Whole Bean Coffee

Have you ever considered roasting your own coffee? With all the flavors and methods of producing a delicious cup of coffee, a gourmet coffee roaster is a convenient way to be able to provide yourself with a satisfying treat.

It was only in the 20th century where we see the most convenient and technological ways to roast coffee. Up until then, coffee roasting consisted of heating the beans over hot coals, using cast iron skillets to roast, and then adding the rotation of drums over fire.

After World War I, you could start purchasing your coffee beans pre-roasted. Home roasting began to decrease after 1901 with the creation of instant coffee; however, with the recent creation of home-style coffee roasters and the increased interest of roasting our own coffee, you might as well say we are going back to doing things the way they were in order to achieve the freshest cup of coffee.

Types of Roasters

Air Roaster (Fluid Bed) – The green coffee beans are placed in a roaster. As heat is provided, the machine begins to turn. The beans then move around and are being mixed so that the hot air does not over-cook or unevenly cook any beans (similar to a popcorn popper). You can purchase this roaster starting at $5 to thousands of dollars.

The most simple contains a cooking pan with an attached thermometer and hand crank to turn the beans; the most expensive roasters are not as manual as this method and will allow you to choose how dark you want your roast.

Drum Roasters – There is a drum attached that is made to tumble the coffee beans. This roaster is somewhat more expensive as it gives you the ability to roast more beans and also provides for a more even roast.

Additional Facts

Coffee flavor is at its best between 24 hours and 1 week after the actual roasting. Depending on the way that it is stored and where it is roasted determines how fast it will lose its freshness. The soil, climate, and also the type of plant are key factors in determining the quality of coffee you roast. Unroasted coffee beans can stay on the shelf for over a couple years if stored properly.

A gourmet coffee roaster is able to give you an exact roasting time to create different tastes, thus providing you with the opportunity of creating the perfect brew.