Roasting your own

[system2002]

Im sure that it differs per individual, but at what point do CoffeeSnobs in general decide to start roasting their own beans?

Apart from super fresh brews and Im sure the lovely smell that goes along with the process, are there other advantages to roasting your own?

[Thundergod]

Re: Roasting your own

Despite my initially saying I couldnt see myself roasting, it was only 2 months after buying my machines that I decided to try roasting in a popper "in case of emergencies".

At the time I wasnt working and had the luxury of visiting a quality roaster whenever I needed.

However I was thinking ahead to when I was employed again.

After my initial flurry I settled into roasting a few hundered grams every few weeks.
100gms per batch in a popper and access to quality roast beans meant it wasnt a necessity, more a learning exercise.

Eventually I increased batch sizes with a bowl and HG arrangement and after a while finally completed my corretto.

By the time I was working again I was able to meet my coffee supply needs from my own roasting.

I still occasionally buy some professionally roasted beans to compare myself against.

But as I have almost 100kg of green beans in stock I tend to roast more than buy these days.

[Dimal]

Re: Roasting your own

Hmmm,

For me, it was more or less as soon as I found out that green beans could be bought by ordinary individuals; a lot of years ago now. Its pretty easy to start out with basic hardware and simple roast profiles but once you get the hang of it and decide youd like to become more involved, there are no limits really. Only one way to find out s2002, buy a Starter Pack from Andy, grab a used popper from an Op Shop and get roasting. This is all you need to get started and some means of cooling the roasted beans which can be as simple as dribbling them from one sieve to another... Doesnt take long for popper sized batches.

You can then tell us what you think of it....

Mal.

[22a]

Re: Roasting your own

I know its not a factor for most people but one of the reasons I got into home roasting was to save a bit of money (this was back in my student days). I picked up a popper for $2 off trademe and was able to source beans for $10/kg, whereas the street value for roasted beans was sitting at $35-40/kg. Of course, once I started I realised that I actually really liked the freshness and control I could get out of home roasts and decided to run with it. Once that happened the financial reasons went out the window really and Ive dropped a bit of money into the corretto and the MkII turbo cooler. Cant argue with the results though.

[gregpullman]

Re: Roasting your own

S2002: You might like to read through Why do you home roast? as this will probably give you plenty of the "whys", and maybe some of the "whens".

For me, the "when" was not a specific duration after my interest in coffee but has two answers. I had a good supply of fresh beans and good equipment, and my interest in roasting only came from reading on CS what others had done so I decided to buy some greens and a popper about 12 months after I joined CS. Unfortunately the popper was far too slow, my heat gun didnt have enough fan power to agitate the beans in the dog bowl and pan roasting was too uneven (this was all back in the dark ages before the invention of the corretto) so the green beans were stashed away for another couple of years until I decided to have a second crack (haha) and give a corretto a try about two years ago. Im now happily roasting with a Hottop. As to the "why", youll just have to check that thread!

Greg

[bolb]

Re: Roasting your own

As soon as i bought my Giotto and then found that the roaster my work colleague got beans from would sell me green beans.
I of course also use the beanbay for purchases.

Mal

[greenman]

Re: Roasting your own

Before I joined CS I would not have every imagined myself roasting coffee beans. But after reading about beanbay starter packs and realising we had a popcorn machine in the cupboard I started my journey in the wonderul world of home roasting. Killed the popper trying to do 5 roasts on the hop so a Corretto was hastily constructed and refined over a year or so, having lovely fresh beans roasted the way I like them, what more could a coffeesnob ask for?????

[martybean]

Re: Roasting your own

For me the need to roast my own came about partially from a lack of fresh local beans and the need to do the best i can with what i had. I had been getting some coffee from a large chain GJ but after trying fresh stuff from St Ali I new what I had to do. Either travel 32kms to Sth Melb once a week or roast my own. So I got some roasted from Andy to try his beans and then the rest is history.

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Roasting your own

I am following in my grandmothers footsteps she roasted her own coffee beans, chick peas, peanuts and more the old fashion way

I was roasting B/4 I joined coffee snobs but have expanded my knowledge immensely and I am better for it
I have recently made a home made roaster that works so well that it has exceeded my expectations

You will never-never know if you never-never try

KK

[Dimal]

Re: Roasting your own

You will never-never know if you never have a go

Sorry KK, couldnt help myself :P

Mal.

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Roasting your own

You will never-never know if you never have a go

Sorry KK, couldnt help myself :P

Mal.

Always improving thats the CS way

And its rolls off the tongue better Mal

KK

[ape_king]

Re: Roasting your own

I never imagined I would ever roast my own coffee, I thought that it
was too difficult / too time consuming...

I was wanting to save money to feed my addiction, and after two months of me buying my silvia and rocky I gave roasting a go in a popper and the results were so impressive I havent stopped.

I now have a correto setup which is producing better roasts all the time as I keep learning the little tricks to using it!

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Roasting your own

Thats what happens when the roasting bug bites
The result is not unpleasant as better coffee is the result

Welcome to the dark side AK  [smiley=tekst-toppie.gif]

KK

[Thundergod]

Re: Roasting your own

I never imagined I would ever roast my own coffee

I said that once too.

[greenman]

Re: Roasting your own

I never imagined I would ever roast my own coffee

I said that once too.

ditto tg