We had friends over for dinner this past Tuesday night. MJ asked if I could make coffee, to be exact, DECAF coffee, since it would be served AFTER dinner. I told her that all I had was some Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso Decaf. She stopped drinking decaf after she came back from Costa Rica, so the beans were vacuum-sealed and frozen. There were about 120g in the bag – enough to serve 4 coffees. The problem was the date: August 2017 – almost 2 years old! I told her that I couldn’t guarantee the flavor.

My wife enjoys Pappaccinos – my version of a cappuccino that she and I co-created. 2/3 frothed milk (half ‘n’ half to be exact) and 1/3 strong coffee from an AeroPress. After the milk is frothed, I insert the coffee in the frother with the frothed milk. add a squirt pf agave. and blend it all together. It comes out as a rich, tasty microfoam. She loves and our guests have come to love it.

I prefer strong coffee from the AeroPress, covered with a film of frothed milk so as to slow oxidation. I take a dollop or two from her frothed milk before I make her Pappaccino.

Well, much to my surprise, the pre-infusion in the AeroPresses bubbled up, releasing CO2. Our guests raved about their coffee, as did MJ. And the true test was my “almost” black coffee which was quite wonderful.

So can you keep 2 year old beans in a vacuum-sealed bag and frozen, yes. And they’ll do quite nicely in a pinch….