Micro-Roasting Workshop Handout
Introduction to Micro-Roasting May 25, 2008
“If everyone knew how easy it was....”
• Why to consider micro-roasting • Fresh coffee every morning • The coffee you want, when you want it • The roast you want; no more charcoal in a cup • Ability to try new, interesting, and/or seasonal coffees • The urge to experiment • Less expensive (if only marginally) • Reasons not to roast your own coffee • It can absorb a little time or a lot, depending on how much you let it • iRoast 2, setup to takedown, 30 minutes, 2-3 times a week... but add bean shopping etc. • You’re always experimenting, and sometimes experiments don’t go well • You drink your mistakes • Some determinants of flavor • Bean origin (terroir), processing, and condition • Method of extraction (drip, vacuum, press, etc.) • Degree of roast and roast profile (curve relating temperature to time of roast) • The roasting process • Drying phase—beans lose some water mass, start to smell grassy • “First crack”—steam breaks through cellulose fibers of bean (like popcorn), mid-300º range • “Second crack”—cellulose matrix of bean starts to break down, low 400º range • Fire—what happens to beans in the upper-400º range, given enough oxygen • Degrees of roast • New England: Light brown, dry, sour; reminiscent of diners • American or light: Medium light brown; the norm for the Eastern U.S. • City or medium: Beans are just clear of first crack phase of roast; highlights varietal notes • Full City: On the verge of second crack; a darker roast, patches of oil just beginning to show • Espresso: Light surface oil, bittersweet; roast character begins to dominate origin character • French: Very dark brown and shiny; burnt tones dominate • Italian: Black, shiny; redolent of charcoal, approaching actual combustion • Equipment • Anything from a cast-iron skillet to a $1,000 programmable Hot Top drum roaster • Handout lists pros and cons of major options • Some that were not mentioned: heat gun and dog bowl; skillet; oven; microwave • Anything that can add enough heat to beans could potentially work • How to obtain green coffee beans • Sweet Maria’s: $5-6/lb.+ in 1-lb. bags, bulk discount (23% off by 20-lb. bag), plus shipping • Yeah Me Too ($6-$7.50/lb.), coffeebeancorral.com, Luck Bros. ($6/lb.), Stauf’s (10% off) • For more information • www.sweetmarias.com, coffeegeek.com forums, Ken David, “Home Coffee Roasting”