Fun roasting coffee at home

Coffee is a popular any time drink and one whose taste can vary depending on how the coffee is brewed and the type of coffee beans used. If you want to control the flavor of your coffee, you may want to consider roasting your own coffee at home. This is a simple procedure that requires minimal equipment. However, you may need to try the procedure a few times first in order to obtain the coffee taste that you desire. To roast coffee at home you will need a standard frying pan. The size of the pan varies depending on how many beans you are roasting. Also, you will need dry, unroasted (green) beans that you can purchase from a coffee specialty store. Place the beans in the pan and turn your stovetop on to medium-high heat. As the beans roast you must turn them frequently to avoid burning them. Normal roasting time is approximately 15 minutes. During the roasting process you will notice the beans changing color from light green/brown to a darker brown. In addition, a coffee aroma will be generated from the pan. It is very important that the beans be turned constantly as they roast. This preserves the beans' flavor and aroma.

When the beans have roasted for some time, you will notice that they will become greasy. This occurs as the natural oils within the beans are released during the roasting process. Once the oils appear on all the beans, the roasting process is concluded. At this point, if you prefer a stronger or harsher coffee taste, continue to roast the beans an additional 5-7 minutes. After the beans are roasted, remove them from the pan and place them on a plate that is covered with a paper towel or cloth. Placing the beans on a paper towel or cloth is necessary to remove some of the excess oils from the beans. Keep the beans on the plate until they are cool to the touch. Once cooled, you can ground them for use or move them to a storage container. Selecting beans to roast depends entirely on the taste that you want your coffee to have. Besides the country where a coffee bean is grown, coffee beans differ in quality depending on the altitude at which they are grown. Lowland, high altitude, and higher altitude beans all have different tastes; the higher altitude beans have more flavor and aroma than the lower altitude ones. It is also important to note the blend type of the coffee. For example, Arabica is a mixture of beans that were originally grown in the Middle East but which are now grown worldwide. This coffee type produces a strong coffee with a harsher taste and is typically used in espresso and Turkish coffee. Meanwhile, mountain-grown blends are milder, more flavorful, and are popular as general all-purpose coffees.

Because coffee companies produce many variations on coffee blends you may want to inquire first about the types of beans used in a blend before you purchase them for roasting. Additionally, if you are willing to experiment, purchase bean types separately and make your own mix for roasting.