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How can I stop coffee going hard???

#Post
1

I don't drink coffee but have it for visitors. It seems such a waste as it doesn't keep and I end up throwing it out when less then half might be used. Any tips what I can do? Most people I know drink tea, but the odd ones only drink coffee so I would like to keep it on hand.

jan2242 - 2019-08-21 09:44:00
2

Do you mean instant coffee? I don't use it or have it in the house, but perhaps try coffee bags (like tea bags) rather than a jar of powder?

Edited by blands70 at 9:52 am, Wed 21 Aug

blands70 - 2019-08-21 09:52:00
3

Buy a small coffee plunger and a bag of good quality ground coffee and learn how to use it. Keep the coffee in the freezer and just spoon out what you need. It will thaw instantly. Your guests will be grateful.

davidt4 - 2019-08-21 09:55:00
4
davidt4 wrote:

Buy a small coffee plunger and a bag of good quality ground coffee and learn how to use it. Keep the coffee in the freezer and just spoon out what you need. It will thaw instantly. Your guests will be grateful.

I agree with this! Definitely a better option than instant (so you can ignore my suggestion above unless your guests *really* enjoy instant coffee).

blands70 - 2019-08-21 10:02:00
5

Sorry, will only be instant coffee, and that is expensive enough.

jan2242 - 2019-08-21 10:33:00
6

Try the coffee bags.

angie117 - 2019-08-21 10:53:00
7

Try inverting the jar.

amasser - 2019-08-21 11:05:00
8
jan2242 wrote:

Sorry, will only be instant coffee, and that is expensive enough.

I think you will end up saving money if you buy a cheap (under $10) plunger and a bag of plunger coffee ($6ish) that will keep, rather than having to throw away unused instant.

blands70 - 2019-08-21 11:32:00
9

Leave the coffee in the bag it came in, either reseal it or fold over tightly and put a rubber band around the whole bag and then put in a tightly closed jar.

articferrit - 2019-08-21 11:52:00
10

I think I will try the coffee bags first. Thanks for the hints.

jan2242 - 2019-08-21 12:26:00
11

We still like instant coffee - I like a very mild taste and often find the beans very strong at times.
I pour some out of the bag into a container kept for coffee and then roll up the rest in the bag tightly, and stick it down with sellotape until the next use.
It never ever goes hard and it can be weeks before being used again.

nzhel - 2019-08-21 15:18:00
12

It happened to me, I just chop a lump off it will desolve in the hot water.

lilyfield - 2019-08-21 16:37:00
13

Off the subject a bit! - coffee expensive in NZ compared to Aussie. I bought 400gm jar of Expresso Dark (No 7) in Aussie for $11 - why are we paying $6 to $7.90 (or more) for 100 gms? Daylight robbery here!

sla11 - 2019-08-21 16:57:00
14

Plunger coffee is surely much nicer than instant! I keep mine in the fridge and it's fine, even though I buy it already ground. And there are lots of different varieties so it should be easy enough to choose one that most if not all visitors will like.

venna2 - 2019-08-21 17:17:00
15
jan2242 wrote:

I don't drink coffee but have it for visitors. It seems such a waste as it doesn't keep and I end up throwing it out when less then half might be used. Any tips what I can do? Most people I know drink tea, but the odd ones only drink coffee so I would like to keep it on hand.

Keep it in the bag and use a bag clip to close it. I don't use instant coffee but do have it in for the odd visitor who prefers it ground. I also use the clips to keep milo in it's original bag, no more throwing out as it's gone hard too. I buy the clips from Kmart $2 for 30. Link below, I think TWH also sell them and most $2 type shops.

https://www.kmart.co.nz/product/bag-clips---pack-of-30/16280
7

nauru - 2019-08-22 19:25:00
16

I like the idea of those clips. I have tried rolling the bag up and putting in s container and it didn't work. Ad I said it is only one person who drinks coffee and visits every couple of months now as she moved away.

jan2242 - 2019-08-23 08:05:00
17

I have found the granulated instant coffee keeps best. SIL from overseas bought some of the more expensive type in the well sealed glass jar - about $8-10, and it was fine for 18 months. Since then I have just refilled the jar with the same brand. I myself don't drink it, but have it for visitors. Capricorngirl

mlarkin - 2019-08-23 11:23:00
18
jan2242 wrote:

I like the idea of those clips. I have tried rolling the bag up and putting in s container and it didn't work. Ad I said it is only one person who drinks coffee and visits every couple of months now as she moved away.

I find they work well, previously I had to thow packs of both coffee and milo out, now problem solved. I use the clips all the time for bread bags (small size clips) and other packets too. Also used to keep unused nuts and chipppies fresh and crackers and biscuits crisp.

nauru - 2019-08-23 18:04:00
19
jan2242 wrote:

I like the idea of those clips. I have tried rolling the bag up and putting in s container and it didn't work. Ad I said it is only one person who drinks coffee and visits every couple of months now as she moved away.

I always bring my own coffee when I visit people who don't have it.

