Don't roast your own coffee beans!

[Cider123]

I warn you. Do not make the mistake I made. Do not find quality unroasted beans, then roast them yourself at home. Someone gave me this advice and I did not listen. It is too easy for an amateur roast. All you need is a hot air popcorn popper and a grinder.

Woke up this morning and realized I forgot to make more coffee for the weekend. I was left to make a pot with the Maxwell House stuff in the cabinet. It used to taste fine, now most coffee tastes like cr@ppy dishwater. It is very hard to get a cup a coffee that measures up to the quality you get used to when you make your own. You also get partial to the particular blend you buy and make, so even a half decent cup somewhere else tastes odd.

I have shafted myself. I m now a coffee junkie. I need to go roast. Excuse me.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

that is why I haven't started roasting yet.

 

[Pappers_]

I want to roast coffee.

 

[Cider123]

sweetmarias.com

But don't say I didn't warn ya

I am just a happy customer of this webpage

 

[chumprock]

I would roast my own but I found a roaster in Bisbee, AZ that is just too good so I have him ship me a couple pounds every 2 weeks.

 

[HBtC]

This is not what I was expecting...

 

[cluckk]

Something new to try! All I need is another obsession.

 

[Beernik]

My wife has a cousin in Puerto Rico who grows and roasts her own coffee.

It was divine!

 

[Rbeckett]

Something new to try! All I need is another obsession.

OK, so beer, Cider, Smoking meat, Hot sauce and sausage making isn't enough. Now I gotta try to roast my own beans? I guess I could do that at the same time I am experimenting with roasting my own malt too. I swear this site is gonna kill me yet. Or SWMBO is gonna for making a mess in "her" kitchen..... I do love this place, I got more projects to tinker with than I could ever master, and I am having a blast with all the learning I get to go along with the fun. I'll never be bored, that is for sure. Since I got my cataracts fixed I can see the components to finish my control panel for my brew tower too....... Yup, lots and lots to do, I love it.

Wheelchair Bob

 

[TNGabe]

Roasting coffee is has the highest reward to effort ratio of any food/beverage DIY hobby. It's much easier to roast great coffee than brew great beer. 10-15 minutes to roast with a 3-4 day max wait to brew coffee compared to all the time for beer. Coffee is way cheaper to get started with, too. Get a popper at a thrift store for a few bucks.

 

[Medicbrewer]

SWMBO got me a roaster for Christmas. I love this thing. It's the Fresh Roast 500 or something like that. Just finished a batch of Honduran Bourbon and can't wait to try it. It took about four batches of experimenting with the timing to get it just right but it is totally worth it.

 

[Cider123]

Roasting coffee is has the highest reward to effort ratio of any food/beverage DIY hobby. It's much easier to roast great coffee than brew great beer. 10-15 minutes to roast with a 3-4 day max wait to brew coffee compared to all the time for beer. Coffee is way cheaper to get started with, too. Get a popper at a thrift store for a few bucks.

True, but to truly make it an obsessive hobby, you have to be able to modify the equipment. I bought a old West Bend Poppery air popper which is one of the recommended models. I just had to do the modifications, such as adding a metal collar on top and opening up the unit and removing the heating governor. It still has a safety fuse in case of emergency, but it gets much hotter so I can easily get to that "second crack".

 

[aeviaanah]

I roasted my first coffee today. This thread inspired me. I went to sweetmarias and ordered the sample pack. It came today and I got right to roasting.

For my first roast, I didn't do much research as I have plenty of unroasted coffee to experiment. i watched a few videos and got the jist of what is going on. You essentially are waiting for that first crack then anything thereafter is the roasting preference...right?

After reading about the various methods, popcorn machine, pan, pot, oven. I decided to use a copper bottom stainless steel pan... as I thought I could shake it more vigorously and create a more even roast. Preheated the pot then I poured an even layer to cover the bottom evenly. I continued to shake throughout the whole process. I heard the first crack and continued for another two minutes or so, i let smoke ventilate from pot and checked color throughout the process. After the desired color was reached I then poured the beans into my 7gal boil kettle (for homebrew) i shook vigorously and blew on it to remove the loose particles that cracked off the beans (I think I read somewhere you don't want this stuff in the coffee).

Id say I got a nice even roast all beans were equal in color. I took and ground the coffee and added into the storage tin I purchased while purchasing the beans. I cant wait to try for tomorrow coffee. Ill chine in tomorrow with the results, too late in the day for a cup!

