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Who doesn’t love to brew their coffee from freshly roasted coffee beans? Roasting your own coffee beans at home can provide you with a unique flavor, as well as the satisfaction of knowing that you did it yourself. Am I correct?
I am sure even you do because the coffee brewed from freshly roasted coffee beans not only has the best taste and aroma but also gives more crema than commercially roasted coffee.
Although some of you might prefer the easiest solution and would be wondering about where to buy freshly roasted coffee beans for your next cup of java. I would be happy to guide you and let you know that you can buy freshly roasted coffee beans online.
For all the rebels who enjoy getting their hands dirty and would like to try out your roasting skills, let us go ahead and dig deeper.
Home Roasting Coffee Beans
Home roasting your own coffee beans comes with its own rewards:
Great Taste: The freshly roasted coffee is best in the taste and aroma it produces.
Thick Crema: Home-roasting fresh coffee beans help you to roast green coffee beans in small batches and hence use up the batch in a short duration, which always ensures that you get a thick, rich crema.
Unlimited Choices: You can select the source of your green coffee beans and from where they originate.
Total Control: You can always control the amount of roasting as per your choice. From light roast to medium roast or even medium dark roast, you can customize the way you want!
Much Cheaper: Home-roasted green coffee beans can be hugely cheaper than the commercially available one without any loss of quality. It can be cheap in the range of 25% to 50%.
How to Roast Coffee Beans at Home
If you are looking forward to getting your coffee roasted on regular basis for your home, we would definitely suggest going for one of the home coffee roasting equipment we will be discussing in our next post.
We will discuss it again in depth here and other methods, which are good if you would like to do it once or twice, as they yield a consistent result every time.
The roasting process can be carried out mainly in three different ways; each of them provides you with a decreasing order of control over the roasting process and, of course, with an inverse price ratio.
Automatic and Manual Electric Home Coffee Roaster
These purpose-built coffee roaster devices come with the option of getting your green coffee bean roasted in both automatic and manual modes. This provides the highest form of control and gives you an even roast every time.
These home roasters are generally called fluid bed roasters and have mechanisms to stir the coffee beans to give an even roast.
Home coffee roasters generally have the front or upper part made up of glass to give you a view of the ongoing roasting process, enabling you effectively control the timing while working in the manual mode.
These are the most effective solution for a home where coffee will be roasted on a regular basis, and a one-time investment will save you a lot of time.
Procedure
Automatic: While using the device in auto mode, beginners will need to weigh the coffee beans and select the timer and temperature accordingly, which will be mentioned in the specified handbook provided. Since it varies from device to device and model to model, it is best for beginners to refer to the manual.
One popular option for home coffee roasting is the Behmor, a drum roaster that allows more experienced roasters to roast a pound at a time. With a dedicated tool, you’ll have much more control over small changes in temperature, and you’ll be able to create roasts that match your local coffee shop.
Manual Mode: In manual mode, you will need to understand that each coffee bean batch has different moisture content and slightly varies in composition, and it’s best to keep a watchful eye while the roasting process goes on.
You will need to weigh the beans and adjust the timing and temperature accordingly, and also need to listen for the first cracking sound.
Once you hear the sound, be alerted as the 2nd cracking sound will be near. And from then onwards, you will need to stop the roasting process, or else the coffee might get burned.
Always make sure to take the coffee out of the roaster immediately, as the coffee remains hot and can self-roast, giving it a burnt taste.
How to Roast Coffee Beans with a Popcorn Machine
Popcorn machines have been used for a long to roast green coffee beans in households. As the device serves a dual purpose of both roasting your own beans and churning out the popcorn, everyone has been very keen on using it.
Just like the dedicated coffee roasters, popcorn poppers also come in two different types, one being an oven-top type and the other one being an electric one. Both of them perform equally well, provided they are used properly.
Oven Top Type: The oven top type poppers are much more generic and easy to control as the heat source can be easily controlled. The main benefit is that the oven top device can be used for several other purposes too.
Step 1: You will first need to get a Whirley Pop we used this one from Amazon, and it worked perfectly for us. If you already have a similar one, it will work great too.
Step 2: In this step, you will need to preheat the popper to approx 200 degrees F. This is just to make the air inside hot, Care should be taken not to scorch the pan as that will burn the beans outside without roasting them inside.
Step 3: Now go ahead and grab a timer or simply use your mobile timer and add 225 grams of green coffee to the Oven Top Popcorn Popper. And instantly keep stirring, this will ensure that the beans do not get burned.
Step 4: Within a span of 3-4 min, you should be able to able to detect a grassy smell, this is normal, and the smell is released as the beans dry out.
Step 6: At around 7-8 min, you should be able to detect the first aroma of the sweet coffee. Don’t stop turning, as it is not done yet. Hold your nerves and keep going.
Step 7: At around 11-12 min, you should hear the first crack, this ensures the coffee roasting is almost done, at this moment, make sure to crank the wheel of Whirley pop faster to ensure an even roast.
Step 8: Just after the first crack, within a span of 30-40 seconds, you should be able to hear a second crack this ensures the coffee roasting process is totally completed, and the freshly roasted beans need to be shifted immediately to prevent further roasting from the leftover heat.
Step 9: In this step, you can use a colander like this to remove the chaff and cool the coffee rapidly. This will stop the self-roasting process and will keep the taste intact.
Step 10: Now, it boils down to the point of storing the coffee properly, as several things need to be taken care of. You can definitely check out the points here and get a stainless steel coffee vault.
