Posted Sun Jun 8, 2003, 11:11am Subject: Clueless! How to get into the home roast arena.
Hello all,
I am considering home roasting and have never seen any home rosters in my area (Chicago). In addition I do not know what is required. a bit of help would be great.
1) Where do you start
2) Who sell beans that can be roasted?
3) Is it costly?
4) Is it messy?
How should a Starbucks / Home Latte type proceed to the "next step"?
Posted Sun Jun 8, 2003, 11:54am Subject: Re: Clueless! How to get into the home roast arena.
Scott,
I would recommend going to INeedCoffee. They have a bunch of articles on roasting using various methods and even one on why to roast. See here.
You can expect to pay a minimum of $50 for equipment. Home roasting appliances start a little over $60 for a FreshRoast Plus and can go up to $595 for a Hottop. There are some choices in between those extremes. You could also use a hot air popcorn popper or a whirly pop.
I get most of my beans from Sweet Maria's and the prices typically run from $4 to $6 per pound depending on what bean and how much you buy. Expect to lose about 15-20% of the mass in the roasting process.
There are reviews of various roasters here on CoffeeGeek and extensive discussions of most.
IMAWriter Moderator Joined: 4 Jul 2002 Posts: 2,897 Location: Brentwood, TN Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Olympia Cremina, Reg, Penney... Grinder: KYM manual, Vario (on... Vac Pot: Silex, Adcraft SS, Yama 8... Drip: Chemex, Newco, Clever cup Roaster: Behmor 1600, CO/UFO combo
Posted Sun Jun 8, 2003, 9:54pm Subject: Re: Clueless! How to get into the home roast arena.
jliedeka Said:
Scott,
I would recommend going to INeedCoffee. They have a bunch of articles on roasting using various methods and even one on why to roast. See here.
You can expect to pay a minimum of $50 for equipment. Home roasting appliances start a little over $60 for a FreshRoast Plus and can go up to $595 for a Hottop. There are some choices in between those extremes. You could also use a hot air popcorn popper or a whirly pop.
I get most of my beans from Sweet Maria's and the prices typically run from $4 to $6 per pound depending on what bean and how much you buy. Expect to lose about 15-20% of the mass in the roasting process.
There are reviews of various roasters here on CoffeeGeek and extensive discussions of most.
Scott..Jim's post to you is spot on...I would , in fact go to sweetmarias.com and click on roasters...I would also highly recommend Ken Davids book "Home Coffee Roasting...Romance and Revival" ...it really gives a beautiful overview of coffee, roasting of beans, and equipment usage, with lots of fun stuff thrown in...it's really sort of a "Bible" of home roasting....I roast with a Westbend Poppery 2...found in thrift shops, or friends who now microwave their popcorn! I've been roasting 3 months now, so I'm not an expert, but the learning curve is small, and the rewards are HUGE....FRESH coffee, and more visits from your friends!!....good luck, and keep us posted...this is a great website, with folks way more experienced than I in the home roast thing...keep reading...RJ
ZachandDanis Senior Member Joined: 2 Dec 2002 Posts: 11 Location: Denver Expertise: Professional
Posted Mon Jun 9, 2003, 12:31pm Subject: Re: Clueless! How to get into the home roast arena.
If you want to actually touch a home roaster and beans before you buy, you can go to any of the retail stores called The Great Indoors if you are close to Deerfield, Lombard, or Schaumberg. They are pretty liberal about returns, so this could give you a chance to try it at no risk.
(Just a note from Jim, the moderator:
The roasters in question are Zach & Dani's roasters. They are excellent products for someone who wants freshly roasted coffee without a lot of hassles. However, just as with all other home roasters, there are some caveats. Check Sweet Marias for the review.
This post is borderline in terms of the no advertising policy, but allowable since it points to a place where Scott can actually see the roaster in action. Longer time members of the board would know that you are pointing towards your product, but it's better to say so directly.)
