roasting start

[millertimegooney]

all good info on this forum. any good beginners guid or manual to begin and absorb info to begin roasting?

 

[BFRoasters]

sweetmarias.com and you tube are awesome if you just start out.

 

[Redswing]

here is what I would do. in 6 easy steps (insert cheesy photo here):

1- get yourself an air popcorn popper for like $20 on amazon.
2-find a local roaster.
3-buy a few (maybe 10?) pounds of green from them (bet they will sell you green for $5 a pound or so)
4-ask them how they would suggest roasting with your contraption. if they aren't helpful (but they will be), search youtube.
5-get yourself a 6 pack of your favorite beer, go sit out on the back porch, and roast a few batches in a row.
6-taste em all side by side and there you go, you'll start figuring stuff out.

 

[cestrin]

If I could 'Like' things on here, I would like Redswing's post...

 

[travieso2989]

Just start roasting with a popcorn machine from walmart or goodwill. I also added a metal "chimney" to mine so that the beans don't all come out. It's fun to make small batches with different beans and you have enough for a small cup of coffee. I started out like that and have slowly progressed, it's fun. FYI, $5 for a pound is great! I usually find a local roaster sells green beans for $7+, online is cheaper as usually. Happymug.com is good.

 

[ensoluna]

you really know how to roast? Really want to know about COFFEE? how about making a week trip to Guatemala coffee factory to get a full real education about the coffee? I think it is way better than paying $1400 for 3 day session in some artificial cupping lab in San Francisco. for $1400, you can pay for the education, flight, hotel, food...etc and real coffee farm tours...etc. you can gather up few friends and make a trip. if you need some direction or where to go and who to contact, just let me know.

 

[Redswing]

Millertimegooney: You still out there? Check out this 1:20 video from Verve Coffee Roasters in Santa Cruz CA. They take a quick look at the possibilities of using a popcorn popper to roast at home.

Check out Videos | Verve Coffee Roasters, video #3, "the popcorn project."

 

[MSBailey]

Ensoluna,

I would love to go. I know you are just getting back from a trip. When are you going again?

 

[ensoluna]

Ensoluna,

I would love to go. I know you are just getting back from a trip. When are you going again?

hi, thanks for email. I am still in Guatemala and going back home to L.A. next friday.
regarding trip to Guatemala to learn about "coffee", our company will be setting up few different types of Coffee tours, Seminars, courses and be able to learn about coffee. It will be about a week trip.


As example, let me explain bit about the this coffee learning course.
When you arrived to guatemala city, we will visit Anacafe (Anacafe is like SCAA in USA) to learn about coffee cultures and general coffee orientation. Then, visiting Injerto cafe to taste several different coffees they offer. and we will tour Injerto school. after that, we will go to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala where our factory & laboratory is at. In that city, we will visit couple of our own farms to understand how the coffee is being harvested, processed, dried and milled. in that place, you will learn about different process, such as dry process, semi-wash...etc. also, you will get to see the different types of coffee trees and be able to tell the differences among different coffee types.


and in our laboratory, you will be able to learn how to roast coffee using 30lbs commercial roaster and also Joper cupping roaster.
be able to learn about vacuum packing, try out all different types of coffees, chemex, aeropress...etc to learn about coffee Aromas and Flavors.


if you want to learn about cupping, we have the cupping laboratory and instructors to show you how to cup, how to roast the parchment coffees to prepare for cupping, how to measure the grinds, how to weight and even how to check the humidity on parchment and green coffee. To do this for about 8 different types of coffee cupping, we will go thru beginning to the end. measuring parchment coffee, weighing, checking the humidity, milling, roasting on Jopper roaster, grinding on Bunn, measuring for the cupping cups, how to use the cupping score charts...etc. This entire process will take about four hours. complete session if you like.


also, if you wish to learn how to be a barista, we will take you to our other shop where you can learn to be a barista. you will learn about the milk, foams, how to grind, how to measure...etc about 3 to 4 hour course.


however, if you are interested in certain things, such as roasting or making lattes or cupping...etc, depends on your request, we can dedicate more time for that study.


Erick Gonzalez (you can find his picture from my previous posting along with most of our key members) is our instructor. He used to be an instructor for Anacafe for 4 years. So he is more than well qualified.


finally, we will head to Antigua, Guatemala where our company club house is located at. you will stay in our company house and be able to visit other nearby farms, or take tours in Antigua (by the way, Antigua is the most touristic city in entire central American. Actually, this city is honored as World Heritage site).


this will be typical our coffee educational course.
We will be updating our company website with this educational course information in a couple of weeks. and be able to sign up for the course.
Actually, the course is very complete and dedicated to real coffee lovers. so if you want to know more about this, please PM me.
thanks
alex

 

[MSBailey]

Alex that sounds awesome! I think you're right...$1400 well spent!
Mary