Counter Top Coffee Roasting

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hotajax
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Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by hotajax »

My wife has every kitchen gadget ever conceived, so space is at a premium. Recommendations for roaster that will fit on the counter? Thanks in advance.
Silk McCue
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Silk McCue »

You won’t want to roast inside the house. Backporch or garage works for me.

Cheers
pshonore
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by pshonore »

https://thecaptainscoffee.com/pages/roa ... orn-popper

Haven't done this for long time but this worked for me many, many years ago
KlangFool
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by KlangFool »

OP,

It will not work. The smoke from coffee roasting will trigger your smoke alarm.

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andypanda
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by andypanda »

I used to live a short block from a coffee shop that roasted their own. They finally moved after the first three months. Probably got tired of the neighbors complaining about the stench.
DavidW
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by DavidW »

Along with others, I have been roasting using a popcorn popper and now, a dedicated coffee roasting machine (Quest). As others have mentioned, it does produce quite a bit of smoke. I do it outside when it is dark so it is less impactful to my neighbors. if you want to try this out and see if this is something you would want to explore, you may want to get your hands on a Westbend Poppery I. Here is a link to

https://homeroasters.org/forum/viewthre ... ead_id=270

pls note there is a Poppery I and II, 2 very different machines. You may get lucky at a thrift shop and find the Poppery I (I have previously). You can find them on ebay as well. I was able to do a batch of 150g successfully....

Good luck.....
Topic Author
hotajax
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by hotajax »

I heard it was smoky, but not oppressively so.
Topic Author
hotajax
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by hotajax »

@DavidW
Which of the two machines is preferable?
Topic Author
hotajax
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by hotajax »

How do you store green coffee beans? Room temp, cold? I'd imagine you'd want an air tight container
KlangFool
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by KlangFool »

hotajax wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 10:58 am How do you store green coffee beans? Room temp, cold? I'd imagine you'd want an air tight container
https://www.sweetmarias.com/ecotact-gre ... e-bag.html

Unless you are only roasting one type of green coffee beans, you would need many of these bags.

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Wwwdotcom
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Wwwdotcom »

Sweet Maria's will list all the reputable roasting machines and how they operate.
DavidW
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by DavidW »

The gold standard is Poppery I. I believe it creates more heat than II due to use of AC than DC (I can't be a 100% sure but was told of this). you will see the price difference on ebay between I and II.

I keep the green from Sweet Maria's in plastic tubs and I put in oxygen packets to help extend the life of the greens. I keep them in a dark cool place (closet).

You can also write down all the various times and temperatures of your roast so that if something seems to work better, then you can replicate it.

There are websites and youtube videos on coffee roasting but the major thing to remember is not over roast the coffee. Roasting coffee is a lot like cooking a steak. Pull it too soon and is too rare and pull it too late, it is overcooked.

You will hear popping (like popcorn) at about 5-7 min mark (depending on the machine) and that is called first crack. I try not to go beyond 1:30-2:00 after. You can experiment to see what works for you.... The longer you roast, you lose specific flavors of the coffee but you get body. Some prefer body while others like the specific flavors you get from the coffee..

once you extract the beans, put it in metal wired basket and have a fan cool it as fast as possible.

The one thing I learned from the popcorn machine is that is it an inexpensive way to start and you can figure out if this is for you. You are not buying coffee from Costco after this....
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1hotjava
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by 1hotjava »

You definitely don't want to do this in the house. There is smoke generation and chaff that gets blown out. It doesn't actually smell good either, certainly not like the final product does.

And the popcorn popper method works great. It will take some experimentation to find the time you roast for, and can be dependent on ambient temp as well which you have to compensate for, after a few test batches you get the hang of it. I had fun learning to do it and made some awesome coffee. I dont do it anymore, just too time consuming, but I had fun doing it like I did when I was brewing beer and making hard ciders.
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Wwwdotcom
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Wwwdotcom »

DavidW wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 11:23 am The one thing I learned from the popcorn machine is that is it an inexpensive way to start and you can figure out if this is for you. You are not buying coffee from Costco after this....
"You" seems to be quite strong here.

