Coffee Roasting Steps

The Definitive Guide to Roasting Coffee at Home Page 1 of 19
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The Definitive


Guide to Roasting

Coffee at Home
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 amazing coffee!
One of the best ways you could ever hope to enjoy coffee is by
roasting it yourself. When you roast coffee at home, you
guarantee that every cup of coffee you make will be fresh and,
with a little practice, you can ensure that it is roasted exactly to
your taste.
While you can always head to your local coffee shop or roaster
and find this type of coffee, why not instead roast it yourself so
you can begin to create superb cups of coffee from start finish
right in your own home?
https://www.roastycoffee.com/roasting-coffee/ 2019-10-09

 In order to roast coffee at home, you’ll need a few supplies and
a source of green coffee beans. It’s also important to
 understand the process from start to finish so you can better
understand how your roasting can impact the flavors of your
 coffee.
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What Is Coffee and Why Do

We Roast It?
Coffee is actually a small red fruit that must go through many
different stages before it reaches your cup each morning.
First, coffee is processed to remove the outer skin, pulp, and

inner parchment skin. Once that is complete, the inner seed,
otherwise known as the coffee bean, is dried.
When it’s dried it becomes the green coffee bean that is

shipped around the world for roasting.
The coffee bean is like a dry pinto bean, meaning it can be
 stored for long periods of time and still become fresh once it
goes through the roasting process. If you didn’t roast coffee, the
 drink would be bitter and very acidic, making it essentially

undrinkable. Roasting gives coffee its unique flavors and
 aromas.

What Happens During the
Coffee Roasting Process?
Green coffee changes drastically during the roasting process.
When you roast coffee, moisture is forced out of the bean,
causing it to dry and expand.
During the process, some of the natural sugars are converted

into CO2 gas while others are caramelized into some of the
flavors that help form the complex flavors in the coffee. When
the process is complete, the green bean will transform into a
brown bean that is about 18% lighter while being 50 to 100%
larger.
As soon as the roasting process is complete, the coffee begins

to “degas,” and in as little as a week or two, the roasted coffee
will have already begun to lose some of its flavor and aromas.
The 10 Stages of Roasting Coffee

Pro roasters have identified ten levels of roast that beans can
(but not necessarily should) go through. Which levels you reach
will be up to you:

1. Green: The beans will retain their virgin green essence,
 even as they start to heat.
2. Yellow: The color will become yellowish, and the beans
 will emit a grassy odor.
3. Steam: Steam will rise from the beans. This is the water
 inside the beans evaporating.
4. First Crack (Cinnamon Roast): Here’s where the real
roasting begins. Sugars inside the beans caramelize, and
a cracking sound is heard, like the sound of popcorn
popping.
5. City Roast: Following the first crack, the beans have
reached City Roast, the minimum level of roast acceptable
for most people’s grinding and brewing tastes.
6. City Plus Roast: With further caramelization of sugars
and the migration of oils, the beans swell in size and reach
City Plus Roast. This is a popular and common level of
roast to use.
7. Full City Roast: Beyond the limits of City Plus is the Full
City, an even darker roast that takes the beans to the
verge of a second cracking.
8. Second Crack (Full City Plus Roast): The beans
undergo a second, more violent cracking and enter Full
City Plus. This roast will reveal even more layers of

intensity to the flavor.
9. Dark Roast (French Roast): The smoke will become
pungent, the sugars will burn as much as they can without
ruining the flavor, and the beans overall structure will
break down. This is the utmost limit of roasting within the
confines of good flavor.
10. Burn: If you haven’t stopped roasting by this point, the
smell will go from pungent to terrible, and the beans will
 burn.
 Also, it is important to note that some charts include more or

less roast distinctions than the ones we have above. We simply
 included the ones that mark distinctive parts of the roasting
process, rather than including every minute distinction or
 oversimplifying.
Dark Roast vs. Light Roast

People tend to have different preferences on where they’d like
to have their coffee roast fall on the stage list above, they might
just not know all the names. The most basic, common
denominations that are used to separate the stages are Light,
Medium, Medium-Dark, and Dark Roast.
So, there may not be differences between how you should roast
a Full City and a Full City Plus because they are both Dark
Roasts. However, there certainly are differences in the roasting
process for a City vs a French Roast.
As beans roast, their internal temperature rises. And with that

rising, along with the rising of the roaster temperature, comes
different considerations. Types of roasts are often differentiated
by the internal temp of the beans at the time of their removal.
So, let’s take a look at how hot you would need to make the
beans in order to get the roast you want.
Light Roast
To achieve a light roast, you are shooting for an internal

temperature between 356-401°F. Light roasts may be
called light city, half city, and cinnamon roast. But regardless of

the name, they tend to fall around the beginning of the first
crack. At this point, the bean surface is still dry, and the beans

may be rather dense/hard (especially if they are removed
before reaching first crack).

