Storage of green beans in a cool, dry area is necessary. Opinions vary on storage length. The consensus is 2 years for peak flavor. Other people on my coffee forum have used beans that were up to 7 years old with no change in flavor. One guy said he found a bag in the back of the drawer that was 16 years old and still tasted good. Personally, I have roasted 4 year old beans that I thought had not lost any flavor. I like to rest roasted beans for a minimum of 3 days after roasting. Then I make a cup every day until I decide that it is almost at peak flavor. Then the beans go into an airtight container and then into the freezer. I have not really noted how long they stay in the freezer because they are used every day until they are gone. I don’t store them for a month and then start using them.
Coffee drinkers are much like wine drinkers. Some people can taste all the notes in a wine and can tell the difference between various vintages and wineries. I never could do that. One wine tasted much like another one. But I CAN do that with coffee. I also think that the cheapest coffee that I roast is better than any from the various chains in my area. I go to coffee shops about once a year and sample their regular coffee and espresso and compare them to mine. Also, any ground coffee from a store is far down the list as far as taste goes. Pod coffee is further down the list. I do try ground coffee occasionally and I have a Lilly capsule machine that I use when I am in a hurry.
Coffee consumption is like any other food or drink consumption. Some people know and appreciate the subtle differences and some people don’t. No point in roasting your own beans and knowing the difference between South American and African beans if you can’t discern the difference in flavor. I don’t criticize people for liking Folger’s or Keurig (except for Randy but that doesn’t count. Randy is such a soft target). My wife goes to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts everyday on her way to work. I make a latte for her on the weekends. A while ago she said I spoiled her because my coffee tastes so much better than her usual. But I have refused to get up early every day to make her coffee.
Probably a longer answer than you needed, Randy but if you have any other questions, I would be happy to help.