Manual Coffee Mills

Home Coffee Roasting

Home coffee roasting is much easier than most people realize. Roasting green coffee beans takes practice though. If done correctly, your results will be far superior to anything you would buy at your local store.

So what distinguishes store bought coffee from specialty green coffee beans? Quality and Freshness! According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, "fresh roasted coffee is coffee that has been roasted within the last 3-7 days." After 7 days, the coffee has decomposed to a point where it no longer can be called "fresh". It’s like comparing store bought bread that is days old verses freshly baked bread just taken out of the oven.

Home coffee roasting is the process of heating the green coffee bean to your desired roast. This can be done by several methods. The most economical method is roasting the green coffee beans in the oven (convection gas ovens producing a more even roast) or over the stove in a heavy frying pan. There are also several manufactures of home coffee roasting machines.

Oven Instructions:

Items needed: Perforated pan, oven mitts and green coffee beans.

Preheat oven to 475-525 (this will vary according to bean and amount used)

Place beans in pan – spread evenly, only one layer deep.

Place beans on the middle shelf in a hot oven.

Wait 8 - 10 minutes for the "first crack", although this noise sounds more like a pop. After the initial crack, you will notice a paper-like substance referred to as "chaff", shedding from the beans. This chaff will float away later as the beans cool after roasting. (Note: chaff is harmless but can make for a messy kitchen if not disposed of carefully.) A few minutes after the first crack, start checking for the desired roast. See roasting chart for information. As beans darken, rotate the pan so that you will more evenly roast the beans. Soon they will begin to smoke, so it may be a good idea to turn on the exhaust fan at this point. If a darker roast is desired, a "second crack" will begin after a few more minutes.

Using oven mitts, remove roasted coffee from the oven and pour in a colander or wire sieve to cool.

Agitate the roasted beans to remove any chaff. In addition, blowing lightly will help to remove any remaining chaff and help cool the beans off faster. (Note: It is advisable to perform this outside of the house since it can make quite a mess indoors).

Seal cool roasted coffee in an airtight container out of direct light. Do not store in refrigerator or freezer for this affects the moisture content of the coffee bean.

1st Pop

2nd Pop

Pan Roasting

Items needed: Heavy Sauté pan, pot holder, and green coffee beans

Put enough coffee beans to cover the bottom of pan evenly at a thickness of one layer

Start at a medium to medium-high heat setting stirring beans regularly with a wooden spoon. Not stirring the beans regularly will result in an uneven roast. After approximately 7 - 8 minutes, you should hear the "first crack". After another 2 minutes, begin looking for your desired roast (see roasting chart). A second crack will be heard if left in for a darker roast. Note: Beans will continue to roast after removing from the heat, so it is critical to cool down as soon as possible.

Remove beans from pan and pour into a metal colander or sieve to cool. Agitating the beans by blowing and shaking the colander will remove any chaff remaining on the beans. (Note: It is advisable to perform this outside of the house since it can make quite a mess indoors).

COFFEE FACT
One tree will produce approximately one pound of green coffee beans annually.

Hot Air Popcorn Poppers

Since most homeowners have these on hand, using air popcorn poppers has been a convenient method for roasting coffee beans for many years.

The beans are poured into the chamber much like popcorn is and the beans begin to spin around, being stirred automatically by the fan in the machine. As the popper is heated, the beans begin to change color. After 8 minutes or so, you need to monitor closely...look, listen, and smell...much like roasting in an oven or on a stove to insure your desired roast.

Caution: Hot air popcorn poppers are not made for coffee roasting even though many home coffee roasters use this method. When using high heats to roast coffee, one should use extreme caution with constant supervision to prevent fires and injury.

Roasting Equipment

Several manufacturers today are offering home roasting equipment. Some home roasting machines can roast up to 1/2 lb. of green coffee, remove chaff, and cool the coffee in less than 10 minutes. The roasting levels are completely adjustable which will give you consistent results and a more flavorful roast.

The Perfect Cup

Once you’ve mastered roasting coffee, half the work is done. The perfect cup of coffee starts with fresh roasted beans. While roasted whole bean coffee is good for 2 weeks, ground coffee becomes stale after as little as two hours. Best advice – Roast your beans no more than a day or two before using them, and grind them while actually preparing for the brew.

Grind size

Depending upon how you prepare your coffee, the grind size will affect the final taste. Most drip coffee makers do well on a medium grind, however, if using a french press you will get better results on a coarser grind (similar to very coarse sand). This coarser grind size allows the plunger in the french press to be pushed down more easily and ensures the coffee will not be too over-extracted, resulting in a bitter taste.

