Coffee Bean Roasters
The process of roasting the coffee beans which are the seeds of a berry that grows on a coffee trees or shrubs is done with a roaster. The coffee trees and shrubs tend to like a moderate tropical climate and the beans are grown at different altitudes. The coffee bean is processed once or twice a year either by hand or by mechanical ways.
Coffee beans that are off a gourmet variety are then sold to a commercial coffee bean roaster company or green coffee brokers. (Green coffee is also called raw coffee.) From the coffee bean roaster it is sorted and sometimes processed again. Then the coffee bean is put in large drum machines to be roasted. After roasting the coffee is then sealed in bags and sent to the market.
If you want the entire java experience including buying green or raw beans and then roasting them at home, you’ll need your own coffee bean roaster. Obviously you won't need a commercial coffee bean roaster, unless you drink an awful lot of coffee or have your own shop. Another reason to roast your own is that roasted coffee is more susceptible to oxidation damage than green coffe. Green coffee beans are, small, hard, and will last for months. After roasting their shelf-life shortens andif you buy the pre-roasted beans they may have already suffered some of this oxidation damage.
A coffee bean roaster is a drum shaped machine and the heat is brought to the drum by electricity, gas, or by infra red means. The heat generated by the coffee bean roaster through metal in the drums is termed “conductive roasting.”
Another of this type of coffee bean roaster is a combination drum roasting machine. This type of roasting uses a hot stream of air which is streamed into the drum of the roaster. This is much like roasting the coffee beans on a sheet inside of an oven.
Another type is one that uses hot air to roast the beans and is, of course, called Air Roasting. Much like using an air popper for popcorn, in this type of roaster an extremely hot stream of air is forced into the roaster and it suspends and cooks the beans. The beans are evenly roasted and unscorched, making for an excellent cup of coffee. This type of roasting takes less time but there is a limit to how many beans one can roast using this type of coffee bean roaster.
You can go high tech to get your initial caffeine fix every day by using infra-red waves to roast the beans. This method of coffee bean roasting is efficient as it brings much energy into the beans but it takes a longer time to roast the beans than with a convectional coffee bean roaster.
If you want to spend the time or money involved to make your coffee from almost scratch get yourself a roaster and get to work.
Some roasting tips:
- Pay attention to the process. You don't want to overcook your beans.
- Depending on how dark you're roasting your beans you might want to have some decent ventilation.
- Be organized. Collect everything you need beforehand (a list should come with the instructions included with your coffee roaster) and have it all ready to hand. Depending on your roasting method you might also want a thermometer to help maintain consistent temperature.
- While not incredibly messy you will have to do some cleanup. Chaff drops from the beans as they roast and oils will be left in your roaster. These build up eventually, so regular cleaning is a good idea.
- Also included with your roaster should be a guide to roasting and how to know when you're done with the roast.
- Roast lightly for delicate results, dark for the full taste enjoyed in espresso
More coffee roasters from Amazon.com are here
Resources:
Sweet Maria's for all kinds of coffee tips.
GarFoods has a nice article on coffee roasters
Take a look at Gevalia Coffee Makers once you've roasted your beans.
|