Dark Roast using an Air Popper?

[SevenFields]

I want to start Roasting my own green coffee beans. I prefer dark roast coffee and I want to use an Air Crazy popcorn popper. I would start with a Whirley popcorn popper but I do not have gas grill burner or a hood over my oven inside. I have read numerous sites and watched the videos on Sweat Marias but my question is, how hard is it to get a dark roast using an air popcorn popper?

 

[TallDan]

I want to start Roasting my own green coffee beans. I prefer dark roast coffee and I want to use an Air Crazy popcorn popper. I would start with a Whirley popcorn popper but I do not have gas grill burner or a hood over my oven inside. I have read numerous sites and watched the videos on Sweat Marias but my question is, how hard is it to get a dark roast using an air popcorn popper?

In my experience, pretty easy, I ran a batch into the second crack just to see how it sounds. Too burnt tasting for me personally, but it didn't take too long with my popcorn popper.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

I want to start Roasting my own green coffee beans. I prefer dark roast coffee and I want to use an Air Crazy popcorn popper. I would start with a Whirley popcorn popper but I do not have gas grill burner or a hood over my oven inside. I have read numerous sites and watched the videos on Sweat Marias but my question is, how hard is it to get a dark roast using an air popcorn popper?

I dont roast my own yet but have heard on cigar forums of people using popcorn makers with good success. From what I've seen people dont have any issues getting the roast they like. Use the timetable on sweet marias site and see how it works.

 

[SevenFields]

In my experience, pretty easy, I ran a batch into the second crack just to see how it sounds. Too burnt tasting for me personally, but it didn't take too long with my popcorn popper.

How soon do you remove the beans once you hear the 2nd crack?

 

[Cider123]

It depends on what flavor profile you are looking for. I roast until I get solidly into the second crack, but not beyond. That means I go past when a few beans just start to crackle but stop before the cracking starts to subside. I get a nice dark, rich roast. I go by sound more than temp or color. You will get the hang of it too. The first crack sounds more like popping, the second crack takes a few minutes more and sounds more like rice crispy treats crackling.

I would read up on how to's at the sweetmarias.com website. They sell good stuff and give a lot of good info. That's where I learned.

Also, based on your popper, you may need to do some modifications in order to get it hot enough to reach second crack temps. Based on the type of popper.

Have fun

 

[TallDan]

How soon do you remove the beans once you hear the 2nd crack?

Well, the only batch i roasted that dark i let go until the second crack started to slow down, i unplugged the popper and dumped the beans onto a stainless steel splatter screen that i use to cool them. Had a few more pops after dumping them. By that time, the beans had some noticeable smoke coming off of them.

Be aware that if you use the plastic top on a popcorn popper it will deform and start to melt when roasting coffee, especially if you're roasting that dark. If you don't have anything on the top of the popper, the chaff will fly everywhere. I used that splatter shield on and off with the plastic top to control the chaff, but an actual coffee roaster is coming in the near future for me if i continue home roasting.

 

[Cottonmouth]

I use an air crazy. The first thing you are going to want to do is bypass the thermostat otherwise it'll barely get into 1st crack. I like a darker roast so I stop the roast about a minute or so into 2nd crack. I want to stop the roast immediately so I cool the beans on a cookie sheet that's been chilling in the freezer. If I get oil coming out of the beans after they've cooled awhile I've roasted too long. The batches are small so it's easy to experiment and see how you like your roast.