Coffee Roasters

Home coffee roasting is a process that gives the ideal cup of espresso. With no doubt, roasting is the fundamental step in the entire process of making coffee. The process begins by sorting and grading, roasting, grinding then brewing.

Roasting with home coffee roasters and commercial roasters is a craft. In this process, the aroma and flavor are created. Without this, the flavor of the coffee wouldn’t be in the espresso.

You will get a tasteless or bitter coffee if the roasting is not done well. Don’t worry, now there are specific home coffee roasters and systems that have really simplified the process and eliminated the chance of bad roasting.

You need to understand the basic rules of roasting before we proceed with home coffee roasters. That rule is, the darker the roast the stronger the bitterness will be in the flavor because the true character of the beans will be less.

Of course, there are exceptions. When roasting beans from Antigua Guatemala, roasting to a high roast gives it body while keeping the fruitiness and acidity. High roasting some Mexican beans will give a sweeter taste.

In this article I will discuss the simplest technique to roast coffee beans at home, but you should remember, if the roasting process is not done correctly it can cause a lot of damage.

The ideal temperature for roasting should be done at 245 degrees Celsius for a certain time for different roasts. If this process is not followed, the oil is not extracted and will have an underdeveloped taste.

Roasting the beans too long or if the temperature is too high, they will taste burnt and thin. So little by little you should begin to understand why people are willing to pay big money for a home coffee roaster.

Now, the big question is which one is the best home coffee roaster. Home coffee makers range from a small one such as a I-roast that holds half a cup to one cup of coffee beans in ranging in price around $200. On the high end of price range, there is a drum roaster that roasts 9oz of coffee beans and costs about $600.

Here is a simple way we can roast coffee beans that doesn’t require complicated tools. You will not get the best coffee roast but with practice, you can make some good coffee.

Skillet in the Oven Method

First, preheat oven to about 265 degrees Celsius.

Next, spread a layer of green coffee beans evenly in an cast iron skillet and place in the oven.

Then, roast for 20 minutes.

If you want a light to medium roast, you need to shake the skillet occasionally. The color of the beans will first change to yellow then to brown. As the rest of the moisture bursts from the beans, you will hear a cracking sound and the coffee’s aroma will be released.

If a darker roast is desired, reduce the temperature to 200 degrees after 20 minutes. Then you will continue to roast while shaking the skillet occasionally for 15 minutes. The desired darkness of the roast will determine the time remaining.

When the desired roast has been reached, take the skillet from the oven and allow the beans cool.

That’s it. It is a simple process that doesn’t take a lot of time or difficult techniques to roast beans and get a good cup of coffee. Of course, it can not compete with the quality of a coffee bean roaster but, the pride and enjoyment of roasting the beans will make up for the decreased flavor.