How I make my: Coffee

[Scotto]

Let's start out with some green coffee beans:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14379

As you can see from the faded label, this is a pound of green Kenya Thika Gethumbwini. One of my favorite coffees, this one has screaming acidity and a powerful blackberry taste. Not for the faint of heart. My roaster will take about a half pound of green coffee, so time to measure:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14380

These little seeds are tiny, like little peas. This is a peaberry lot, which separates these from the standard flat beans. Coffee forms two seeds naturally inside the fruit, but sometimes they merge into one seed, the peaberry. Some people think peaberries have better characteristics tastewise, but I have never found a correlation. If you look closely at the picture, you can see some of the whitish silverskin still attached to the coffee. A lot of this comes off as chaff during the roasting process, but some will remain in the creases or stuck on, as you will see later.

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14381

Time to fill up the roaster and get ready to rock:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14383

This is a Gene Cafe, which I like for a variety of reasons. First, it is easily vented outside, as you will see in a moment. Roasting coffee puts out a lot of smoke, and unless you want all your smoke alarms going off, you need to vent it somehow. This machine also has continuously variable temperature that you can change on the fly.

In the next picture you can see the exhaust and chaff collector with some solid dryer hose leading outside. This is fairly effective at keeping the house free of smoke.

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14382

Let's start her spinning! This machine has an off-axis rotation which is very good at keeping the beans moving. Here I am going for a lighter roast. The beans start out green:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14384

Go through yellow and then brown:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14385

Getting there:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14386

You need to stay attuned to the roaster since there is a fire danger! also, you need to use your nose, eyes, and ears to keep track of the roast. The beans will go through several distinct stages with different smells and sounds. Over time you can tell what is going on consistently.

Here's the final product, cooled off and ready to do:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14387

OK, so now we have nice, fresh coffee. Time to brew. I am going to use my Yama stovetop vacuum pot. Here is my coffee corner:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14360

You'll see my teapot for warming up water, my espresso grinder and machine, and my regular coffee grinder pulled out and ready to grind up some goodness. You can also see the top half of the vacuum pot with the cloth filter in place.

Note that it is a lot faster to pre-heat the water before it goes in the vac pot, hence the teapot.

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14361

Grind the coffee into the top of the vacuum pot. I use the same grind as I do for drip coffee. Also notice the chaff which tends to fly around a bit and stick to the glass. It has no taste and won't affect anything.

At this point, the pre-heated water goes into the bottom of the vacuum pot, the top half is affixed, and the heat is turned on low. There is a gasket to make the two parts fit airtight. The next picture shows the water starting to rise into the top part of the pot:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14362

And halfway there (I also stir the grounds to make sure everything is wet)

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14363

And all the water in the top. You can see the bubbles coming through where steam is rising from the small amount of water that gets left in the bottom. Once all the water has risen, I wait about 45 seconds until turning the heat off and moving the pot off the burner.

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14364

With the heat off, the coffee begins to siphon down:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14365

Ready to drink!

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14366

And the final, finished product:

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=14367

[Lynchmeister]

Great pictorial, Scotto! You have answered several questions surrounding home roasting and brewing that I've had and in such a well laid out manner. Well done and thank you.

[R-James]

Nice one. its 11:15 pm and yes I want coffee!!!

[Sabledog]

mmmmmmmmmm! makes me want a vac pot, and ventilation so I can roast inside.

[JBHoren]

Nice one. its 11:15 pm and yes I want coffee!!!

Nope. People who shave with Fusion and Mach-III razors don't get to drink good coffee :rolleyes:

OK... you're an exceptional guy, so you get an indulgence (Catholic, or otherwise).

Me? I'm gonna go have a beer!

[ouch]

Only the most wonderful woman in the world would let her husband take up so much counter space.

[R-James]

Nope. People who shave with Fusion and Mach-III razors don't get to drink good coffee :rolleyes:

OK... you're an exceptional guy, so you get an indulgence (Catholic, or otherwise).

Me? I'm gonna go have a beer!


Sounds good. I have been in the local brewpub tonight sampling the offerings. Very nice, and I stayed in my chaior!!!!

[Jac]

Nice post! Now that I've got a job again, I'm going to try getting into homeroasting soon; this will be helpful.

[liege]

You need to stay attuned to the roaster since there is a fire danger!

So it's not a set it and forget it gizmo...

I'm really going to have to try this some day.

[mankini]

It looks like you have some serious shave money tie up in coffee gear :tongue:

[Less Irritated]

I am going to look into this sweet maria you have found. She seems to live up to her name.