Personally I found the popcorn machine endeavor a total waste of money and time. I would just skip it and jump into a machine with a chaeff collector. Ultimately after roasting across 4 machine over a span of 20 years.. I'm buying Costco beans.. green beans are priced way too high these days.
Frank Grimes
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Frank Grimes »

I use a Behmor which is great, can roast 1/2 lb comfortably and is very user friendly.

But yeah by no means should you use any roaster in the house. It smokes like crazy, smells (charitably) like burnt popcorn and the chaff gets everywhere even with a chaff collector. I do it in the garage.
Frank Grimes
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Frank Grimes »

I store green beans in the house in the ziploc they came in. That part is pretty uncomplicated.

Also green prices being like $5 a lb are still way below what an equivalent tasting coffee would cost at the store. Still economical in my book.
mrc
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by mrc »

Unless you plan on a very light blonde roast, you'll not want this indoors. I'd second the Behmor as a minimum. The other smaller units I've tried can't roast enough to make it worth your time, and they cook rather than roast the beans because they just don't get hot enough. Neither did my first gen Behmor get hot enough (without thermal protection cutting out) until I swapped the controller board. I roasted my own for ~5 years, got tired of the hassle, and retired my unit. I found caf and decaf blends at Java Bean Plus that I like just as well as what I roasted. Decent price, fine quality, zero effort.

One thing about comparing the cost of green and roasted beans: the beans weigh more green than after they're roasted. So the cost differential of given volume of green and roasted beans isn't as severe as it first appears.
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onourway
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by onourway »

As noted, if you prepare a regular pot of coffee daily, you may find roasting takes an inordinate amount of time, given that most methods only allow you to do a few ounces or so at a time. Great hobby. Not something I'd do indoors. If I were to do it again, I'd splurge for a bigger unit that can do at least 1/2lb. And those will take quite some time to realize any ROI.
lazydavid
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by lazydavid »

I've been roasting--inside the house, against advice here--for 8 years next month. The key there is to have a strong hood that vents to the outside. For the first five years, I used a Gene Cafe CBR-100, which can do about a half-pound at a time. My standard batch was 235g. 3 years ago, I upgraded to an Alilio Bullet, which lets me do 1kg batches. That gives me just under 2 lbs of roasted beans in about 17 minutes, and I can roast back-to-back without issue.

It's fun, and the resultant coffee is amazing, but it is work.
mrc wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 12:14 pm One thing about comparing the cost of green and roasted beans: the beans weigh more green than after they're roasted. So the cost differential of given volume of green and roasted beans isn't as severe as it first appears.
While true, it doesn't actually narrow the gap much. I lose about 17% on average, which means my $5/lb greens is actually $6/lb roasted. Buying equivalent-quality and freshly-roasted beans locally would be anywhere from $22 to $28/lb. Not-so-great options from the grocery store like Dunkin' or Starbucks are still $10 for 10.5 to 12 oz. Store brand is $8/lb in the large 2lb bags, and something decent (albeit nowhere near as fresh) like Peet's is $16/lb.
lazydavid
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by lazydavid »

I've been roasting--inside the house, against advice here--for 8 years next month. The key there is to have a strong hood that vents to the outside. For the first five years, I used a Gene Cafe CBR-100, which can do about a half-pound at a time. My standard batch was 235g. 3 years ago, I upgraded to an Alilio Bullet, which lets me do 1kg batches. That gives me just under 2 lbs of roasted beans in about 17 minutes, and I can roast back-to-back without issue.

It's fun, and the resultant coffee is amazing, but it is work.
mrc wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 12:14 pm One thing about comparing the cost of green and roasted beans: the beans weigh more green than after they're roasted. So the cost differential of given volume of green and roasted beans isn't as severe as it first appears.
While true, it doesn't actually narrow the gap much. I lose about 17% on average, which means my $5/lb greens is actually $6/lb roasted. Buying equivalent-quality and freshly-roasted beans locally would be anywhere from $22 to $28/lb. Store brand is $8/lb in the large 2lb bags, and something decent (albeit nowhere near as fresh) like Peet's is $16/lb.

