At the turn of the century, Max Breandenstein opened his coffee shop in San Francisco, California, and was among the first pioneers to vacuum-pack his coffee. Upon opening a can of MJB coffee, the user is greeted with the swish sound of air and the aroma of fresh-roasted coffee. Max knew back then that the secret was FRESHNESS!
Today, artisan roasters pack their small-lot coffee in flex packs. A one-way valve vents all but a small fraction of outgas to keep the bag from bursting or deforming on the grocer’s shelf.
In contrast, the gorby pods celebrate outgassing and attempt to capture as much of that pressure as possible without exceeding the shear limits of the lid material. Since each bean-roast profile is unique, some experimenting is called for as to the magic time. The coffee should be packaged.
Timing is critical in this process. Too soon, and the pod bursts. Too late, and the flavor is gone. It is an experimental process. Each roast may give you different results. Gorby’s recommendation? Begin packing 12 hours after grinding—the sweet spot for most roasts. You can always adjust the time if needed, depending on the batch of beans. Our machines allow you to control the outcome.
In the optimal case, a chemical equilibrium is reached between the coffee wanting to outgas
and the pressure in the pod saying “no, you don’t”. In effect, the aging clock is stopped. In
addition, the pressure in the pod prevents the entry of oxygen. The net is that as long as the
pod is domed, the coffee will taste as good as the first day it was packaged.
To achieve this optimum balance point:
– It takes a close relationship between roast and package, like on-site packaging
– An excellent seal between pod and lid (weld)
– A reinforced lid (improves shear limits)
Clearly, any pod can deliver a good brew on the first day. The real test is how it will taste on the last. Domed G-Pods are designed to deliver optimum flavor. Like with Max with his MJB cans, a pierced pod will produce a pssh sound followed by an aroma that signals FRESHNESS! To find out more about the domed pod and how you can be part of this growing single-serve market with a quality pod, please visit www.gorbycoffee.com.