I am not a coffee drinker but I like the idea of storing some strictly for barter. With this in mind, what is the most economical way to go? Simple as buying cans of Folgers' or should I consider buying raw/roasted beans and vacuum sealing them in manageable bags? Your responses are appreciated.

-- ratt (on@the.up), August 15, 1999

Answers

I would think the easier to use the better. I doubt if it gets to the bartering stage we will be thinking gourmet ground. IMHO 1 or 2 pound vacuum sealed cans would make a nice barter item.

Got TP?

-- Sammie Davis (sammie0nospam@hotmail.com), August 16, 1999.

I would say that for barter, instant is the way to go. Think no electricity. God forbid. And no coffee makers. At least one could stir some instant into some water--hot, if possible. But maybe you are thinking barter way down tthe pike. Actually, I will miss really good coffee more than many other things.

For barter, I'm thinking small size Advil. Everyone loves Advil. Also, if you get whole cans of coffee, that's a pretty big barter item. What are you trading for? Things I would barter for would be medical services, chiropractic, dental, or just physical labor-- someone to dig a hole or something. Food, like cans of tuna would proably work at that point.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), August 16, 1999.

Turn your coffee cans over in storage periodically. It keeps the oils from concentrating in the bottom.

-- helen (sstaten@fullnet.net), August 16, 1999.

as a coffee junky in a college town with well over 40 coffee shops,don't buy instant.I probably will barter for coffee at some point,and I'd much rather filter canned coffee through dirty underwear than drink instant.I'm pretty snobbish now about not drinking canned coffee,but I'm quite aware that times will change....

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 16, 1999.

As one gets older and the body starts to lose bits and pieces, one has to give up certain things. For me it's been sugar, alcohol (sob!), cigarettes (big sob!), a large number of high-fat foods--you know how it goes. And the few vices I still retain, like coffee, become even more important. It was one of the first things I started to stockpile. I understand green coffee lasts longest, but we've been storing roast bean coffee in vacuum packs, stored in white buckets, lids sealed with duct tape, no oxy absorbers or anything. We're now drinking coffee we stored a year ago--tastes fine to me. I didn't know about upending the buckets every so often so I guess the oils have sunk. I can't tell any difference in taste. But I pour the contents of a bag into a screw-top jar before I put it in the fridge, so I guess the oily bottom beans get mixed up with the others when I do that.

Fr barter, perhaps those small packs of ground coffee you see at bulk displays would be a good idea--they're about 1.5 or 1.75 ozs, something like that. Expensive way to buy it, though. Invest in some ziplock snack bags, bag your own for barter. And, of course, make sure you have a hand-grinder for the coffee.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), August 16, 1999.

Be assured that I only buy fresh and French roasted coffee, the oilier the better. However, you don't have to supply gourmet coffee for barter, unless you are a suitor bartering for a wife. Sure I will put away a few pounds of really good coffee, but that's private stock. Give the masses Advil for their coffee headaches.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), August 16, 1999.

There are lots of non electric solutions for coffee making. Stainless steel drip pots work very well--just pour boiling water into the top, and coffee collects in the bottom. We used to even use an old one for making coffee over the campfire.Nothing to wear out--ever!

For espresso junkies, I've got a stainless steel espresso pot. I wouldn't use it on a campfire, but it works on a gas stove just great. Only part which ever needs replacing is a rubber washer, which generally lasts at least a year, and costs less than a dollar.

Old Git, thanks for the info on your coffee storage results. We use organic coffee from Chiapas, and store it in the freezer ten pounds at a time. It lasts for a looooong time that way. We won't be trying to do anything for electricity if the grid's gone. Have alternatives for everything that's crucial, so I will not be freezing coffee. Do you vaccum pack your own coffee, or buy it that way?

Thanks, Al

BTW, Old Git, are you the oldest on this forum, do you think? I'm no spring chicken at 54, but I sure appreciate hearing from those older and wiser than I am.

-- Al K. Lloyd (al@ready.now), August 16, 1999.

Al K.,

Neither am I at 59 but NEVER ask a lady her age.

-- Scat (sgcatique@webtv.net), August 16, 1999.

Ratt:

May I suggest instant coffee in individual serving packs? You can buy it at most retail food distribution warehouse stores. Here in the midwest, we can buy it at Gordon's Food Service. I don't drink coffee but if it comes to bartering, it's a good item to have around. Hope I don't have to use it!

-- cynic (cynic@skeptic.com), August 16, 1999.

Thanks all for the input. Cynic---I think our "Gordon's" in southern Cal would be a chain of stores called "Smart and Final" Thanks for the heads up.

-- ratt (5yrsold@indog.yrs), August 16, 1999.

I suggest that you store either instant or roasted, not green beans. The roasted beans last better/longer.

I'm planting at least 3 coffee trees...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), August 17, 1999.

monk......i think old git has it right..........green (unroasted) beans last longer......once you roast them they start to loose their flavor........green beans will last for years

here's the url for some good info on coffee, and how to roast the beans.....it's a small coffee company i ran across months ago.....they sell all kinds of coffee and the beans, both roasted and green

haven't bought anything from them yet....but it's worth the visit just for the good info at the site

http://www.coffeebeancorral.com/

hope this helps

andrea

-- andrea (mebsmebs@hotmail.com), August 17, 1999.

Hey ratt,

Good suggestions on the coffee storage. If you don't drink coffee, you might consider storing something for barter that you could also use yourself, if possible. T.P or any petro product, if you can store it safe. The way prices are going up, it is a win/win situation either way. Also, although beans may keep longer, some folks might not have a means to grind them, so you would have to be able to do that pre-barter. Will a hammer do in a pinch for a grinder? Never dealt with coffee beans? Just a couple of thoughts.

Note: Last night noticed K-Mart in our neck of the woods (NC) has Folgers, the big cans, on sale for $5.99 till Aug. 21st, if I recall correctly. They also have no charge for layaway through October, I think. That is the best price I have seen. Wal-Mart continues to offer at $6.28 for same.

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), August 17, 1999.

ratt--

I would go for the #1 cans (nominal; actually less) of Folgers, Maxwell House, or whatever. These seem to keep the best for us. The individual bags in foil don't keep very well at all. I had some Folgers individual serving bags in foil pkgs that went stale in less than a year. I didn't make any special efforts at storing them; just had them on a shelf in the pantry.

In contrast, I found some Maxwell House French Roast in an unopened can that we found misplaced that we know was nearly two years old, and it was still just fine (according to my taste buds).

I don't know about the whole beans, roasted or green. I don't use them so haven't had any experience keeping them.

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), August 20, 1999.