So even compared to Peet's, I save $10/lb. Roasting ~200lbs per year :beer (ok, 166 lbs after roasting) paid for my very expensive roaster in the first year. :)
jayjayc
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by jayjayc »

lazydavid wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 1:01 pm I've been roasting--inside the house, against advice here--for 8 years next month. The key there is to have a strong hood that vents to the outside.
Do you position the roaster directly underneath the hood? If so, I assume the roaster would then be on the stove so you'd have to move it on and off every time?
onourway
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by onourway »

lazydavid wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 1:12 pm I've been roasting--inside the house, against advice here--for 8 years next month. The key there is to have a strong hood that vents to the outside. For the first five years, I used a Gene Cafe CBR-100, which can do about a half-pound at a time. My standard batch was 235g. 3 years ago, I upgraded to an Alilio Bullet, which lets me do 1kg batches. That gives me just under 2 lbs of roasted beans in about 17 minutes, and I can roast back-to-back without issue.

It's fun, and the resultant coffee is amazing, but it is work.
mrc wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 12:14 pm One thing about comparing the cost of green and roasted beans: the beans weigh more green than after they're roasted. So the cost differential of given volume of green and roasted beans isn't as severe as it first appears.
While true, it doesn't actually narrow the gap much. I lose about 17% on average, which means my $5/lb greens is actually $6/lb roasted. Buying equivalent-quality and freshly-roasted beans locally would be anywhere from $22 to $28/lb. Store brand is $8/lb in the large 2lb bags, and something decent (albeit nowhere near as fresh) like Peet's is $16/lb.

So even compared to Peet's, I save $10/lb. Roasting ~200lbs per year :beer (ok, 166 lbs after roasting) paid for my very expensive roaster in the first year. :)
It helps that I have a national-award winning small batch roaster around the corner from me that I can buy from at $10/lb (long story). :D I'd have a hard time ever paying back a larger roaster, never mind considering my time. Even still, their normal price is $16-20/lb.
Last edited by onourway on Thu May 25, 2023 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wwwdotcom
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Wwwdotcom »

Where are people getting $5 a pound green beans after shipping that are more palatable than Costco medium roast? Anything I see at $5 before shipping is generally close to or worse quality of non-french roast Costco stuff.
986racer
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by 986racer »

I owned this at one point: https://www.hottopamericas.com/

It was very good at roasting but I then decided that my local roaster does it better and it was far more convenient to buy from them. I'd probably need to be roasting every day for about a decade before I recouped the cost of the investment of the roaster
jayjayc
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by jayjayc »

onourway wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 1:16 pm It helps that I have a national-award winning small batch roaster around the corner from me that I can buy from at $10/lb (long story). :D I'd have a hard time ever paying back a larger roaster, never mind considering my time. Even still, their normal price is $16-20/lb.
I'd like to hear this story.
Nicolas
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Nicolas »

I’ve been roasting my own for twenty years now and I’m never going to quit. It’s much cheaper than store-bought pre-roasted beans and the taste comparison can’t be adequately described.

I used Poppery IIs for coffee roasting for about eight years, then I built my own roaster using a modified Stir Crazy popcorn popper combined with a convection oven for another eleven years. Then I finally bought a dedicated Behmor roaster which I’ve been using almost a year.

The Poppery is the cheapest method, almost no cost if you buy used at Goodwill, which is what I did. When they’d fail I’d buy another one for $2.99. I did this for eight years. But I could only roast about a quarter pound at a time. So to roast a pound’s worth of green would take me four roastings. But for almost no cost outlay I did it. There is some art and experimentation required to get it right.

The Stir Crazy mod, called a “Turbo Crazy” is a superior method as I could roast a week’s worth at once. The cost with the Stir Crazy, a cake riser, and the convection oven was about 70 dollars. The ovens would only last about two years, then I’d have to replace them for about $50. I can send you a link to the plans if you want to build one.

The Behmor was the most expensive but also the easiest and most satisfying method, and produces the best roast. It cost me about $500. It’s still working after about a year now. I roast about every ten days or so. I can roast a pound at a time.

