Ever try roasting your own beans?

[Strange]

Anyone ever try roasting their own coffee beans? What can you tell me about it?

I couldn't begin to tell you why but lately I've become curious about trying home roasting. Having once worked downwind from a commercial roastery I know it stinks to high hell but I'm okay with that. No sense in passing up a good opportunity to pay your neighbors back for having to listen to their crazed micropooches every night.

Anyway I'm really hot to do a little experimenting with different roasts, maybe see if I can come up with something drinkable. I'd love to hear from those who've gone before me. So spill the beans, you rabid homeroasters!

[gnuyork]

No, but I have been thinking about it lately. The cost of locally roasted bean is high where I live, but it's not really that, it's in a trendy area, and when I run out of beans on a friday and forget to get them, Saturdays are complete chaos to try to find parking which puts me in an even worse mood (already from no coffee). Usually I give up and go buy stale beans at Costco, or worse, go to Starbucks.

[Nokie]

This link is what I follow and it has good info that might be helpful to you. Good luck.

http://www.breworganic.com/coffee/howtoroast.htm

[Strange]

Hey Nokie thanks for the link!

Have you tried this stuff? How'd it go?

[Chase]

It was hot enough today it sure felt like my beans were roasting!

Thats something I wouldn't mind trying at some point. Years ago a friend had a roastery here before he moved away. Used to be able to go pick up any type of fresh beans I wanted on the house. I considered myself very spoiled and enjoyed mixing them up into my own brews. Even a little of that freedom would be nice to have again. I'll check out the link, thanks.

[skywatch]

A fellow watch-nerd friend nearby has done extensive roast testing (he also invented a well-known plastic coffee press.) An air-pop popcorn maker works very well, but only if you don't plan to use it for popcorn again. Roasters use terms "first crack" and "second crack" as these are the points where the bean responds to temperature changes with an audible signal. Second crack is around the point you want to dump the beans out if you like a medium-dark roast (full city) but going farther than that tends to create burnt flavors (think Starbucks - over-roasted.) It's really quite easy this way to experiment with different darkness. Usually, if the oils start coming to the outside of the bean, you have gone too far. They are best when they still have a matte sheen on them, not shiny. There is no "best" darkness, though, it depends on the bean, the grind, method of extraction and your tastes. A light roast (first crack) might be more appropriate for a delicate Ethiopian Yrgacheff for example, full-city roast for a hearty Columbian or Javanese. I like to make espresso at home, so I generally I go with a slightly darker roast, Brazilian or Costa Rican beans. Does this help at all?

[gnuyork]

Oh I forgot to include this link:

https://www.sweetmarias.com/

This site has info and a variety of roasting machines.

[CanadianStraps]

I know people that do, but they honestly can't do it as well as my current source of beans, and I would image it is due to scale. I love coffee, but grinding my own in a nice burr is the max extent of involvement for me, aside from brewing and enjoying. I have enough hobbies as it is.

[Strange]

Oh I forgot to include this link:

https://www.sweetmarias.com/

This site has info and a variety of roasting machines.

Thanks for the link man! That site's got a ton of gouge, plus a home roaster forum.

[Strange]

I know people that do, but they honestly can't do it as well as my current source of beans, and I would image it is due to scale

Probably has a lot to do with the relative skill of the roaster. That said, there's something really satisfying about DIY, even if the results aren't quite up to the level of the pros. I think too that with sufficient experience one could probably develop a roast that more closely suits one's tastes than relying on commercial roasteries, who after all are trying to please a wide array of tastes.