Roasting at home

[tankin_tummy]

Hi all,

I am fairly new to "good coffee" having only been at this for about a year... I haven't ever tried roasting at home, but it looks interesting.

Are there any tips or good sources for me to look at with regards to this? Any suggestions for what kind of equipment to use?

Also is this something that is feasible off the start, or does it take a while for you to get good enough that your beans or drinkable?

I've also heard that it produces a lot of smoke... any way to get around this?

Thanks

Edit* Sorry I just realized theres a roasting section...

 

[poison]

There are lots of ways to roast, with good results, but the best way to come close to what a professional roaster can do is to use a bbq setup. It costs a couple hundred bucks, but can equal a pro roaster (though not consistently), and has the advantage of capacity (2-4lbs usually).

 

[namballe]

trial and error will get your best results. you will have to drink your mistakes! (which imo is still good coffee) i agree with poison on the bbq setup. you will need a 50 rpm motor for more consistent results, and you need to be a handyman of sorts. this process will need to be done in a well ventilated area (outside) as it will produce a small amount of smoke and chaff mess.

 

[eldub]

I recommend you purchase the book, "Home Coffee Roasting, Romance and Revival," by Kenneth Davids. The book retails for about $18. (Amazon carries it.) I liked it enough that we're carrying it in our roasting/retail shop.

 

[tankin_tummy]

I guess I would prefer something relatively cheap (not much more than $100... maybe $200 tops) since I am a student. Also I am renting part of a house, so something that doesn't produce too much smoke. I heard using a popcorn popper outside works... or using an oven (since the oven sucks up the smoke). I don't care about quantity since only I will be drinking the coffee... a pound lasts me about 2-3 weeks so I would not want to raost anymore than that at a time

 

[midwest.thelegend]

I've been roasting coffee for two years now with an Iroast 2.I would recommend it as a good beginners roaster for unde two hundred dollars... I Would also reccomend the gene cafe drum roaster as a higher quality 4-500$ roaster.
- Popcorn poppers although the cheapest are probably the most difficult to get consistent roasts.
- Air roasters are usually less expensive and not the most consistent roaster, but they can be a good starter.
- Drum roasters are usually the most consistent and expensive. Most commercial roasters are drum roasters and although I haven't owned one yet from my research it is the preferred roaster for home and commercial roasters.
In answer to what to do about the smoke, u can roast outside or install a ventilation system, also most of the better roasters have built in smoke reducers...Hope that helps. Regards The Legend

 

[PinkRose]

Hello "midwest.thelegend"

Welcome to the Coffee Forums website!

Do you roast with your IRoast2 outside of your house or do you use it inside?

I'm concerned about smoke too, and that's the main reason why I've been putting off buying a home roaster.

Recently, I was thinking about buying a drum coffee roasting attachment to use with my George Forman rotisserie, but I'm wondering if that idea has disaster written all over it.

I've been pondering getting a home coffee roaster for about 5 years. One day I'll take the plunge.

Rose

 

[eldub]

If you have a vent over your stove, as most do, and money is a consideration, sweet maria's sells whirley bird popcorn poppers and thermometers.

Stovetop Roasters | Sweet Maria's Coffee

 

[PinkRose]

Ha! The dope who built my house put in a Frigidaire stove, and the attached "vent" sucks the air in and it goes into a filter and blows it back into the kitchen. I was very disappointed to discover that it didn't vent to the outside when I was using the broiler and the steaks got a bit charcoaled. Whoever came up with that "vent" idea should be shot. The smoke detectors went off then, and I'm sure they would go off if I ever tried to roast coffee beans. I really, really hate that sound!

I'm guessing I'll just keep on buying my coffee beans from my local roaster.

Rose

 

[midwest.thelegend]

Rose,
I do roast my coffee outside. The problem is changing tempatures mess with your roast settings, consiquently your roasting consistency will be effected by the changing seasons, hot and humid weather effects your roast negatively the most.
If u buy your Iroast 2 from Sweet Maria's they include a attachment for hooking up to a drier vent so u can vent out a window, door, or something...

 

[Bozo]

Behmor at $299 from RoastMasters.com with 8 pounds of green coffee beans (I think). I have mine in the fireplace with a small fan on top to pull odors out. If you do get one, read
the manual then throw it away. I will share what I have found out and try to help, Bozo

 

[Bardo]

For your budget I recommend the swirly girl or other stove top popcorn or candy making pan which you can get from sweet Maria's for about fifty bucks. I used it on my grill and made some good coffee after I incinerated a. Bunch. The BBQ roasting outfit will cost you at least a thousand bucks. I designed and built my own roaster including the 10 lb drum and it is a lot of fun but does take work.

 

[Bozo]

Rose, do you have a fireplace? If so, if you buy a Behmor (from roastmasters.com) and put it in, then you are set. Have glass doors? When roasting close them. Set mine on the grate, put a fan on top to expel any smoke, roast year round. I'm sure you will find lots of help when needed. I use RoasterThing not sure it helps yet but hoping, Bozo

 

[PinkRose]

Rose, do you have a fireplace?

Unfortunately, I don't have a fireplace, because if I did, I probably would have come up with the same setup that you have. I'm still buying my coffee from my local roaster.

 

[kboom1]

The smoke isn't that bad with the Behmor. I've roasted on 2 Behmors back to back in my basement for about 4 years and the only time smoke becomes an issue is if I take the roast past FC but the smoke is light and clears out quickly using a fan pointing out the door.
Behmor just came out this week with a new control board that allows manual mode allowing you to profile roast by adjusting time and chamber temp. New board also allows you to monitor chamber and exaust temp. They also now have a new motor that rpm can be adjusted They can be retrofitted in all old behmors for under $100 and will be included in all future Behmors starting in a few weeks.