Romancing the Bean: Roasting Coffee at Home

America’s coffee lovers spend tons of money frequenting their neighborhood coffee joints and buying expensive espresso machines in the quest for the ultimate cup of Joe. But getting an awesome cup of coffee is easier and less expensive then you might think.

Roasting green coffee beans at home produces a smooth, tasty cup of coffee that is far superior to anything you can buy in a can. Even if you buy your coffee in bean form and grind it yourself you are missing out on the taste of freshly roasted coffee.

The hardest part of roasting your own coffee is getting hold of green coffee beans and even that isn’t too difficult. In fact, you can do a quick internet search, order a sample pack of beans from around the world, and get your beans delivered to your door in just a few days. You can find green beans for less than five dollars a pound. Sample or variety packs are a terrific value and allow you to explore different types of coffee from around the world.

In addition to the actual coffee, you need something to roast the beans in. You can go from an inexpensive, hand-cranked stovetop popcorn popper, use an approved hot-air popcorn popper, roast your beans in a wok on the stove, or you can splurge on appliances designed specifically for the task.

You can spend very little on equipment or you can hundreds of dollars on digital coffee roasters. The choice is yours. If you are willing to tend to the roasting, and that’s half the fun, choosing a popcorn popper method yields delicious results and is a great way to gain an introduction to your new hobby.

Entire books are written on how to roast your own coffee at home but you can find techniques that fit your needs on the internet. In fact, most websites that sell green coffee beans have roasting instructions for a variety of methods.

Whichever method you choose, the aroma will overwhelm you! If you love the smell of coffee brewing, you will fall in love with the process of roasting coffee in your home. Once you’ve roasted your coffee, the best time to brew a pot is the next day.