You don’t want to be roasting indoors with any of these setups, just too much smoke. The Behmor is advertised as an indoor roaster as it has a smoke suppression system. I tried that and it wasn’t feasible. I moved to the garage.
Last edited by Nicolas on Wed May 31, 2023 6:41 am, edited 7 times in total.
lazydavid
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by lazydavid »

jayjayc wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 1:14 pm
lazydavid wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 1:01 pm I've been roasting--inside the house, against advice here--for 8 years next month. The key there is to have a strong hood that vents to the outside.
Do you position the roaster directly underneath the hood? If so, I assume the roaster would then be on the stove so you'd have to move it on and off every time?
Yes, on roast days I have a cutting board that I put on the stove, and I put the roaster on that. When I'm done, I clean it up and put it away.
Wwwdotcom wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 1:36 pm Where are people getting $5 a pound green beans after shipping that are more palatable than Costco medium roast? Anything I see at $5 before shipping is generally close to or worse quality of non-french roast Costco stuff.
Coffee Shrub (Sweet Maria's commercial arm). My last order was 50 lbs of Papua New Guinea Korgua X and 50 lbs of Java Wet Hulled Waspada. $497 plus shipping for 100 lbs of greens, $575 all-in. So I guess it's $5.75/lb, or $6.93/lb after roasting. This was my most expensive order by far, the next most expensive was $5.20/lb all-in, most are (slightly) under $5.
KlangFool
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by KlangFool »

Wwwdotcom wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 1:36 pm Where are people getting $5 a pound green beans after shipping that are more palatable than Costco medium roast? Anything I see at $5 before shipping is generally close to or worse quality of non-french roast Costco stuff.
Wwwdotcom,

1) I do not buy green coffee beans at $5 per pound.

2) I do not think Costco medium roast is good enough for consumption.

3) Costco Mother Earth coffee at $34.99 for 4 pounds is a lot better.
https://www.costco.com/mother-earth-org ... 20592.html

4) Sweet Maria has a special UPS shipping rate.

https://www.sweetmarias.com/shipping-policies
"Sweet Maria's UPS Ground Shipping Special is flat-rate discounted shipping on UPS Ground on orders up to 60 lb to any address in the continental USA. (Sorry, no AK, HI , PO Box or APO/FPOs):
0 - 20 lb = $8.99
21 - 40 lb = $14.99
41 - 60 lb = $21.99"

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YoungLion
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by YoungLion »

Been roasting five years. I buy through Burman (https://burmancoffee.com/). I use a FreshRoast SR 800. Burman sells a nice variety of beans at various price points. Something is always on sale. I usually load up at Christmas when they have their best sale and free shipping (in years past).
international001
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by international001 »

What about one of those grain toasters?

Like https://www.amazon.com/Upgrade-Roasters ... B08FWXTVP9
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tetractys
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by tetractys »

Frying pan has always worked fine for me. I learned from a Turkish guy on Yesler in Seattle. Must start with fresh green coffee beans and go slow.

Maybe a roasting machine would be good for someone needing large amounts to give away; but I think it would be a waste for personal use. I mean you’d have to store the extra for several days which doesn’t seem like a good idea to me—May as well buy instant.
Last edited by tetractys on Thu May 25, 2023 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
BillyK
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by BillyK »

I have two types of roasters, an air one and a drum roaster. The air roaster is the easiest and fastest to use, but makes smaller quantities. The drum roaster produces the most smoke, but the air roaster still produces smoke and leaves a prolonged scent in your home. Unless, you like a very light roast, most people will roast into the second crack which is when it starts to produce the most smoke. People that roast in their kitchens, often use special vents to handle the extra smoke. The filter in a normal vent will become permeated with the smoke smell.

1 pound of green coffee beans typically equates to 12 ounces of roasted coffee. Price of green beans is often meaningless. A true Kona may be super expensive which I like to treat myself to every so often, but I generally prefer far less expensive African coffees with Kenyan and Ethiopian as my favorites. Then for funky coffees, I like Indian Monsoon Malabar coffees.

Stove top roasters may not be ideal for new roasters. A good air roaster enables you to watch the beans which is important for a new roaster. Otherwise, you have to roast based upon listening to the crack stages, and the amount of smoke generated!

There are so many primo coffees that can be easily bought today, that you really need to be motivated to roast your own since it is more work. When I am working and on the road, I buy Sweet Maria’s own roasted coffee which is always very good, and it is roasted exactly how I prefer to roast my own.
Nicolas
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Nicolas »

international001 wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 5:01 pm What about one of those grain toasters?

