I Roast My Own Coffee Beans, and So Can You

My coffee roaster, with beans before and after.In our home we start the morning with our signature drink, the Maple Cappuccino. It’s a regular cappuccino with dash of real maple syrup added to the bottom of the cup.  As our home’s designated barista, I make 2-4 of these a day. When we have house guests, this number can easily go into double digits. (It’s not just caps in the morning, it can be caps in the afternoon, and even after dinner espressos).

All the coffee beans for these drinks are roasted in house. I started roasting my own coffee years ago, at the recommendation of one of my Denver-area carpentry clients, and haven't looked back since. It was a natural progression from the home brewing I've been doing for over 20 years. Not only does it provide the freshest cup around, it’s a great cost saver too.

Roaster Basics

Many folks start their home coffee roasting experience using a re-purposed hot air popcorn popper. These can often be found lurking in the back cupboard of your kitchen or bought at a thrift store or garage sale for just a few bucks.

When it comes to dedicated home roasters, the two commonest types are "hot air" or "drum." These are simply smaller versions of the large commercial operations. It's also possible to roast in a more old school style in a skillet, wok, or oven.

A few months ago I tried the skillet method while waiting for my replacement roaster to arrive. My original Fresh Roast 8 had died after 5+ years of near daily use. As an entry point into the home roasting market, I would highly recommend my recent replacement roaster, the Fresh Roast SR300. It’s an easy-to-use, value-priced unit that produces great results.

Bean Basics

The roaster (or more primitive skillet) is only half the equation. Obviously you're going to need a supply of green beans. Green coffee beans can be found in some cities at specialty coffee shops or online. I've found a handful of online retailers that offer some great selections, at very reasonable prices.

One of my favorite online retailers is Sweet Maria’s,, especially their Guatemala Acatenango-Finca La Soledad beans. (Yes, it’s a mouthful to say…but darn good in the cup).  Included in its online description are comments that would make some sommeliers jealous. But then again I’m a sucker for these mountain-grown Central American coffees.

"The dry fragrance has a vibrant fruit/nut flavor, a chocolate-dipped raisin and hazelnut scent. At darker levels, chocolate bittersweet notes dominate. The aroma from the wet grounds intensifies in honey sweetness, adding scent in the lighter roasts and some 'brown bread on the hearth' smells at Full City roast."

Pricing on green beans depends on many factors, but one thing that steers me towards this product and Sweet Maria’s in general is the fair prices from a small buyer working directly with the growers. I can purchase fine organic coffees that cost about ½ the price of the pre-roasted (i.e.: stale) coffees in my local supermarket, and I know the grower is getting their fair share as well.

The Roasting Process

Air roasters comprise a large percentage of the home roasting market and are pretty foolproof. My Fresh Roast SR300 will take care of about ¾ cup of green beans in under 10 minutes. We normally roast every other day (my old roaster was smaller and we roasted daily).

Ideal times to use the beans are from 12 to 24 hours after roasting; this allows the beans' roasting carbon dioxide to be released, which making for a smoother cup. The roast goes south after about a week. Fresh is best.  As a bonus, green coffee beans can be stored for months without losing quality, so bulk purchases are ideal.

My SR300 is a step above my older model in that it has a digital timer as opposed to a basic turn knob timer. With this digital timer I can repeat roasting times more accurately and make minor adjustments based on the level of roast or the variety of bean being roasted.

Ages ago, I used to think the darker the roast. the better the cup, but this is pretty much the opposite of what really happens. (In many cases, dark roasts mask the subtle flavor of the bean and are used to hide defects in the coffee itself.) 

One of the joys of home roasting is the simple ability to vary the roast to see how it affects a cup's flavor profile. The roast progresses through a simple hierarchy based on coffee roasting temperature and to a lesser extent, bean color.

Coffee Roasting Temperature

1. (383 °F) Cinnamon Roast…This is about as light as it goes, and happens before the first crack.

2. (401 °F) New England Roast…Next in line, slightly darker and is in the 1st crack stage.

3. (410 °F) American Roast…This is a medium brown and occurs as the 1st crack completes.

4. (428 °F) City Roast…A common roast level that still allows the varietal nature to shine.

5. (437 °F) Full City Roast…Medium dark brown, bittersweet comes into play. Begins 2nd  crack.

6. (446 °F) Vienna Roast…Oils began to form on bean, middle of 2nd crack.

7. (464 °F) French Roast…Burnt tones emerge, shiny with oil, popular with espresso blends.

8. (473 °F) Italian Roast…Burnt tones higher, thin body, acidity nearly gone.

9. (482 °F) Spanish Roast…Burnt charcoal and tar flavors dominant.

I like to mix it up, typically roasting in the City Roast to French Roast range; sometimes I will even blend a few roasts together to add another layer of flavor profiles.  My roaster is available at about $120 to $150 depending on where you purchase. You may think this is high, but some home drum roasters can cost 4 to 5 times this. The ROI (return on investment) for a SR300 is fast; for us, with 2 regular household drinkers, that cost is covered in about 4 months worth of "coffee bean" savings.

Oh…the smell of roasting coffee mixed with a hint of smoke from the wood stove is pretty nice too.

Kevin Stevens writes for Networx

Updated October 14, 2018.

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