You would pick this type of roast if you prefer higher acidity or
“brighter” brews with light body. This kind of roast is also safer
to do at home, as it requires less time and a lower temperature.
Medium Roast
For medium roasts, including city and city+, you’re shooting for
the 410-428°F window. The beans will still have a relatively dry
surface but are more clearly distinguishable from the original
green beans.This roast level appears around the middle to end
of the first crack. Some consider anything between first and
second crack to be a medium roast as well.
This roast level is more popular than light roasts thanks to the
more mid-level acidity and fuller body. Plus, the temperature is
still manageable for most people.
Medium-Dark Roast
This is a slightly larger category in terms of how many roast
distinctions are drawn within it (including Full-City, Full-
City+, and sometimes Vienna Roast). But it is smaller in terms
of temperature window. Medium-dark roasts reach

temperatures between 437°F- 446°F. You may begin to notice
patches of oil as the beans approach 2nd crack.

 This is the point where the roast flavors begin to feature more
prominently alongside the varietal notes, creating hints of spice
 and a heavier body.
Dark Roast
Lastly, French Roast, Italian Roast, and Espresso Roast are all
considered dark roasts. They’re roasted around 464 °F, but the
biggest rule here is to keep things below 482 °F. This is where
things. ay get tricky or even dangerous if you aren’t using he
right equipment. They have a decidedly oily surface and low
acidity and are pulled out during the 2nd crack.
This is also the point where many consider roast character to

eclipse origin character when it comes to flavor. Anything
beyond this point is in burnt and potential fire territory, so be
extra careful if you’re going for a darker roast.
Cooling the Beans and Removing
Chaff
During the roasting process, the coffee beans will shed their
outer skins, leaving behind the shell which is known as the
chaff.
To remove the chaff, take 2 colanders and dump the hot beans
into the colander as soon as you are done roasting. Continue to
dump the beans back and forth between the two colanders a
 few times to remove the chaff. If you don’t get it all don’t worry
about it.

The taste of your coffee won’t be affected by the chaff as long
 as there is only a small quantity of it left behind.

3 Things You Need to Roast Your
Own Coffee at Home
You will need a few supplies to help you perform the roast
properly:
1. Green Coffee – Depending on where you live this could

be the most difficult part of your roasting process. Check
with your local coffee shops or look to see if there are any
roasters in your area that sell unroasted coffee beans.
2. Roaster – There are many different types of roasters out
there and even a simple popcorn maker can do the job.
Below we will highlight a few of the methods and what type
of roaster you should use.
3. Storage – Once you roast your coffee, you will need a
place to store it until you use it. Remember, the more air
tight the better. But even the best container won’t stop the
coffee from losing its flavor and aroma after about a week
if it isn’t used.
Now that you have everything you need to roast, it is time to get
started. Keep in mind that for the roasting process to be
successful, the beans must be heated to temperatures between
370 degrees F to 540 degrees F.
 When you roast, be sure the beans remain in constant motion

so none of them become scorched. You should also be aware
 that the roasting process produces quite a bit of smoke, so be

sure the area you are roasting is well ventilated or your house
 will quickly become quite smoky.

How to Roast Coffee With a
Roasting Machine
Today you can buy several different types of roasting machines
that will take care of your coffee roasting process for you.
These machines operate much like a popcorn popper by using
fast-moving hot air to roast the beans and keep them agitated
while they are roasting.
This is by far the easiest method of all of them as the roaster

handles most of the heavy lifting for you.
1. Place the proper amount of coffee inside the roaster.

Check your manual to determine the correct amount.
2. Close the roaster and turn it on.
3. Allow the coffee to roast until the desired color has been
reached. Remember, the longer you roast the coffee, the
darker and stronger it will become.
4. Pour the coffee into a colander and stir it until it is warm.
5. Store the coffee in a room temperature location away from
the sun.
How to Roast Coffee Beans


With a Stove Top Popcorn
 Maker
Before the modern inventions of coffee roasters and popcorn
 poppers, people made due by roasting it on the stove. You will
need a stovetop roaster, which is essentially a pot with a lid that
 you can easily agitate.
What you’ll need:

• A Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper
• An outdoor burner (gas or electric)
• Unroasted coffee beans
• A laser thermometer (optional)
• A baking sheet
• An airtight container
1. Setup and Pre-heat

Hit your favorite local coffee supply store and select some
unroasted green coffee beans. Don’t be shy about asking for
recommendations regarding how dark the beans you choose
should be roasted. That said, don’t be shy about finding out for
yourself, experimenting, and learning how to roast to your own
taste.
With beans acquired, clear off the picnic table and set up your
burner, popper and baking sheet. Pre-heat the Whirley Pop until
it reaches about 400 degrees. A laser thermometer is the best
way to gauge the temperature, but simply pre-heating for
anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes should put the popper in
 the right range.