Like https://www.amazon.com/Upgrade-Roasters ... B08FWXTVP9
I haven’t seen this before. This should work. What does it do with the chaff?
Wwwdotcom
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Wwwdotcom »

KlangFool wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 2:52 pm 3) Costco Mother Earth coffee at $34.99 for 4 pounds is a lot better.
https://www.costco.com/mother-earth-org ... 20592.html
Thanks, I put in my order.
lazydavid wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 2:43 pm Coffee Shrub (Sweet Maria's commercial arm). My last order was 50 lbs of Papua New Guinea Korgua X and 50 lbs of Java Wet Hulled Waspada. $497 plus shipping for 100 lbs of greens, $575 all-in. So I guess it's $5.75/lb, or $6.93/lb after roasting. This was my most expensive order by far, the next most expensive was $5.20/lb all-in, most are (slightly) under $5.
Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for Yirgacheffe. Those quantities are probably beyond the time I have to roast right now.
YoungLion wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 3:50 pm Been roasting five years. I buy through Burman (https://burmancoffee.com/). I use a FreshRoast SR 800. Burman sells a nice variety of beans at various price points. Something is always on sale. I usually load up at Christmas when they have their best sale and free shipping (in years past).
I've been with Burman for a very long time and have collected quite a few shirts & coasters. I never realized that they regularly had free shipping near Christmas, that might be my next splurge to keep my taste buds honest.
lazydavid
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by lazydavid »

tetractys wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 5:10 pm Maybe a roasting machine would be good for someone needing large amounts to give away; but I think it would be a waste for personal use. I mean you’d have to store the extra for several days which doesn’t seem like a good idea to me—May as well buy instant.
I find coffee tastes the best 3-10 days after roasting. It takes a couple of days to outgas and let the flavors settle after the violent chemical and physical changes brought about by the roasting process. It's definitely drinkable the next day, but it improves pretty dramatically after a few days' rest. At around the 2-week mark it starts to taste stale.
BanquetBeer
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by BanquetBeer »

Rest time purportedly depends on brewing method (espresso vs pour over/drip) - but I have read many conflicting reviews on how much time you really need. I would prefer roasting outside - even over the stove with the vent hood on, you get significant toasty smell inside the house. I find Costco medium roast is fine, but I typically drink a latte (not black coffee). I do enjoy the home roasted stuff more, and go in with a buddy on bean purchases to keep costs low (can't imagine buying 100lbs of beans at once and using them in a reasonable time as we probably go through 2lb/mo of roasted). Your cheapest option is probably finding someone who is into roasting coffee and asking them when they are going to upgrade their roaster - then taking the old one off their hands.
TheGreyingDuke
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by TheGreyingDuke »

I have been a home roaster (any 1500 w popcorn appliance with a solid reservoir); I pick them up at a thrift floor anytime one appears. They last a couple of years at least. I roast 90 g at a go, usually do 360 g per session. Takes 4 minutes or thereabouts

Apart from freshness of beans, I get to choose the variety as I require low-acid coffee to avoid symptoms. Sweet Maria's is my source.
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KlangFool
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by KlangFool »

TheGreyingDuke wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 6:47 am I have been a home roaster (any 1500 w popcorn appliance with a solid reservoir); I pick them up at a thrift floor anytime one appears. They last a couple of years at least. I roast 90 g at a go, usually do 360 g per session. Takes 4 minutes or thereabouts

Apart from freshness of beans, I get to choose the variety as I require low-acid coffee to avoid symptoms. Sweet Maria's is my source.
TheGreyingDuke,

That is interesting! I though that low acidity has to do with brewing method like cold brewing.

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Nver2Late
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Nver2Late »

I find this thread very interesting. I have a Poppery II so if I were to try to home roast, what type of green coffee beans would you recommend to try for a first time roaster?