Thanks ciderjunky for the inspiration. Feel free to criticize my method.

 

[Cider123]

I roasted my first coffee today. This thread inspired me. I went to sweetmarias and ordered the sample pack. It came today and I got right to roasting.

For my first roast, I didn't do much research as I have plenty of unroasted coffee to experiment. i watched a few videos and got the jist of what is going on. You essentially are waiting for that first crack then anything thereafter is the roasting preference...right?

After reading about the various methods, popcorn machine, pan, pot, oven. I decided to use a copper bottom stainless steel pan... as I thought I could shake it more vigorously and create a more even roast. Preheated the pot then I poured an even layer to cover the bottom evenly. I continued to shake throughout the whole process. I heard the first crack and continued for another two minutes or so, i let smoke ventilate from pot and checked color throughout the process. After the desired color was reached I then poured the beans into my 7gal boil kettle (for homebrew) i shook vigorously and blew on it to remove the loose particles that cracked off the beans (I think I read somewhere you don't want this stuff in the coffee).

Id say I got a nice even roast all beans were equal in color. I took and ground the coffee and added into the storage tin I purchased while purchasing the beans. I cant wait to try for tomorrow coffee. Ill chine in tomorrow with the results, too late in the day for a cup!

Thanks ciderjunky for the inspiration. Feel free to criticize my method.

Glad to hear. Have fun with it!

We have found that we like it into the second crack. At first we could only get the popper hot enough to go just past first crack. The coffee was a bit too bright or acidic at that roast level. After the popper "mod" we got it hot enough to reach second crack which is between City roast + and french roast. That is perfect for us. We also now buy the Brazilian coffees and those that are low in acidity and higher in darker, carmel tones.
After roasting we wait at least 12 hours before grinding and brewing.

If you eventually use a popper, it will blow the chaff out of the beans for you. In fact, you'll have a whole room of chaff if you do it inside:cross:

Sweet Marias does seem like a solid company with good prices and excellent selection.

 

[aeviaanah]

Glad to hear. Have fun with it!

We have found that we like it into the second crack. At first we could only get the popper hot enough to go just past first crack. The coffee was a bit too bright or acidic at that roast level. After the popper "mod" we got it hot enough to reach second crack which is between City roast + and french roast. That is perfect for us. We also now buy the Brazilian coffees and those that are low in acidity and higher in darker, carmel tones.
After roasting we wait at least 12 hours before grinding and brewing.

If you eventually use a popper, it will blow the chaff out of the beans for you. In fact, you'll have a whole room of chaff if you do it inside:cross:

Sweet Marias does seem like a solid company with good prices and excellent selection.

Your right, chaff everywhere. I ended up taking it outside. Curious as to why you wait 24 hours before grinding? I'll soon find my perfect coffee and roast

 

[Cider123]

I guess I just assumed it was better to leave whole. They do say to wait at least 12 hours before using freshly roasted beans, but don't know if they say anything about waiting to grind. I do know that the flavor will dissipate quickly if you try to store it ground versus whole, but if you are only waiting a day I don't know if it makes a difference.
Might be worth searching.

I actually drink tea during the week and only have coffee on the weekends. I do this to cut down on the cream and sugar I put in my coffee. I admit, as much as I like coffee, I don't drink it black.

 

[Jipper]

For all you coffee roasting fans - have you ever roasted some beans while brewing a batch? I roasted 24oz. while mashing for a coffee stout and was very pleased with the results! Ended up crushing the beans with a book (didn't want to grind them too fine - wanted to keep most of them in a hop bag), then threw them in at flame out / during whirlpool. Great flavor and roasted character. I know you'd get similar results from buying some coffee beans at Starbucks, but not too many people can make a coffee stout with *FRESH* coffee beans

Cheers!

 

[aeviaanah]

For all you coffee roasting fans - have you ever roasted some beans while brewing a batch? I roasted 24oz. while mashing for a coffee stout and was very pleased with the results! Ended up crushing the beans with a book (didn't want to grind them too fine - wanted to keep most of them in a hop bag), then threw them in at flame out / during whirlpool. Great flavor and roasted character. I know you'd get similar results from buying some coffee beans at Starbucks, but not too many people can make a coffee stout with *FRESH* coffee beans

Cheers!

