The management of your green coffee beans, also known as “green bean management,” is crucial to the preservation and continued quality of your unroasted coffee. There are a few fundamental steps that you may take in your roastery to complete this as carefully as possible.
The measures will, of course, differ from roastery to roastery. A retail roastery, for instance, will manage and store its coffee in a different way than a medium- to large-scale semi-industrial roastery. When in doubt, speak with a coffee expert to develop a strategy that works for you.
Basic measures:
1 – Watch out for storing your green coffee too close to your automatic coffee roaster. You’ll realize that the unroasted coffee beans will be affected by the heat from the coffee roaster. Make sure the green coffee is kept in a location where the temperature of your coffee roaster won’t have a direct impact on it. You can choose from different types of automatic coffee roasters, depending on your budget and roasting capacity.
2 – Make sure the storage temperature is stable. Your green coffee will not be preserved if the temperature changes. As a result, be certain that the temperature in your storage space is always between 10 and 18 degrees Celsius. You can use a thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust it accordingly.
3 – Assure a low level of humidity. An ideal humidity range for preserving beans is between 30 and 60 percent. You can use a hygrometer to measure the humidity and a dehumidifier to reduce it if needed. High humidity can cause mold and fungus to grow on your beans, which will ruin their flavor and quality.
4 – The unroasted coffee beans should never be exposed to direct sunlight. You’ll see how this encourages your coffee’s degeneration. Place the green coffee ideally in complete darkness. You can use opaque containers or bags to store your beans and keep them away from windows or other sources of light.
5 – Make sure there is adequate air circulation; ideally, the air should be recirculated four times an hour. This will keep the coffee fresher longer and prevent it from going bad. You can use a fan or an air conditioner to create air flow in your storage area. You can also use a coffee bean roaster with a cooler function to cool down your beans after roasting and prevent them from overheating.
