So you love coffee? Why aren't you roasting your own beans? You have tried light roasted, medium roasted, dark roasted. Why not fine tune it and make it exactly how you want it? You can make it extremely dark roasted, super light roasted and everything in between. It takes a little equipment, but not too much.
Equipment List
- Green coffee beans
- 3lbs for $20ish in Amazon
- Cast iron skillet
- Coleman Burner + propane fuel canister + lighter/matches
- $40 on Amazon
- Wooden or metal spatula, whisk or spoon (to stir but not melt)
- Cooling tray: Lasagna pan or cookie sheet with an edge
- Hotpads: grab a bunch, skillet gets hot (2 minimum)
- Hand fan if you have one (if not, carry on I have never used one, just seems handy)
Let's Get Roasting
- This is a smokey, smelly and messy process, so the backyard is best (not inside)
- Light the propane burner and get the skillet hot
- Pour in a single layer of green coffee beans
- You need to stir constantly, go slow in the first 5 minutes, not much happens
- What will happen:
- Green beans will turn yellow
- Turn light brown
- Start to "crack" (popping sound)
- Turn brown, light roast and the outer skin will come off, fan these off or blow them (highest caffeine)
- Turn dark brown and "second crack" (medium roast)
- Become a dark French roast (lowest caffeine)
- Burn and turn into charcoal bit
- The beans will be a mix of colors, you are using the average color
- When they are roasted to your preference, dump them into your cooling pan
- Wait for them to cool, can fan here if you wish
- Grind the beans in a blender or grinder
- Put in airtight jar or other container
- We put ours in small plastic sealable bags and the small burlap sacks as gifts
- Enjoy!