I store a small jar of freeze dried coffee in the freezer. No issues so far with moisture absorption or clumping. It also stops mould growing on it.

buzzy110 - 2019-08-23 18:26:00
20

Yes agree with keeping it in the freezer, I have done this with Milo and Inka with great success. I kept the Inka in the jar it came in and Milo in the packet sealed in a plastic bag.

malcovy - 2019-08-23 20:00:00
21

I wonder if one of those silicone sachets that absorb moisture from pill bottles, would be sufficient for your coffee. It would certainly need to be in an airtight jar, I would recommend a jam jar with a metal lid, because those plastic lids on coffee jars just don't do it.

ange164 - 2019-08-25 12:23:00
22

The best airtight jars are all glass, with a clamp on lid and a silicone or rubber gasket/seal.

https://www.amazon.com/glass-jar-bail-lid/s?k=glass+jar+with
+bail+lid

Edited by buzzy110 at 12:34 pm, Sun 25 Aug

buzzy110 - 2019-08-25 12:34:00
23

I also agree with Buzzy. always empty packets into glass jars, and dont have any problems...You could also buy sachets, they have a good best before date

korbo - 2019-08-25 16:50:00
24
venna2 wrote:

Plunger coffee is surely much nicer than instant! I keep mine in the fridge and it's fine, even though I buy it already ground. And there are lots of different varieties so it should be easy enough to choose one that most if not all visitors will like.


You don’t need to keep it in the fridge - needs to be cool and dark but not cold. I do agree though - plunger would definitely be nicer than any instant.

sarahb5 - 2019-08-25 17:18:00
25
buzzy110 wrote:

The best airtight jars are all glass, with a clamp on lid and a silicone or rubber gasket/seal.

https://www.amazon.com/glass-jar-bail-lid/s?k=glass+jar+with
+bail+lid

You can buy those type of jars from either Kmart or TWH for around $3, different sizes too. I have several of them and they are good.

nauru - 2019-08-25 19:59:00
26

Instant coffee out of a bag.. I would be to embarrassed to even offer it to so called "Friends" or Family. But each to their own.

snowie10 - 2019-08-25 22:27:00
27

Easy....(told my friends to do this as they don't drink coffee) Just nick all the individual instant coffee sachets from motel/hotels next time you are away. Put in a sealed container, they last for years!

patsy3 - 2019-08-28 20:46:00
28
snowie10 wrote:

Instant coffee out of a bag.. I would be to embarrassed to even offer it to so called "Friends" or Family. But each to their own.

I'm the same. Unless I knew the visitor had a passion for instant coffee I wouldn't even have it in the house.

schnauzer11 - 2019-08-29 18:39:00
29

Timms or Jed's coffee bags. Single cup and packed as singles. Take them everywhere when travelling. Agree that granulated instant keeps better than powdered - which to be honest, isn't usually very nice anyway.

Jeds also do a fairly decent instant granulated coffee.

socram - 2019-08-29 19:11:00
30

I store my instant coffee granules in a plastic bag then twist the top and place a peg of the twist and store in a ceramic container.Keeps soft for yonks.. Also remember to use a DRY spoon when take a spoonful !!!!

petal1955 - 2019-08-29 19:39:00
31

I store my instant coffee granules in a plastic bag then twist the top and place a peg of the twist and store in a ceramic container.Keeps soft for yonks.. Also remember to use a DRY spoon when take a spoonful !!!!

petal1955 - 2019-08-29 19:58:00
32

If you are only buying it for one person, just ask them to bring their own. When we visit friends who we know don't drink coffee, we pack a plunger and coffee. It usually is a visit for a weekend (all our Auckland friends drink coffee, of course lol), and no way can we go that long without coffee.

A short visit I'd be happy with juice or water, rather than instant (but do drink it at MIL's as it is decaf and easier than her getting out the coffee machine and grinder and then us cleaning up the ground coffee she has managed to get all over the kitchen as she forgets to put the lid on properly). Okay, she only did that once, but I couldn't stop laughing for ages.

unknowndisorder - 2019-08-29 20:24:00
33

I always put my coffee powder in the fridge in an airtight jar. Keeps for months.

jaybee6 - 2019-12-15 17:18:00
34

just buy the small jars like maccona, about 80g, and keep in fridge, we arent coffee drinkers either but kids and their husbands are so this keeps fresh

gardner12 - 2020-01-02 16:25:00
35
lilyfield wrote:

It happened to me, I just chop a lump off it will desolve in the hot water.


Yuck! Have you ever tasted it?

gilligee - 2020-01-02 21:32:00
36
gardner12 wrote:

just buy the small jars like maccona, about 80g, and keep in fridge, we arent coffee drinkers either but kids and their husbands are so this keeps fresh

Agreed Maccona jars are best lasts longest on boat by far nice coffee too.

beaker59 - 2020-01-05 20:07:00
37

Keep it In Fridge in airtight container and will keep for ever.

jaybee6 - 2020-01-20 09:27:00
38
gilligee wrote:


Yuck! Have you ever tasted it?[/

Nothing wrong with it

lilyfield - 2020-01-20 10:37:00
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