it to about a medium position, principle for cupping, ” Nancy says. “After grinding we noticed the rich sweet-scented smell of the frozen coffee.”
Juliet lends: “It outperformed my expectancies. You immediately notice the heavier mouthfeel- the full mas of the bowl is exceptional.
“The acidity was brilliant and the aroma was sweet, with an unforgettable aftertaste.”
Nancy includes: “I liked the fullness of the goblet In comparison with the normal lot. It had a more delightful tone, sharper acidity, and[ was] more balanced.”
The paper they contributed to found that with frozen lettuce coffee, the key to retaining freshness- and therefore flavour intensity- is maintaining moisture content.
Reduced humidity in the freezers means that the nuts did not absorb any irrigate from the sky. Although moisture grades fell by 2% within three weeks of freezing, it remained stable for the rest of the research period- merely removing by a further 0.5%.
The results concluded that the moisture contained within the bean compressed, and therefore could not escape from the nuts. All microbial task that occurs inside the nuts slackened by more than half the usual rate due to the temperature.
This means that the freshness of the nuts was preserved and when the bean was finally roasted, the quality was high.
It is also important to note that several different evaluates of coffee were used in the experiment, indicating that all of the light-green chocolate samples behaved similarly.
Challenges when freezing lettuce chocolate
Despite this advantage of prolonging freshness, freezing green chocolate is not often as straightforward as it seems. The main challenge is safely freezing light-green nuts without settlement quality.
Moisture and humidity are green coffee’s worst opponents, and these are two things which are definitely present in freezers, especially those that are not well-maintained and contain frost.
Storing lettuce beans in a frosted-over freezer may lead to significant aspect impairment when the coffee thaws- especially with more complex-tasting coffees.
Water activity in thawed beans may also be less predictable than light-green coffee stored at room temperature. This could negatively affect the process of ribbing, and lead to anomalies in roast charts. This really roasters buying any kind of frozen green chocolate must consider.
If other concoctions are also stored in freezers along with lettuce chocolate, they may also negatively influence chocolate character. This is because the beans are likely to absorb any odours. Roasters should take extra precaution where they accumulate frozen coffee and ideally remain other makes in separate freezers or compartments.
However, this ultimately leads to increased costs, which can become a risk if sales of these frozen coffees are not proportional to the roaster’s investment. Piloting a small-scale trial of sell and selling frozen green coffee may cure roasters figure out if it is a viable option.
Best rehearsals for chocolate roasters
These experimentations have shown that frozen dark-green coffee may maintain bowl caliber better than green chocolate stored at room temperature.
“If roasters had bags of previously frozen light-green with unique goblet characteristics, they would fly off the shelves, ” Juliet says. “Consumers would immediately notice the additional sweet[ and] smooth appreciation.
“This makes a lot of appreciation, but, of course, they would have to pilot the project first. However, I is no question there would be a lot of interest in this coffee.”
Charging premium premiums for frozen lettuce beans would also be necessary, because of the added costs of purchasing the extra equipment to freeze and check the chocolate.
However, customers may be likely to pay a fee for the rarity and exclusivity of this coffee itself- particularly in markets where customers appreciate exclusive lots and unexpected processing techniques.
Before roasting, light-green chocolate should be stored in airtight and waterproof suitcases, and thawed immediately before roasting to ensure best results.
Finally, make some precautions. Avoid storing dark-green chocolate alongside other food products and ensure the freezer is clean and free from frost. Finally, make sure humidity and temperature status are modulated. Improper storage may lead to defective beans.
For roasters looking to differentiate themselves and shoppers who want the freshest coffee they can possibly try, there may be an opportunity with frozen green beans.
When frozen properly, green chocolate can stay fresh and colourful for extended period. This ensures cup quality is maintained, and is hugely beneficial to roasters looking to offer premium, unique, or exclusive coffees.
While more investigate is needed to fully understand the chemical reaction that take place inside dark-green coffee when frozen, freezing it may be a worthwhile venture for those who want to maximise freshness.
Enjoyed this? Then spoke our article on how parcel material affects lettuce chocolate caliber over term.
Photo ascribes: Peter Gakuo, Battlecreek Coffee Roasters on Unsplash
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