Search for A Perfect Coffee Gift Bag - Part 1 (4 X 6 Burlap Bags with Drawstring)

After I started roasting coffee, I have been having sleepless night; not because I am roasting at night, just because I have been drinking too much coffee! I want to try different duration and quantity for roasting, and that results in a lot of good coffee but I cannot simply try them all. If you are home roasting, you probably have similar problem.  Well, I have one solution for all of you who are sleepless coffee lovers.

The solution: Gift them.

Yes, how great is that?  You not only get to try roasting more, but others will love you for the coffee too, (that is if the resulting coffee is good).  I have been sharing my coffee with friends, family and coworkers since I started roasting, and that is a great way of sharing the "joy" or in other words, "result of trials and errors."

Surprisingly, I find out that it is extremely difficult to simply find coffee bags. You don't find them at regular grocery stores or even Target. Cash & Carry (They sell items for local restaurants) doesn't even have coffee bags.  (Side note: Cash & Carry is probably the best spot to buy coffee syrup; they are the cheapest and have a whole isle dedicated just for coffee syrup from three to four major brands.)
The local coffee roasting shop Mr. Green Bean (see my earlier blog about Mr. Greenbean) has some coffee bags but they are very "normal" and doesn't look like gift bags.
So my natural next option is online. It is not perfect, and I will keep looking for others but here is what I found out about 4 X 6 Burlap Bags with Drawstring - Lot of 24.

4 X 6 Burlap Bags with Drawstring

 First disclaimer: this product is not originally intended for coffee bag.  But I thought it looks pretty cute that it has the look and feel of the large coffee bean bags that I see in the corner of coffee shops.

Here are some pictures of how it arrives to you from Amazon and un-boxing the item:

Item arrives in a fine large envelope via USPS

   

Inside has a sealed plastic bag

Close up of the bag

The texture feels good

After opening, I notice a problem.  Something I did not notice online, the smell of the bag.  The material used for this bag is burlap which has smell of something like oil which is not somthing I want to mix with coffee that I just roasted.  This was a big disappointment on me.  But here is what I did to cover that up and still give it as gift: Ziploc Bag.

6/1/2" x 3 1/4" ziploc bag is the prefect fit for the size of the bag

One roast using Nesco CR-1010-PRR roasting fits one bag.

I basically packed the roasted bean inside ziploc bag and put it in the gift bag.  Good thing is that when I roast using Nesco CR-1010-PRR Coffee Bean Roaster, size of 6 1/2" x 3 1/4" is just the right size for one batch of coffee roasting after I try one cup of coffee.  And here is how it looks after all the effort:

 As I am not perfectly happy with this bag, I will be keep searching for better option, and I will post more as I try out more in the future.