[Nick D.E.vious]

I wish I could have some of your coffee! If you don't mind me asking...how much did that roaster set you back?

[Dinder1]

Great post Scotto! Looks like we have similar morning routines.:001_smile

[Scotto]

I wish I could have some of your coffee! If you don't mind me asking...how much did that roaster set you back?

The Gene Cafe is in the vicinity of $500 or so. There are a variety of cheaper options out there now, from popcorn poppers to the extremely popular Behmor roaster. A lot of people use a heat gun and a metal bowl, which is truly hands on and inexpensive.

[Nick D.E.vious]

When I make some folgers or maxwell house in my old stove top perculator I feel special because it tastes better imo than coffee from my normal everyday coffee maker. Thanks for the prices listings on the roasters.

[bones59]

Dang:eek:You have a Mazzer, and a Rocky grinder. I have grinder envy:frown:
Nice Post, thanks for sharing.

[THECHEBB]

wow...I can see a new addiction starting up....

[DogHair]

Nice post! I didn't realize how bit the Gene Cafe was, totally dwarfs my I-roast. I also like the board you put in the window. I just stick the exhaust out the window which makes it a little cold in the winter.

[The Zook]

Geez... I thought Shaq was the only one with their own Starbucks in-house.

[joel]

Awesome.... but in the picture of the roaster (showing the exhaust output) I think I see a fish tank in the right corner. PICS, PICS, PICS!

[Tricknology]

Awesome.... but in the picture of the roaster (showing the exhaust output) I think I see a fish tank in the right corner. PICS, PICS, PICS!

Seconded :w00t:

[Bill Smith]

Nice hardware, my prefered method is coarse grind dark roast with a Bodum French Coffee Press.

[professorchaos]

Oh yeah, how cool! You don't play around, do you?

[Conrad]

This is a terrific lesson on roasting and using a vacuum method. Thanks very much!

[galopede]

It was going so well until the final picture of the coffee in a stoneware mug!

I can only enjoy coffee from proper bone china...

Gareth

[VR6ofpain]

Looks like you also have the static electricity issue with the freshly ground coffee. Sometimes when I am scooping the ground coffee out of my grinders "basket" static electricity causes a bunch of ground coffee to climb up the sides and fly onto the counter. It is very annoying.

[netsurfr]

I like your ventilation setup. It reminds me of how ignorant I was when I first got into roasting coffee. I have a coffee roaster similar to yours but from Switzerland. During my first experience, I started roasting my coffee under the microwave with the fan turned on and all was well for a bit. The microwave fan was handling the smoke just fine. Then all of a sudden, there was a loud click in the coffee roaster and smoke started roaring out of the coffee roaster exhaust. Needless to say, the microwave fan was overwhelmed. Before you could say boo, there was three feet of smoke on the ceiling and all of the fire alarms in the house were blaring.
I threw open all of the windows in the house and smoke rolled from every window. Neighbors were coming out of their houses questioning whether my house was on fire; I live in a townhouse. I assured everyone that they did not need to call the fire department in between trying to fan the smoke out of the house.

OK, so my coffee turned out just fine but my house smelled like roasted coffee for about a week. Not a bad smell, but definitely different. So, the lesson learned is that a coffee roaster definitely needs ventilation... just in case you did not figure that out from my story.

[nateyt]

now there's a man who wants his coffee fresh. kudos for the step by step.

[Redhook]

I think I see a fish tank in the right corner. PICS, PICS, PICS!


We wanna see.

[Jasonian]

Wait a second, I recognize that Rocky hopper lid "mod".

Visit H-B much?

Should we start a "Coffee Shrine" thread here? :cool:

[Bertilak]

Nice!

I don't have all that roasting stuff but do use a Yama -- an 8-cup, as I want to make enough for two people to have a second cup.

One suggestion: Don't bother with the separate kettle. I start with cold water right in the Yama and don't put the top part on until the water reaches the right temperature. I have been doing this for a fairly long time and the Yama glass is perfectly capable of boiling water from a cold start. I turn the stove to low/simmer at the time I set the filter assembly on top.

I used to get a little sloppy and, due to inattention, let the water boil. DON'T DO THIS. It produces a burnt/harsh brew. Probably best to err on the low side temperature-wise.

Oh yes, I have a gas stove. Not sure how well the glass will behave on an electric stove, even with the little wire "difuser" they supply with the Yama.