I drink vacuum syphon brewed coffee. Typically a local roaster and use mainly their franchise blend (what they use for espresso drinks), but lately I've been trying some of the lighter roasts to explore more nutty or fruity flavors that the syphon pulls out and are not masked by a darker roast.
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gips
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Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by gips »

my wife is a coffee connoisseur, she has been roasting green beans from sweet marias with same freshroast 450 for 10 years or so. the machine has a small footprint and is easy to use.

she roasts indoors, no problem with smoke or smoke alarms. she has a good burr grinder and typically uses an aeropress or a siphon machine. people who try her coffee typically call it the best they’ve ever had.

best,

ps when she first started roasting I thought we were saving a lot of money but eventually learned roasted beans are lighter in weight than green beans. i’ve never measured/weighed the post-roasted green beans, i’m sure we’re saving $ but it’s not as simple as “i’m paying x for green beans vs y for roasted beans”

edit: my wife does a light roast, so that produces less smoke than those looking for a dark roast.
Last edited by gips on Fri May 26, 2023 4:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nicolas
Posts: 4886
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:41 am

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Nicolas »

gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 12:47 pm ps when she first started roasting I thought we were saving a lot of money but eventually learned roasted beans are lighter in weight than green beans. i’ve never measured/weighed the post-roasted green beans, i’m sure we’re saving $ but it’s not as simple as “i’m paying x for green beans vs y for roasted beans”
I measured the weight loss from roasting my beans and I found a reduction in weight of 17%. Even so I know I’m saving a lot of money.

Part of what drew me to home-roasting twenty years ago was the price of “gourmet” roasted beans sold at my local coffee shop. At that time it was $14/lb. (Actually I think that was for only 12 ounces). It’s likely a lot more now, I haven’t checked. I could buy green beans then at about $3.50/lb. Okay really it was $3.50 for a pound minus 17% in weight after roasting. Still a bargain don’t you think?

Now today my green beans run me about $6.50 for a pound minus 17%. I still think that’s a screaming deal. I don’t compare prices with grocery store coffee as that stuff is undrinkable.
Last edited by Nicolas on Fri May 26, 2023 4:26 pm, edited 7 times in total.
Nicolas
Posts: 4886
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:41 am

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Nicolas »

Nver2Late wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 12:20 pm I find this thread very interesting. I have a Poppery II so if I were to try to home roast, what type of green coffee beans would you recommend to try for a first time roaster?
Just use any green beans as long as they’re not robusta. You can use robusta if you want to, they will roast okay, but it won’t be as good as arabica beans.
gips
Posts: 1752
Joined: Mon May 13, 2013 5:42 pm

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by gips »

Nicolas wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:07 pm
gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 12:47 pm ps when she first started roasting I thought we were saving a lot of money but eventually learned roasted beans are lighter in weight than green beans. i’ve never measured/weighed the post-roasted green beans, i’m sure we’re saving $ but it’s not as simple as “i’m paying x for green beans vs y for roasted beans”
I measured the weight loss from roasting my beans and I found a reduction in weight of 17%. Even so I know I’m saving a lot of money.

Part of what drew me to home-roasting twenty years ago was the price of “gourmet” roasted beans sold at my local coffee shop. At that time it was $14/lb. (Actually I think that was for only 12 ounces). It’s likely a lot more now, I haven’t checked. I could buy green beans then at about $3.50/lb. Okay really it was $3.50 for a pound minus 17% in weight after roasting. Still a bargain don’t you think?

Now today my green beans run me about $6.50 for a pound minus 17%. I still think that’s a screaming deal. I don’t compare prices with grocery store coffee as that stuff is undrinkable.
thanks, 17%, that's good to know, I thought it was closer to 50% which nets out to $13/lb plus we pay shipping from sweet maria. Our local roaster does a great job and currently sells for $16-$18 a pound. but at 17%, it is really a bargain.
KlangFool
Posts: 31425
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:35 pm

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by KlangFool »

gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:38 pm
Nicolas wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:07 pm
gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 12:47 pm ps when she first started roasting I thought we were saving a lot of money but eventually learned roasted beans are lighter in weight than green beans. i’ve never measured/weighed the post-roasted green beans, i’m sure we’re saving $ but it’s not as simple as “i’m paying x for green beans vs y for roasted beans”
I measured the weight loss from roasting my beans and I found a reduction in weight of 17%. Even so I know I’m saving a lot of money.

Part of what drew me to home-roasting twenty years ago was the price of “gourmet” roasted beans sold at my local coffee shop. At that time it was $14/lb. (Actually I think that was for only 12 ounces). It’s likely a lot more now, I haven’t checked. I could buy green beans then at about $3.50/lb. Okay really it was $3.50 for a pound minus 17% in weight after roasting. Still a bargain don’t you think?