This has already crossed my kind as well! I already got a stout on tap maybe after summer

 

[rgarry]

Stop it....stop it......no more hobbies needed

 

[aeviaanah]

Coffe was amazing first roast was a bit too light for my preference I hit second roast perfectly. I'm enjoying a cup now

 

[chumprock]

Curious as to why you wait 24 hours before grinding? I'll soon find my perfect coffee and roast

CO2 Saturation and degassing.

Best explanation: http://coffeefaq.com/site/node/44

 

[LabRatBrewer]

I got a West Blend II popper. 1/2 cup roasted, cant wait to try. My local coffee shop sold me 12oz as 1lb of green beans. Got to see if they'll make it right.

 

[njale]

i was thinking of getting an aeropress...but from what i was reading you need precise temperature so if i was in hurry in the mornings i was looking a for electronic kettle that heated to the desired temp but they were pretty pricey

 

[Jaybird]

Ohhh man yeah! I use the Whirley Pop thing for roasting. I think 24-36 hours is the best degassing time IMHO but I have roasted the night before with good results.

You gotta LOVE your own roasting! I am a BIG fan!!! I just hate that the green beans are so damn spendy!

Cheers
Jay

 

[grathan]

i was thinking of getting an aeropress...but from what i was reading you need precise temperature so if i was in hurry in the mornings i was looking a for electronic kettle that heated to the desired temp but they were pretty pricey

What about the microwave?

 

[LouHale80]

Fresh roasted coffee is the best, that being said I am NOT going to start roasting my own but it could be because my shop is in the same building as these guys
http://www.piercebroscoffee.com/servlet/StoreFront

They make some damn good coffee

 

[Cider123]

I got a West Blend II popper. 1/2 cup roasted, cant wait to try. My local coffee shop sold me 12oz as 1lb of green beans. Got to see if they'll make it right.

I got the same roaster. I did some mods on it

One of the best changes that had the biggest effect is very simple. It is the amount of coffee beans you put in the roaster. I now use about 3/4 cup. This just enough to get the right roasting time for me. Less than that and the beans start spinning quickly at the start which doesn't allow them to get hot enough for the second crack. This was frustrating for me at first as I couldn't get a dark enough roast. Too much and they won't move at all and scorch unevenly. 3/4 cup and they are sluggish at first. You have to move them in a circle to get them going, but after a min or so they begin to cycle on their own as they get lighter. I get the perfect roast for me, which is a min or so into the second crack. That is somewhere between full city + and french roast.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

I got the same roaster. I did some mods on it

One of the best changes that had the biggest effect is very simple. It is the amount of coffee beans you put in the roaster. I now use about 3/4 cup. This just enough to get the right roasting time for me. Less than that and the beans start spinning quickly at the start which doesn't allow them to get hot enough for the second crack. This was frustrating for me at first as I couldn't get a dark enough roast. Too much and they won't move at all and scorch unevenly. 3/4 cup and they are sluggish at first. You have to move them in a circle to get them going, but after a min or so they begin to cycle on their own as they get lighter. I get the perfect roast for me, which is a min or so into the second crack. That is somewhere between full city + and french roast.

Your tip on the 3/4 cup was spot on. Thank you!

 

[Kittyfeet]

One more potential hobby added to the extensive list. Last night a quick search revealed that beans can be roasted in a Presto Poplite, which coincidentally has been sitting in our cupboard, unloved, for months.

During my lunch break today I went to the local tea and coffee shop and picked out 4 half pound bags of beans (all different origins). Roasted up 2 batches just now, and I'll post the results tomorrow so you don't have to go thru the 5 minutes of work it took me.

I'm expecting the first batch to be a light roast; possibly too light. The black smoke started to freak me out and I pulled the plug at 4.5 minutes. Put all my stuff away, dumped the beans in their container, then looked at the other three bags just sitting there. Unroasted.

Started to feel neglectful of the other guys, so I pulled out the popper again, measured out some of bag 2 and popped, this time till 5:30. Black smoke still left me uneasy, so I unplugged and just stirred the beans and listened till the cracking started to subside. This could be a dark roast, maybe too dark. Really not sure.

Until tomorrow! :rockin:

 

[Kittyfeet]

Results! First roast was indeed a light roast. Too light for our tastes, but perfectly drinkable. Second roast was a dark roast. I loved it, my better half said it was ok for a dark roast. Not as acidic as they usually are.
Tomorrow I'll try for the mid way between the two. This is fun!