Bob

[Rfury]

Nice Thread on your set up.

I don't have anything that elaborate.
I have the I-Roast2, and the Fresh Roast + as my home roasters.
I use the Capresso infinity burr grinder.
Brewing...French Press, Drip: Capresso CoffeeTeam Therm.
I am now considering adding to my collection thanks to threads like this a Vacuum coffee thingy...lol

I get my green beans primarily at Sweat Maria's or Coffee Bean Corral.
I like sweat Maria's because if the way they rate, and describe their coffee, and their roasting depth is pretty accurate.

[JEEP]

Mmmmmmm..... Coffee. I love coffee!

I usually drink organic Peter Larsen which I grind myself and brew in a vintage enamel coffeepot or in a modern french press. It is amazing how the two diffrent methods gets something entirely diffrent out of the same kind of beans.

Here's a pic of my vintage setup:


http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e259/Jakobeep/Vintage/Kaffe01.jpg


And here's playing a little with effects:


http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e259/Jakobeep/Vintage/Kaffe02.jpg


I usually take my coffee with milk.


Regards.

Jakob

[bokaba]

You're a real trooper Scotto. I just push a button a the Saeco Magic Deluxe.

[mkevenson]

Scotto, I just purchased a home roaster and green coffee. Talking with the proprietor, he suggested letting the roasted beans sit uncovered in a bowl or glass jar for at least 12 hours to allow a gas exchange to happen. https://www.burmancoffee.com He says that the beans are then ready to grind and up to 12 days. But he feels that the roasted bean needs time before grinding. From your post I suspect that you disagree or have other opinions. Please elaborate.

Mark

[Scotto]

Post-roast, a lot of carbon dioxide is going to come off the beans. If you put them in a sealed bag, you'll see it swell up. I generally use mason jars and seal them only loosely overnight to degas the beans, then seal normally.

If you grind and brew right after roasting, it will taste ok, but that CO2 will really affect the taste. 12 hours later is a sweet spot for aroma, IMO, and I think one of the most pleasurable cups you can have, especially with something like a Kenya which is so aromatic. Personally, after 5 days I can really taste things going downhill, and with the exception of espresso blends*, I don't keep things longer than 7 days.

A lot of people swear by resting beans for many days, but to me it is just staling them. If you like it, by all means go for it, but its not for me.


*Espresso I will leave alone 1-3 days post-roast at least, usually a tad more, otherwise you will have problems with the shot because of things being too gassy.

[FLTiger]

I'm reminded of something I heard on Fresh Air some weeks back. Terry Gross was interviewing Douglas Emlen (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103775784) about dung beetles and the conversation turned to cockroaches.

Professor Emlen shared an anecdote about traveling with another scientist years ago, who was a confirmed coffee addict. He insisted on going to coffee shops to buy his cups of coffee, which was often causing big detours in their trip. After confronting him over this, the elder professor explained that he had done years of research working with cockroaches, and that he had become quite allergic to the little beasts. He had to seek out specialty shops that ground their own beans on-site because bulk-ground coffee invariably aggravated his allergy. :eek:

[mkevenson]

Scotto, thanks for the reply. I am looking forward to the process.

Mark

[Oden_Flagship]

*accept for the mug* But DAMN I have just barely gotten started on this forum and now I've been introduced to a whole new way of thinking. This is the manliest place on the internet. ROASTING YOUR OWN COFFEE AAAAAAH I'm going to get into so much debt if I keep reading on here.

This is the equivalent of some dude saying to you, yeah this is how I ride a motorcycle, and it turns out he's jesse james from west coast choppers. [insert S bomb here]

[ph33nyx]

This is the manliest place on the internet. ROASTING YOUR OWN COFFEE AAAAAAH I'm going to get into so much debt if I keep reading on here.


+1
just roasted up some brazilian beija flor this morning

[WestTNbum]

If you want to try roasting your own coffee you can use the following: heat gun and dog bowl, grill with side burner and cast iron skillet, and my favorite is the handy pop corn popper. The pop corn popper can be used right regular or you can modify it makes a great little roaster.

[Laz]

Really nice post. It makes me want to dig out my grinder and french press.

[J.B. Books]

I like the concept of your exhaust system!

[profsaffel]

Just one time I'd like to try a cup of coffee made with this process so that I can see what I'm missing by drinking the store bought stuff.

[ryrelav]

:em2100:

[mitchshrader]

I've got an alternate source for the beans, online, that suits a skinflint gourmet entirely. thecoffeecorral.com is my winner as a bang/buck online coffee store.

