Gourmet Coffee Roasters
Gourmet coffee roasters are great to have at
home if you want that taste of extra fresh coffee.
There are several different kinds of roasters, some
work on the stove top for those that like to keep a
simple approach and some are fancy machines that do
most of the work automatically.
To roast gourmet coffee, buy the finest green
coffee beans to start with. Each type of bean has a
different size and shape and, therefore, different
roasting methods will work to bring out the finest
flavor of each bean. You’ll probably need to
experiment quite a bit before you become and expert
but the rewards of that fresh tasting gourmet coffee
will be well worth it!
The green gourmet coffee beans may look small, but
as you roast them, they will expand to almost double
the size. The green beans can be stored for years in
a dry storage area.
When roasting, keep in mind that different coffees
require different roasting times and the longer you
roast to more fuller the flavor will be. Let your
roasted beans sit for about 6 hours before grinding
and store in an airtight container after they are
ground. Wait another 24 hours before brewing as
roasted coffee reaches it’s peak flavor 24 hours after
it is roasted. The flavor of roasted gourmet coffee
will decrease as time goes on, so use your coffee as
soon as you can after roasting for best flavor!
Roasting at Home
You can roast gourmet coffee beans in the oven by
heating it to 525 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a cast iron
fry pan and place the beans in 1 layer in the pan.
Roast for about 20 minutes. When done toss the beans
in a colander to remove the chaff.
You can also use a stovetop roaster (or crank
style popcorn popper). This method requires constant
stirring and produces a lot of smoke. Preheat the
roaster to about 475 degrees F. Add the green coffee
beans and close the lid. Use the crank to stir
constantly. After 4 or 5 minutes, you will hear the
beans crack - check every minute or so after that
until the beans reach the desired color. Remove from
heat and toss the beans in a colander to remove the
chaff.
Roasting Tips
The lighter the color of the roasted bean, the
lighter the taste - roasting longer gives the coffee a
fuller taste
Roasting beans makes a lot of smoke - make sure
you have adequate ventilation
When the beans start to smell like coffee, they
are pretty much done
Cool the beans ASAP after roasting and remove the
chaff by swooshing around in a colander.
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