If you are preparing espresso or Turkish coffee it is essential that you find a grinder that produces a consistent fine grind. Without a fine grind you will not be able to maximize the best of what a Turkish coffee or espresso has to offer. A good coffee grinder offers many grind settings- course, medium, fine and very fine. Of all the grinders on the market today, we at Coffee Storehouse believe that burr grinders do the best at providing an even and consistent grind. See coffee equipment for the model we recommend.

Water Quality

The freshness & quality of the water used in preparing a cup of coffee is essential to the outcome of a great tasting cup of coffee. Only cold, freshly drawn water, free from any odd chemical taste should be used.

Proportions

Always use the coffee industry standard measure when brewing fresh coffee. The general rule for proper portioning is two heaping tablespoons of coffee for each 6 oz. of fresh VERY HOT water. If you prefer your coffee a little weaker in taste, add hot water to your cup AFTER you brew using the method as described above. Using less coffee during the brewing process will result in a bitter tasting coffee.

Brewing

	There is such a variety of brewing equipment available on the market today; manual infusion, the coffee press or plunger, the vacuum pot or glass balloon, the pumping percolator, and the most commonly used – the drip pot. Instead of rating each method or model, we will list some essential points to consider in achieving a perfect cup from brewing techniques.
	Water used in brewing should be VERY HOT. The ideal temperature should be 195-205 or just off the boil. Water at this temperature extracts the oils and the aromatic flavors from the cells of the bean, giving you the best brew.
	The water should saturate the grounds thoroughly. By saturating the grounds completely, the full flavor of the bean will be realized. The saturation process should take from 4 to 6 minutes. The timing is critical since it gives the coffee the proper infusion time with water at the proper temperature. Water staying in contact with coffee longer than 8 minutes will become bitter due to over extraction.
	Coffee should never be re-boiled after made. This was the downfall of the "American Percolator" which was used in the vast number of homes during the 60’s and 70’s. This process caused coffee to be percolated back through the grounds over and over again causing a bitter and despicable cup of coffee.
	Fresh brewed coffee should be consumed FRESH. In fact, coffee not consumed within 20 minutes of being brewed is no longer fresh. After this time it rapidly loses its flavor and aroma.

Coffee Storage

After getting that perfect roast, it is essential to store coffee properly. To maximize freshness and flavor, here are some helpful tips for storing roasted coffee.

Short-term storage (1-2 weeks) is best done in a ceramic or glass container with a good air-tight lid.

Grind only enough coffee beans to prepare for your use at that time. Pre-ground coffee will become stale and flat after one day exposed to air.

It is not advisable to store roasted coffee beans in a refrigerator since coffee tends to absorb the flavors around it.

Tasting Terminology

Acidity- is derived from a complexity of compounds misnamed "caffetanic acid". An acidy coffee is brisk and light and adds sharpness to its taste. The darker the roast, the less acidy the coffee maintains. This term is not to be confused with bitterness

Aroma- refers to the fragrance of the gasses...products of the aromatic oils released by roasting. Aroma peaks in intensity in a medium to dark-medium roast

Body- is the sensation of the coffee in the mouth an how it feels. It can be described as light, medium, or full. Some coffees naturally have more body than others

Complexity- is a term used which describes the total sensation of acidity, sweetness, earthiness, and body in a coffee

Winy- a shower hint of red wine flavor

Spicy- is reminiscent of certain spices, such as cardamom or pepper

Buttery- rich and oily

COFFEE FACT
It may take 15 minutes to drink a cup of coffee, but it takes 6 years for a tree to start flowering with coffee cherries.

Roasting Names

Cinnamon- Light brown in color. Tastes sour and gassy. Body is undeveloped at this stage. This roast is sometimes called an "institutional roast"

Medium High- Medium brown in color. Acidity is bright and sharp at this degree of roast. Also called a "New England Roast"

Full City Roast- A rich chestnut brown color. Passes the first crack and patches of oil are beginning to show. Acidity diminishes, and sweetness and body increase. Also called "Viennese Roast"

French Roast- A dark brown color. Bittersweet tones dominate, and visual a shiny surface appears

Italian Roast & Espresso- Blackish brown in color with an evident shiny surface. This roast takes on an intense smoky flavor. Natural sugars in the coffee caramelize making this roast ideal for espresso