Advice Please: Mixing beans ? (for use in a French Press) ?

[Ultrarunner2020]

Hey guys;
I have been brewing in a French Press for a while, and have found a bean that I like, but I am thinking of trying out some blends of my own.
I have been buying beans in 1lb bags from a local roaster, 1lb at a time. This amount usually lasts me about 12 days.
I have one 'AirScape' canister which holds 1lb beans.
If I buy two 1lb bags of two different beans/roasts, I would have to store half of each bag in its original bag, which is foil lined and resealable with a CO2 valve.
Will these beans keep for another 2 weeks after the bags have been opened (but re-sealed and not opened again for 2 weeks)?

I may consider buying another AirScape canister, or perhaps asking the roaster whether he could sell me 1lb of a mix of beans. I'm not very hopeful that they would want to go to the trouble of special packaging for such a small amount, but I can ask anyway.

Edit: What would you think of a blend of Sumatra dark roast from Indonesia and a Sidamo medium roast from Ethiopia?
I like the Sidamo for its smoothness and less bitter than either the Legender or Timor I have tried before, but it tends to run a bit weak, so I have decreased ratio from 12 to 11 and found that I like it better.
The idea of mixing a dark roast with a medium one makes sense to me, as it should result in a fairly well balanced flavor. I would of course need to play with the brew, but I am willing to 'take a chance'.
Thanks for your advice
Ultrarunner

 

[shadow745]

If you keep the coffee fairly airtight it might be fine for something like press that extended amount of time. If that's something I was doing I'd vacuum pack/deep freeze what I wasn't going to use within 1 week, but that's just what has worked great for me. Some go on and on about not freezing coffee, but I've found it's a fantastic way to minimize staling of fresh coffee. Next to home roasting, buying roasted coffee in bulk, breaking down into smaller increments and vacuum packing/deep freezing is a fantastic way to have fresh coffee affordably.

I agree with mixing two quite different coffees to give the best of both as in a decent ratio both 'should' give you a solid end result, but of course that's trial and error. I will say of all the coffees I've used over many years I always found Sidamo to be superb for press, drip, etc. For me it's too bright/berry-like on it's own as a SO espresso, but a bit of it in a blend adds a nice touch.

 

[MntnMan62]

I agree with @shadow745. I would also take the beans I was not going to use righ away, put them in a zip lock bag and freeze them for the couple of weeks until you need them. Just make sure you allow them to thaw completely before putting them in the canister. And mixing two different beans can yield a nice cup of coffee and allows you to create your own flavor profile for your tastes.

 

[Ultrarunner2020]

Thanks guys;
First thing, I'm going to call my local roaster and see if he/she can sell me a half pound of each bean, but I kind of doubt they will, as there is nothing on the website to indicate they can do blends or sell smaller amounts than 1lb.
Maybe I'll buy the Legender and either Sidamo or PNG for a blend and see how I like it. But I think maybe it would be best if I were to purchase another AirScape canister to keep the beans separate until I grind them, as I don't know what ratio of one bean to the other I will find i like best.
I have been brewing/drinking only one cup per day. My brew uses 33g beans per cup, so 1lb will last me about two weeks.

 

[MntnMan62]

Thanks guys;
First thing, I'm going to call my local roaster and see if he/she can sell me a half pound of each bean, but I kind of doubt they will, as there is nothing on the website to indicate they can do blends or sell smaller amounts than 1lb.
Maybe I'll buy the Legender and either Sidamo or PNG for a blend and see how I like it. But I think maybe it would be best if I were to purchase another AirScape canister to keep the beans separate until I grind them, as I don't know what ratio of one bean to the other I will find i like best.
I have been brewing/drinking only one cup per day. My brew uses 33g beans per cup, so 1lb will last me about two weeks.

Just buy a pound of each bean and keep them in separate containers if you wish. You're overthinking this. It's not really that complicated.

 

[Musicphan]

Just buy a pound of each bean and keep them in separate containers if you wish. You're overthinking this. It's not really that complicated.

Agree.. get a few lbs ... us mason jars if you need to

 

[Ultrarunner2020]

I have liked the AirScape canister, so I may just buy another. At $30 it may seem a bit pricey, but I like the fact that it forces the air out each time it is closed. I'm sure the beans stay a lot fresher in the canister than they would if I just kept them in their original bags after opening.

 

[shadow745]

Or the absolute best advice I can offer is to simply double/triple your daily intake. Thankfully I have a solid tolerance for caffeine and let it roll as often as I can.

 

[Ultrarunner2020]

Or the absolute best advice I can offer is to simply double/triple your daily intake. Thankfully I have a solid tolerance for caffeine and let it roll as often as I can.

I have thought about doing that. I tend to get very sleepy in the afternoon - after lunch - so perhaps another cup with lunch would work.