newbieroaster Junior Member Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Colorado Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Rancilio
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 8:19am Subject: Where to Purchase Beans?
I've been reading a few of the posts here, and am really enjoying what I have read so far. That said...
I am a complete newbie, and wanting to start roasting my own beans. I think I have an idea of what roasting machine I would like to get, but I am really confused about something in regards to the cost of roasting my own beans. Just about every site I have visited says that it is cheaper to roast your own beans, however, when I add the cost of shipping to my beans, I am now back to where I was before, or even a little more than I pay for regular old Starbucks beans.
So, I guess I would like to pose the question, is it really cheaper to roast your own beans? If so, then where do you purchase your beans? I really like Sweet Maria's web site. I like that they tell you where the beans come from, and give you so much information about brewing, etc., but the shipping costs just brought me right back up to where I am right now, if not a little higher.
Part of my dilemma, is that my hubby does not drink coffee at all, so I am trying to justify my desire to roast in the first place. One of my ideas was that I was saving $, which was what so many have been saying. Now I am perhaps wondering if those that are saying it is cheaper to roast their own beans, are not calculating the cost of shipping into this whole thing. In order to decide if a thing is cheaper, it seems that one has to add in the cost of shipping.
Any information you can give me would be really helpful in me making my final decision. I guess I could make it a hobby, but I was not so much planning on that.
boldjava Senior Member Joined: 2 Jun 2006 Posts: 495 Location: Wisconsin Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ms Silvia Grinder: Macap 4 Drip: Chemex with SwissGold Roaster: Gene, Nesco,IRoast2, Behmor
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 8:50am Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
newbieroaster Said:
I've been reading a few of the posts here, and am really enjoying what I have read so far. That said...
Any information you can give me would be really helpful in me making my final decision. I guess I could make it a hobby, but I was not so much planning on that.
Carol, you have to like to futz and putz if you want to home roast. It is not cheaper than the beans you are presently drinking. It just has that appearance. Better than Starbucks? Heavens, yes. But cheaper? Not once you start getting into the habit and buy the roaster, the shipping, the storage bags, the bins, and begin to amass a stash <grins>.
I would encourage you to locate a homeroaster and spend a couple of morning sessions with him/her and see if you would like to put that much time and energy into roasting. I always encourage people that are interested in homeroasting to visit me; 50% walk out home roasters, 50% say, "thanks, I didn't realize it would be that much trouble."
Strictly a wonderful hobby for me but trying to say that you have to enjoy the process or you are better off finding a good local roaster who dates her/his coffee rather than Starbucks.
newbieroaster Junior Member Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Colorado Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Rancilio
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 9:19am Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
I probably should have pointed out that I live in a very small town, and there are none that I know of. As for time, and the desire, that I have plenty of. I am a "stay at home Mom", with a 15 year old son who does online homeschooling. Both he and I are coffee lovers. He is also interested in this idea of roasting our own beans. We also have a 23 year old son, away at college, but when he gets a chance, he comes home, and he is also a coffee lover.
The outlay of cash for the actual machine and extras are not a huge concern, to be honest, but I want to have a reason for my request, if that makes any sense. If this is to be a hobby, then that is fine too, but then I will need to be far more realistic in that it is just that - a hobby, and no more. A wonderfully fun and enjoyable one, and I think it would be a blast! But I cannot go to my husband and say that after we purchase said machine, we will be saving money on the beans, because they cost less than what we are paying for them now, because that would be an untruth.
If I am going to get into this as a hobby, then I will likely wait until Christmas and my birthday (my birthday is 4 days after Christmas), and ask for one. I was hoping that what I was reading, (even on Sweet Maria's web site) was true. That after the initial outlay, I would be saving money on the purchase of the beans, and in the end, getting a far better product!
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 9:24am Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
boldjava Said:
Carol, you have to like to futz and putz if you want to home roast. It is not cheaper than the beans you are presently drinking. It just has that appearance. Better than Starbucks? Heavens, yes. But cheaper? Not once you start getting into the habit and buy the roaster, the shipping, the storage bags, the bins, and begin to amass a stash <grins>.