Now today my green beans run me about $6.50 for a pound minus 17%. I still think that’s a screaming deal. I don’t compare prices with grocery store coffee as that stuff is undrinkable.
thanks, 17%, that's good to know, I thought it was closer to 50% which nets out to $13/lb plus we pay shipping from sweet maria. Our local roaster does a great job and currently sells for $16-$18 a pound. but at 17%, it is really a bargain.
gips,

That is wrong! At 17% weight loss, the coffee bean is burnt.

The weight loss range from City (12.7%) to Full City+(15.1%). At 16.6%, the coffee bean is burnt. I use fresh roast air roaster.

https://library.sweetmarias.com/sweet-m ... olor-card/

KlangFool
30% VWENX | 16% VFWAX/VTIAX | 14.5% VTSAX | 19.5% VBTLX | 10% VSIAX/VTMSX/VSMAX | 10% VSIGX| 30% Wellington 50% 3-funds 20% Mini-Larry
Nicolas
Posts: 4886
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:41 am

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Nicolas »

KlangFool wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:55 pm
gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:38 pm
Nicolas wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:07 pm
gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 12:47 pm ps when she first started roasting I thought we were saving a lot of money but eventually learned roasted beans are lighter in weight than green beans. i’ve never measured/weighed the post-roasted green beans, i’m sure we’re saving $ but it’s not as simple as “i’m paying x for green beans vs y for roasted beans”
I measured the weight loss from roasting my beans and I found a reduction in weight of 17%. Even so I know I’m saving a lot of money.

Part of what drew me to home-roasting twenty years ago was the price of “gourmet” roasted beans sold at my local coffee shop. At that time it was $14/lb. (Actually I think that was for only 12 ounces). It’s likely a lot more now, I haven’t checked. I could buy green beans then at about $3.50/lb. Okay really it was $3.50 for a pound minus 17% in weight after roasting. Still a bargain don’t you think?

Now today my green beans run me about $6.50 for a pound minus 17%. I still think that’s a screaming deal. I don’t compare prices with grocery store coffee as that stuff is undrinkable.
thanks, 17%, that's good to know, I thought it was closer to 50% which nets out to $13/lb plus we pay shipping from sweet maria. Our local roaster does a great job and currently sells for $16-$18 a pound. but at 17%, it is really a bargain.
gips,

That is wrong! At 17% weight loss, the coffee bean is burnt.

The weight loss range from City (12.7%) to Full City+(15.1%). At 16.6%, the coffee bean is burnt. I use fresh roast air roaster.

https://library.sweetmarias.com/sweet-m ... olor-card/

KlangFool
It’s right if you like dark roast. I do and that’s what I measured. I wouldn’t say it’s burnt. But with the lower weight losses that you indicated it makes it even more of a bargain.
Wwwdotcom
Posts: 557
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2023 6:35 pm

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Wwwdotcom »

I will add that, I prefer the "freshroast" machines over the behmor drum roaster for learning how to roast. I think that may be important for the OP.
gips
Posts: 1752
Joined: Mon May 13, 2013 5:42 pm

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by gips »

KlangFool wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:55 pm
gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:38 pm
Nicolas wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:07 pm
gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 12:47 pm ps when she first started roasting I thought we were saving a lot of money but eventually learned roasted beans are lighter in weight than green beans. i’ve never measured/weighed the post-roasted green beans, i’m sure we’re saving $ but it’s not as simple as “i’m paying x for green beans vs y for roasted beans”
I measured the weight loss from roasting my beans and I found a reduction in weight of 17%. Even so I know I’m saving a lot of money.

Part of what drew me to home-roasting twenty years ago was the price of “gourmet” roasted beans sold at my local coffee shop. At that time it was $14/lb. (Actually I think that was for only 12 ounces). It’s likely a lot more now, I haven’t checked. I could buy green beans then at about $3.50/lb. Okay really it was $3.50 for a pound minus 17% in weight after roasting. Still a bargain don’t you think?

Now today my green beans run me about $6.50 for a pound minus 17%. I still think that’s a screaming deal. I don’t compare prices with grocery store coffee as that stuff is undrinkable.
thanks, 17%, that's good to know, I thought it was closer to 50% which nets out to $13/lb plus we pay shipping from sweet maria. Our local roaster does a great job and currently sells for $16-$18 a pound. but at 17%, it is really a bargain.
gips,

That is wrong! At 17% weight loss, the coffee bean is burnt.

