Are you planning to roast coffee at home? Well, some points are essential to know before roasting coffee at home.
Why do we roast coffee?
Roasting coffee is both science and art. For turning green coffee beans into the brown coffee beans that we use every day, careful application of heat is needed. Roasting coffee is a common way because raw green coffee beans are fruit-like substances that don’t have any characteristics of the roasted coffee bean. Its aroma and taste are not the same.
Out of thousand substances that are in the green coffee beans, we only need less than fifty substances in the coffee that we use. By roasting coffee, we eliminate unwanted substances and concentrate on the ones which produce the aroma and flavor locked inside the green coffee beans.
When we roast coffee, we are reducing the weight of the raw beans, releasing aromatic substances, making them crunchy, increasing their size, and changing their color from light brown to dark.
The two methods of roasting coffee
For roasting coffee at home, you need to know that there are two methods of roasting coffee. These two are the drum roasting method and the hot air roasting method.
Drum roasting method
Unlike the hot air roasting method, the drum roasting method is for roasting on a small scale. In the drum roasting method, small batches of coffee should be exposed to a temperature of 230 degrees for about 12 minutes. If you roast coffee slowly, the acidic flavors from the beans will be eliminated.
Hot air roasting method
one way for roasting coffee is using the hot air roasting method. It is also known as industrial roasting. In this method, they heat a large batch of coffee at extremely high temperatures for about three minutes. However, their taste is more acidic.
Check out the Latest coffee tips on the coffeemag.ca : At what age can children drink coffee?
Steps for roasting coffee at home
1. Sourcing green beans
At first, you may not know which coffee you like the most, so it is a good idea to start with sample packs because they include a variety of regions. Using sample packs helps you start testing different coffees in small amounts until you become more confident in your choice.
2. Selecting the roasting method
To roast coffee at home you can use many ways. Choose one of the methods based on the amount of money you want to spend and the amount of coffee you want to roast.
Oven and skillet-roasting can be your options, but they are not suitable for beginners since they need a high level of skill. Another way is to use popcorn machines. It can be a good option for small quantities.
3. Setting up roasting space
A key factor for your roast quality and also your safety is good ventilation. You can open the windows or roast outside in an open garage. This way, the smoke released from the beans will escape. Besides, you keep some equipment such as scales, close to hand.
4. Roasting coffee
In case you have a home roaster, read the manual first. Start with the pre-set mode to become familiar with the process. If you are using popcorn machines and air roasters, it will take 8–12 minutes. Drum roasters will take 14–20 minutes. To have an even roast, constant movement of the beans is needed. In the skillet-cooking, beans must be stirred manually.
5. Cooling and storage
Once they reached the desired roast development, they should be removed from the heat to cool down. The roasting process continues until they are cooled, so consider acting quickly. Moreover, any chaff must be removed. Once they reach room temperature, store them. Fresh coffee should be kept away from heat, light, and oxidation.