I would encourage you to locate a homeroaster and spend a couple of morning sessions with him/her and see if you would like to put that much time and energy into roasting. I always encourage people that are interested in homeroasting to visit me; 50% walk out home roasters, 50% say, "thanks, I didn't realize it would be that much trouble."
Strictly a wonderful hobby for me but trying to say that you have to enjoy the process or you are better off finding a good local roaster who dates her/his coffee rather than Starbucks.
I respectfully disagree with my friend Java regarding cost effectiveness IF... IF...IF you choose a homemade roaster setup like a popcorn popper or a stainless steel bowl and a heatgun. However, when your budget includes $1000 in roasting accessories, the price is higher than buying good beans.
Now, where to buy? My priorities are #1=price and #2=taste and yours may be different. You can buy tasty green coffee beans for less than $4 per pound (in quantaties of 25# or more, usually) shipped in the US from:
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 9:32am Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
I just purchased 18lbs of beans from SM's for $126.50. This included a half-pound of non-coffee stuff and $20 for shipping cross-country, so the real total for coffee alone is closer to $120. This works out to about $6.70/lb for green.
Coffee loses about 5% to 15% of its weight through roasting, so 18lb * 90% is about 16lbs or so roasted. So my comparison point is really closer to $7.50. The coffee I would normally buy from a local fresh roaster is anywhere from $10 to $20 per pound. If the coffee you purchase is not of this level, then I could see how the "savings" equation would not work out for you. Non-mass coffees such as Starbucks and Peets whole bean in stores cost anywhere from $8 to $12, but that seems to be for 12oz, so the cost there is more like $11 to $16 per pound. Other coffees like Dunkin' Donuts or Eight O'Clock are certainly cheaper, but even those are $6 to $9/lb.
However, the motivation for me to roast is not economics; it's:
Freshness-- even one-way valved bags in the store have an unknown roast date. A simple hard-to-see crease in the plastic can expose them to air, and then they become stale before you even buy them. Even if they aren't exposed to air, they degrade over time, so purchases are something of a potluck.
Quality-- even the cheapest coffees from SM's will produce a better cup than almost anything you purchase in a supermarket, if you roast them properly. Some coffees can be less than $5/lb when you buy large sizes, and green beans will last up to a year (though six months is recommended) so buying in bulk is not usually a problem. At $5/lb, my purchase above would have been $110, or about $6.88/lb roasted.
Variety-- Starbucks has 12 "different" beans but they all taste remarkably similar. Peets has 4 or 5 roasts that I can buy at the store. Sweet Maria's usually has three dozen varietals and I have infinite control of the roasting along the way. Not to mention that I have four ways of brewing-- soon to be five and eventually six... I guess I am a coffee geek.
Satisfaction-- I get great enjoyment doing it myself, varying according to my whim, and learning about the process. I prefer a full city roast, right up to second crack and maybe just into it. Even if the "recommended" roast level is less, I don't have to follow it.
So it's important to determine first whether the change in quality is worth it to you. I would recommend finding a local roaster and trying some of their freshest good beans. Don't go for the "exotics" like Kona or Jamaica Blue Mountain or something super-gourmet; try a standard fresh roast or two, and spend $20 or $30 to see if it's worth getting that flavor at $7 to $8/lb. If it's not, then it probably won't be worth it.
newbieroaster Junior Member Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Colorado Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Rancilio
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 10:47am Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
Well, after reading Chad's response, I went to corral.com, and spoke with Russ. He was extremely helpful, and btw, Chad, he thanks you for mentioning his web site! I must say, that it is extremely refreshing to call a business, and not get a recording that says, "If you'd like to speak to this dept., press 2, and so on". O.K., I'm dating myself here. Anyway, I spoke with Russ, and told him that I had been giving serious thought to the idea of roasting my own beans, and he told me that he felt sure that I wouldn't be disappointed with the product. After we talked for a little bit, he recommended the Fresh Roast Roaster. He told me that is what they use there, and why he likes it. He also told me that it is best to keep things simple when getting started, which certainly appeals to me. I am getting a starter pack of beans with it as well. I have spent a little over $100.00, and that includes $6.00 extra for a blend he recommended to me, given the type of coffee I make daily for our son and I. He is shipping it out today, so I will let you know my results when I can. I really like Russ, and his philosophy of keeping it as simple as you can, so you can enjoy it more.