BellaJava Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2002 Posts: 425 Location: Jacksonville, FL Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Livia 90 Auto Grinder: Mazzer Mini Vac Pot: Silex, Cory, Hellem, Cona,... Drip: Chemex Roaster: Alp, FR+, HWG
Posted Mon Jun 9, 2003, 4:36pm Subject: Re: Clueless! How to get into the home roast arena.
ZachandDanis Said:
If you want to actually touch a home roaster and beans before you buy, you can go to any of the retail stores called The Great Indoors if you are close to Deerfield, Lombard, or Schaumberg. They are pretty liberal about returns, so this could give you a chance to try it at no risk.
(Just a note from Jim, the moderator:
The roasters in question are Zach & Dani's roasters. They are excellent products for someone who wants freshly roasted coffee without a lot of hassles. However, just as with all other home roasters, there are some caveats. Check Sweet Marias for the review.
This post is borderline in terms of the no advertising policy, but allowable since it points to a place where Scott can actually see the roaster in action. Longer time members of the board would know that you are pointing towards your product, but it's better to say so directly.)
Not to be rude... but I think the "gloss" has worn off the Z&D roaster. I've seen less and less about it on AC and have started to see them showing up on Ebay and other auction sites. A lot of people jumped on it in the beginning, especially when it was paired with a cheap whirlyblade grinder. The 30 day return is a great deal 'tho for the person who's never roasted before.
Pulse check... how many others here have the Z&D and still have positives to report on the roaster? Most posts that I've read about it on AC have been that they use it very infrequently and some even post that it will likely remain a "backup" roaster.
jim_schulman Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 3,772 Location: Chicago Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Mon Jun 9, 2003, 7:36pm Subject: Re: Clueless! How to get into the home roast arena.
BellaJava Said:
Not to be rude... but I think the "gloss" has worn off the Z&D roaster. ...
Most posts that I've read about it on AC have been that they use it very infrequently and some even post that it will likely remain a "backup" roaster ...
That's partly true; it's too inflexible for a hobbyist roaster, and those are the people one hears from on alt.coffee. But for someone who doesn't want to make a hobby of it, it has a lot of advantages: it's relatively reliable; it can be used without ventilation; it's very quiet and easy to use; it produces a more even roast than even pro drums, even if one uses a blend of low and high density beans. Finally, most US coffee drinkers like the mellow, low acid cup the Z&D produces; while the same cup may strike a coffee enthusiast as somewhat baked.
When one of the regulars posts that they've stopped using it, there's usually several lurkers or very occasional posters who chime in to say they still like it and use it.
I personally hope they sell like hot cakes. Some of the buyers may not consign them to the gadget closet, and actually use it regularly; and some of those may catch the bug and graduate to more hardcore equipment. It may also motivate them to produce a version with a more powerful and controllable heater.
I think the mechanical stirring + low air flow heating is potentially the best design for small hobbyist or sample roasters. If I were to design a 1/2 to 1 pound roaster from scratch, that's the basic design I'd use. Instead of a catalytic converter, I'd put in a booster fan for chaff collection and cooling.
bob10 Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2002 Posts: 2 Location: Fort Worth Expertise: Intermediate
Posted Thu Jun 12, 2003, 6:52am Subject: Re: Clueless! How to get into the home roast arena.
Ok I am one of those not "hardcore" roasters that uses the ZAD. I have used it for 6 months and still find it a pleasure to use. I don't roast much for espresso and maybe that is why I like it so much. I roast for drip and vacuum pots. As with all roasters on the market, the ZAD has to be played with and has a learning curve. I can adjust the roast by adjusting the amount I roast. The best part of the ZAD is the customer service! I haven't had to use them but the special deal they gave last year proves they are listening.
So even though I am not "hardcore" I am a happy roaster.
Bob L (drinking Gautamelan roasted on a ZAD in Fort Worth, Tx)
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