Electric Pop Corn Popper
This has to be one of the cheapest and easiest of all the methods, as it has much less work to be done.
However, every model performs a bit differently, and hence you will need to tweak a little from what is told here once you reach there, you should be able to produce a great roast of coffee every time.
Higher Wattage Helps
The higher wattage popper helps more to easily roast the coffee beans as the lower models will take much longer to do the job hence altering the taste and vaporizing the flavor oils inside the coffee.
These devices will also have a robust thermostat device and hence will not cut off the heat after a small rise in temperature, which is a must. As the coffee roasting might stall in mid-way if so happens.
Closed Bottom Devices
You will need to choose closed bottom devices, you can either select by checking while buying a new one, or if you own an old one, it can be easily modified by adding something solid below it.
Roast The First Test Batch
It’s best to roast a small first batch just for experimentation without keeping much hope from it. This is mainly to understand how the process will go with your device and do the tweaking depending on it.
Load the first test batch by keeping a measure and start the device, keep a sharp ear for the first crack and then the 2nd crack if everything goes well. They should both be heard in the vicinity of 10-12 min, depending on the coffee beans.
If you hear both of them, then you are done immediately take the beans out and cool them down.
Roasting beans Too Slow
If you do not hear the crack even after 12 min, there is some issue in the roasting process.
You will have to look out if the thermostat is cutting off the electric supply due to overheating, in that case, you will have to lower the amount of beans. If that does not help too, it might be hard to roast the beans using that particular electric popcorn popper.
In case you are hearing the sound but getting an uneven roast, then you will need to lower the amount of beans and also stir the beans using a wooden spoon or stick to distribute the heat evenly.
Roasting beans Too Fast
If the beans are getting burned too fast, you will need to increase the air circulation by reducing the amount of beans and constantly stirring, this should help to reduce the temperature and hence continue the roasting process evenly.
Once you hit the sweet spot, keep a record of it, as you might need to refer to it on your next roast.
How to Roast Coffee Beans in a Pan
Roasting coffee in a pan is the most economical way to roast coffee at home. Although I always prefer a thick cast iron saucepan like this for the purpose.
If you already have one go ahead with it. Or else we will suggest you make a one-time investment, and it will serve you for your whole life.
The issue with shallow pans or thin pans without any walls is that they do not let the heat store and build-up, and hence most of the time, the outer part of the beans gets scorched, although the inner side remains unroasted.
We would require the following instruments to guide us through the roasting process:
- Preferably a thick and deep cast iron saucepan.
- A kitchen thermometer
- Timer or your Mobile stopwatch.
- Wooden Spoon
- Fresh green beans.
- Controllable heat source.
TIP: Always- I mention always carrying out the roasting process in a well-ventilated area. As during roast a lot of gases will be produced.
First Stage
Preheat the pan to the required temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. It should take approx 7-8 minutes, depending upon the source of the heat. You do not need to guess if you have the thermometer, as you will receive the reading.
Second Stage
Once preheated, you can shift the beans into the pan and begin the roasting process. Make sure you always stir the beans, as leaving them in the same place will scorch the beans. Always make sure not to leave the beans alone during the roasting process.
Third Stage
At around 7-8 minutes, the beans will start to change color to yellow from green and will start emitting a grassy smell. You now need to be alert as the fit crack is almost near.
Fourth Stage: The beans will start to brown at around 10th min and start releasing brown smoke, which is perfectly normal. Indicating it is near the first crack.
Fifth Stage
At around 12 -13th min, you should be able to hear the first crack, though depending on the beans, the time can vary slightly.
Sixth Stage
If you want to roast more, you can carry on further, and the beans will brown out more you should be able to hear the second crack, and this is when you should stop the heat and immediately start cooling the beans.
Tips and Tricks for Roasting
Roasting coffee is a skill, and you will need to practice it like any other skill. But here are some tips and tricks that I can share with you to help you get started:
• Start with a small batch of green beans, this will be easier for you to manage and monitor.
• Make sure you do not cross the second crack, as it will lead to over-roasting.
• Roast in a well-ventilated area.
• If you want to experiment with new flavors, then look out for different fresh green coffee beans available in the market or online stores.
• For light roast beans, stop before the first crack. For medium roast beans, stop just after the first crack and go ahead till the second crack for dark roasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature do you roast coffee at home?
350-500 degrees Fahrenheit or 177-260 degrees Celsius is the ideal temperature range for roasting coffee at home. It depends on the type of beans and desired roast profile.
How long does it take to roast coffee at home?
It usually takes 10-15 minutes to roast coffee beans at home, depending on the type of beans and desired roast level.
Is it better to roast coffee slowly or fast?
While both methods have their benefits, slow roasting tends to produce a more even roast because it gives the beans time to develop their flavor potential. Fast roasting can bring out more of the acidity in the beans, but it can also lead to unevenly roasted beans.
Should you let the coffee rest after roasting?
Yes! It’s important to let the coffee rest after roasting. This allows the coffee beans time to cool and finish developing their flavor so that you can get the most out of your beans.
Why is dark roast coffee healthier?
Darker roasts have been found to contain more antioxidants than lighter roasts. Antioxidants are important for fighting free radicals in the body and promoting overall health. So if you’re looking for a healthier coffee option, dark roast may be the way to go.
Final Words
Roasting coffee at home can be an exciting experience for coffee lovers if done right. With the help of some tools and little practice, you will be able to make amazing brewed coffee at home. So go ahead, give it a try and enjoy the exciting flavors!