The weight loss range from City (12.7%) to Full City+(15.1%). At 16.6%, the coffee bean is burnt. I use fresh roast air roaster.

https://library.sweetmarias.com/sweet-m ... olor-card/

KlangFool
thanks for that, i guess its a minor financial difference over the course of a year but still, good to know.

the freshroast roaster triggers your smoke alarm?
KlangFool
Posts: 31425
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:35 pm

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by KlangFool »

gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 9:08 pm
KlangFool wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:55 pm
gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:38 pm
Nicolas wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:07 pm
gips wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 12:47 pm ps when she first started roasting I thought we were saving a lot of money but eventually learned roasted beans are lighter in weight than green beans. i’ve never measured/weighed the post-roasted green beans, i’m sure we’re saving $ but it’s not as simple as “i’m paying x for green beans vs y for roasted beans”
I measured the weight loss from roasting my beans and I found a reduction in weight of 17%. Even so I know I’m saving a lot of money.

Part of what drew me to home-roasting twenty years ago was the price of “gourmet” roasted beans sold at my local coffee shop. At that time it was $14/lb. (Actually I think that was for only 12 ounces). It’s likely a lot more now, I haven’t checked. I could buy green beans then at about $3.50/lb. Okay really it was $3.50 for a pound minus 17% in weight after roasting. Still a bargain don’t you think?

Now today my green beans run me about $6.50 for a pound minus 17%. I still think that’s a screaming deal. I don’t compare prices with grocery store coffee as that stuff is undrinkable.
thanks, 17%, that's good to know, I thought it was closer to 50% which nets out to $13/lb plus we pay shipping from sweet maria. Our local roaster does a great job and currently sells for $16-$18 a pound. but at 17%, it is really a bargain.
gips,

That is wrong! At 17% weight loss, the coffee bean is burnt.

The weight loss range from City (12.7%) to Full City+(15.1%). At 16.6%, the coffee bean is burnt. I use fresh roast air roaster.

https://library.sweetmarias.com/sweet-m ... olor-card/

KlangFool
thanks for that, i guess its a minor financial difference over the course of a year but still, good to know.

the freshroast roaster triggers your smoke alarm?
Yes. I roast coffee in my garage with the garage door open instead.

KlangFool
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Alfonsia
Posts: 322
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:47 pm

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by Alfonsia »

I don't think it is worth farting around with popcorn machines etc, but I do have the gene cafe, not without its faults, but the better replacement would be probably about $1k, so I have DH fix it when it needs a fix. I did manage to use it inside the house with a really amazing extractor hood and super high ceilings, but the outside was so unpleasant for 70% of the year I was keen to make it work. Now (living in a better climate) I just do it in the garage.

Burman coffee traders are great, I always order enough for free shipping. I roast 2 batches, twice a week at least. The gene cafe for us has had lots of issues which I assume are fixed now (mine is probably 12 yrs old but DH replaced/fixed/soldered lots of bits). Its super easy to use, but frankly coffee roasting is a bit of a commitment, unless you are willing to have time to babysit the roaster, think about how much you care. You can't really leave it alone. Now coffee is so $$, green coffee is a real bargain, but Costco's Columbian is just not that bad in a pinch.

It's not a thing you buy to round out the kitchen appliance checklist IMO. You can buy a lot of good coffee for the price of a real roaster, green beans and your time if that is a premium. My time is free LOL. We drink a lot of coffee and have a proper espresso machine. What kind of espresso machine are you using?
gips
Posts: 1752
Joined: Mon May 13, 2013 5:42 pm

Re: Counter Top Coffee Roasting

Post by gips »

KlangFool wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 9:18 pm Yes. I roast coffee in my garage with the garage door open instead.

KlangFool
I wondered out loud to my wife why she doesn't have a smoke alarm problem when roasting in our kitchen, she thought two factors were at play:
- she roasts btw blonde and city, so a light-ish roast.
- we're friends with our local roaster and he suggested instead of following freshroast's directions that she roast on the lowest setting for an extended period of time (10 mins for her).

best,
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