Please don't stop responding, though, I still need guidance, believe me!
BlueMoon Senior Member Joined: 3 Jan 2007 Posts: 38 Location: Texas Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: None Grinder: Peugeot Hand Mill Vac Pot: None Drip: Presto Scandinavian / Chemex Roaster: UFO/CO; Freshroast 8 Plus
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 12:43pm Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
Carol,
I think you are going to love it. I was in your shoes two years ago and took the plunge. Look at it this way, from now until this day next year, you will probably wind up spending $100 for the starter kit and another $175 on beans and other accessories directly related to home roasting, so $275 altogether. If you are buying 2 lbs of Starbux a month for the next 12 months, thats at least $20 per month times twelve months -- so for about $4 extra a month plus an half an hour of learning about coffee per week you get to drink great coffee. Sounds good to me!!!
Your year two costs, assuming you stick with the Freshroasts, will be the cost of the beans only -- so, say $7 per pound of coffee including shipping vs. the $250 for 2 lbs of Starbucks a month. Two 12 pound orders per year, plus your random one or two orders from the greencoffee coop or the green coffee buying club would run you less than $250.
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 1:22pm Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
newbieroaster Said:
Well, after reading Chad's response, I went to corral.com, and spoke with Russ. He was extremely helpful, and btw, Chad, he thanks you for mentioning his web site! I must say, that it is extremely refreshing to call a business, and not get a recording that says, "If you'd like to speak to this dept., press 2, and so on". O.K., I'm dating myself here. Anyway, I spoke with Russ, and told him that I had been giving serious thought to the idea of roasting my own beans, and he told me that he felt sure that I wouldn't be disappointed with the product. After we talked for a little bit, he recommended the Fresh Roast Roaster. He told me that is what they use there, and why he likes it. He also told me that it is best to keep things simple when getting started, which certainly appeals to me. I am getting a starter pack of beans with it as well. I have spent a little over $100.00, and that includes $6.00 extra for a blend he recommended to me, given the type of coffee I make daily for our son and I. He is shipping it out today, so I will let you know my results when I can. I really like Russ, and his philosophy of keeping it as simple as you can, so you can enjoy it more.
Please don't stop responding, though, I still need guidance, believe me!
Congratulations! ... and my apologies for ... becoming a coffee snob. Now you'll go to restaurants and all your friends will get coffee and you'll say "no, thanks." People will start to disassociate with you because you won't drink their "gourmet pre-ground expresso roast beans" they specially made because you were coming over.
No, really, have fun! I know you will. My last 2 purchases have been from coffeebeancorral - Ethiopian Harar Horse and Guatamala Palhu Huehuetenango. Both are great.
dood56 Junior Member Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Washington for now Expertise: Just starting
Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008, 1:24pm Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
I bought my FreshRoast from Burman Coffee Traders. They were quick and reliable on their shipping. Haven't read too much about them on here, but another site to check out buying beans from. They also have that personalized customer service you mentioned. Check them out at: http://www.burmancoffee.com/index.html Hope this helps you out!
newbieroaster Junior Member Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Colorado Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Rancilio
Posted Wed Apr 30, 2008, 5:41pm Subject: Re: Where to Purchase Beans?
One last thing on this topic, I was given the web site for invalsa coffee store, and for whatever reason, I cannot get to this site. I have googled it, and clicked on it, and I was there for all of about 30 seconds, and then it timed out. Does anyone else have this problem, or do I have the wrong web site address for it?
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