I won't diss other suppliers who happen to work on wider profit margins, but spending more doesn't make it taste better to ME.

I'm using a Brahms burr grinder, the very first notch above the blade grinder which doesn't do a very good job. Burr grinders flake the coffee more than powder it, and that little change helps flavor.

I have a couple popcorn popper roasters, and they roast at radically different speeds. One roasts in about 10 minutes and one takes nearly 20. I use the faster one for dark roasts, and vice versa. Then I blend about 50/50 a French Roast with a Full City roast, and usually have the French Roast a low acid, earthy bean and the Full City something bright and fruity. Once you've dialed in the aroma, grind, and flavor, time for the brew.

1 liter low mineral water, brought to a full boil, then removed from heat. Wait 2 minutes and add flaked fresh roasted coffee, to taste. During that time I grind the coffee, and I use considerable, you'll probably want it weaker. Stir it with a chopstick, to wet the grounds, and let steep 2 minutes, dump in the french press and squish the grounds down. Brewing it a little short and using extra coffee gives more oomph on flavor without quite as much caffiene. This is necessary when you want coffee for heart starter on a rainy monday..

Anyhow, that's the skinflint gourmet version. I'm kinda proud of my coffee, 'n under the sink is a bottle of Daniel Bujou Brut de Fut Royale cognac that I'm on speakin' terms with.. there's a REASON to save a nickel around the edges.. heck, you could even spend it on razors..

[Seamonkey311]

I just started drinking coffee a year or so ago. Amazing

[914fan]

For those of us who dont have a roaster, I would say to ask around at your local real coffee shops. (not starbucks) someone will know of a local roaster. I found a place in Costa Mesa, CA. Keen Coffee. they roast on site, almost daily. It is the best coffee you will ever have. Fresh roasted, not Keen specifically. My second fave is a nice light Kona, or Jamaca blend from the local henres or sprouts. I got friendly with thier coffee orderer and try to time my need for new beans with thier newest supplies. I'll grind it as fine as my cheep o burr grinder from wally mart and throw it in a french press. I use 1/3 un ground beans to 2 cups water just off the boil. I soak for 4 min. Yes I like the last drinks with the ground coffee powder remains in it.

[Omnichron]

wow... may drink a cup? :drool:

[Figs]

Am I the only cold process guy? It has some advantages - no equipment, less bitterness, easy coffee for a few days once you make a batch.

What I want to find out is how to make Thai iced coffee that tastes like the amazing stuff you get in a restaurant. I've tried an Internet recipe, but it wasn't the same at all.

[Jasonian]

You have to add spices and too much sweetened condensed milk. :001_tt2:

[Figs]

Spices, yes, but it's not as simple as just adding cardamom. I bought some "Thai coffee" at a store and added cardamom, but the taste wasn't anything like the good stuff.

[kraigory]

Mmmm, that is a beautiful sight. I've got some friends that are into the popcorn maker method. Thanks for the pics!

[nmg82]

This looks like an EXCELLENT way to make coffee!!! I currently have a chemex and a french press, but I can see me wanting to try this sometime!

[GarageBoy]

What is your Coffee grinder and outside of ADs, will I need two grinders?
Also, who is the maker on that vac pot?

[mouscacha]

Wow! Obsession lies with every hobby that we men have. From shaving to coffee. Amazing.

p.s. you're pulling me into the vortex of coffee making. At least this hobby would not upset the wife... too much...

[global_dev]

some grinders better for espresso vs drip
vacpot is a yama sy-5

[pal]

Scotto, you are one serious coffee dude! Nice Post!

[JMP]

nice! I am also getting into coffee as well. My brother just got a Rancilo as well, he loves it!

[riooso]

Now that is a cup of Java. I bet it is extremely smooth tasting!

Richard

[mboschm]

Looks good!

[Samurai-5]

I start out with the Beans and put them in a sealed container after I bring them home. I usually use Starbucks French Roast.

1) I add 1 cardamom seed and sprinkle some cinnamon in with the coffee beans, and grind them course.
2) Pour it into my French Press
3) Add hot water (out of my Handy Dandy Hot water tap) :thumbup1: just enough to wet the grounds.
4) Let it sit for 1 minute then add the rest of the water.
5) Stir with a wooden spoon and let sit for 3 minutes.
6) Press slowly.
7) Pour and Enjoy. (I drink it without cream or sugar)

:thumbup:

[mandoman]

nice cup of joe :thumbup1: