When you make coffee at home, you probably by your favorite kind of coffee bean and use your home coffee grinder to brew a cup. You might even by pre-ground coffee beans, or use instant coffee. These methods are quick and easy. What they all have in common is that someone else roasted your coffee beans for you. Coffee beans don’t grow ready to go into your cup. The “green beans” need to be roasted to perfection before you’ll want to taste them. The roasting of green coffee beans is an art that is practiced by gourmet coffee makers and coffee connoisseurs all over the world. If you love coffee, there is no reason you can’t do the roasting yourself. So, should you roast your own coffee?
The Roasting Process
Roasting coffee isn’t very difficult, but it does require practice. It’s a learned skill that you’ll need to get the hang of, or your coffee beans will just burn and smoke up your kitchen. First you’ll need to purchase green beans, and they’re available from a variety of distributors. They also come in many different types, so you’ll need to go with whatever suites your taste. All green beans can be roasted to your preferences for light, medium or dark coffee, even Espresso, French or Vienna roasts. Roasting the beans is very simple. There are a variety of methods, including roasting the beans on a cookie sheet in your oven, in a pan on your stove-top, or in a specially-bought coffee been roaster. Another popular and effective method of roasting coffee beans utilizes a popcorn popper.
Roasting usually takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes, sometimes less. As your beans roast, they’ll get darker and darker in color, and their flavor becomes more and more strong. You’ll stop roasting the beans as soon as they reach the level of roast you desire. Cool them, and you’re all finished. Allowing the roasted beans to sit for 24 hours will let them settle into their full flavor, though you can use immediately. As you roast more beans, you’ll get the hang of exactly when you should stop roasting to achieve the coffee that pleases you most.
Why DIY?
There are lots of benefits to roasting your own coffee, and there is no real reason not to give it a try, especially if you’re an avid coffee drinker. Practically, roasting your own coffee costs much less and can save you a great deal of money. Green beans cost approximately half the price of roasted beans. If you drink a lot of coffee, the savings will be huge. Even if you want to invest in a professional roaster, your savings will quickly cover the cost. The other great reason to roast your own coffee is that it enables you to design your perfect cup. As you experiment with different beans and roasts, you’ll be able to create a coffee that is all your own. You can try combining the beans and creating your very own blend. There is a great level of personal satisfaction that can come with roasting your own coffee beans, and that makes for the best cup of all.
About the Guest Author
Blogging from the Pacific Northwest, Emily Wagner knows her coffee. She avoids confusing writing with the world’s best grammar checker. In her spare time, she loves to experiment with new recipes for entertaining her friends and family.
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