2. Add The Coffee Beans
 Once the popper is at temperature, add the raw beans and
begin cranking the handle. You’ll want to keep those beans
 moving the whole time in order for them to roast evenly, so
crank away from start to finish with a steady, even rhythm.
Remember, this is a labor of love.
As you crank, the heat will bring the beans through the stages
of roasting. You’ll watch as they go from the raw seeds that
coffee begins life as to the beautiful, fragrant pellets of
deliciousness you turn them into. Pay attention, because the
difference between perfectly roasted and perfectly ruined is only
a matter of minutes.
3. Roast The Coffee Beans

As the beans roast, they’ll pass through several stages. You’ll
get to see the transition they make from raw to grind-and-
brewable, and decide exactly how roasted you want them to be.
It’s important to pay attention to the process here- to control the

flavor of your coffee, to learn how to master the process, and
(most importantly) to keep the beans from burning.
There are ten stages in all. See if you can identify each as you
roast, with the exception of the tenth. That stage is to be
avoided, as it represents having over-roasted perfectly good
beans.

4. Remove and Cool
 Once you’ve reached the roast of your choosing, dump the
beans onto a baking sheet. Shake the sheet and allow the
 beans to cool in nature’s breeze, sending jealousy-inducing
wafts of goodness into the neighbor’s yard. Depending on how
 dark the roast is, you’ll soon be ready for storage.
5. Store The Beans

Once the beans are nice and cool, store them in a quality
airtight container. Mason jars are the best option, as they create
a near-perfect seal. If the roast is Full City or darker, we
recommend giving the beans a good 12 hours of cooling time to
allow gasses to dissipate before storage.
All that’s left to do after that is grind, brew, and savor the day’s
roasting. In under 20 minutes from start to finish, you’ll have
fantastic, home-roasted coffee.
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
How to Roast Coffee Beans

With a Hot Air Popcorn
Popper
An air popcorn popper is an easy way to roast coffee and is
recommended for any beginner who wants to start roasting their
own beans.
It takes only a few short minutes, and allows you to experiment

with the roast. Make it light, make it dark; make it everything in
between. For turning coffee into a hands-on experience, you
can’t beat roasting your own in a machine that for years has
only been doing half of the awesome things it’s capable of.
What You’ll Need:
• A hot air popcorn popper

• A bowl
• Unroasted coffee beans
• A thermometer (optional)
• A baking sheet
• An airtight container
1. Setup and Pre-Heat

 Start by gathering all the necessaries in the list above. Hit your
preferred local bean dealer (they love it when you call them
 that) for some raw, green unroasted beans. Pick up a few
different varieties, and ask how “well done,” as in dark, your
 trusted baristas like to roast each one.
 At home, give yourself plenty of counter space for the popper,

bowl (for catching chaff), and a baking sheet to cool the beans
later. Turn the popper on and pre-heat for about 30 seconds.
2. Add The Coffee Beans

Once the popper’s good and hot, add 1/2 cup of beans to the
vessel. The whole roast will only take about 5 minutes, but
you’ll need to stay close by to monitor the beans through the
various stages of roast. DO NOT leave the popper unattended.
3. Roast The Coffee

As the beans roast, they’ll pass through several stages. You’ll
get to see the transition they make from raw to grind-and-
brewable, and decide exactly how roasted you want them to be.
It’s important to pay attention to the process here- to control the

flavor of your coffee, to learn how to master the process, and
(most importantly) to keep the beans from burning.
4. Remove and Cool

Once you’ve reached the desired roast, shut off the popper and
spread the hot beans on the baking sheet. This will allow them
to cool quickly. Give the sheet a shake to help the process
 along, and wait until they are completely cooled before storage.
 5. Store The Beans

 Once the beans have cooled down, you’ll want to store them in
an airtight container. We prefer mason jars or tinted OXO
 containers. However, you’ll want to give the beans up to 12

hours before storing them if you’ve gone Full City Roast or
darker, as the gasses from the beans will need more time to
dissipate.
Once the beans are cooled and stored, it’s time to grind and
brew the first cup’s worth. Take your time, and enjoy the fruits
of your labors. See what characteristics you can coax from the
beans at different roast levels. After you’ve mastered the art,
you’ll never look at the popcorn machine the same way again.
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These three methods are just a few ways you can try roasting
coffee at home. For the truly adventurous, or at least for the
grilling fanatics, you could always try roasting the beans in a
 pan on the grill, or even roasting them in a roaster over a camp
fire as well. The possibilities are almost limitless as long as you
 have a few good containers and a heat source for the roasting
process.

Roasting coffee at home is actually a relatively easy process
 and it allows you to create your own custom, unique tastes in
your morning cup of joe. While you are trying your hand at
roasting, feel free to experiment using different methods and try
roasting the beans for different lengths of time so you find a
roast of coffee that fits with your taste preferences perfectly.
Don’t feel like roasting yourself? The next best option without
leaving your house is doing a coffee subscription where beans
are roasted fresh and shipped out immediately. Read our guide
to the best coffee subscription boxes here.
Enjoy!
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The Definitive Guide to Roasting Coffee at Home Page 1 of 19

Shop Related Products

What Is Coffee and Why Do

First, coffee is processed to remove the outer skin, pulp, and

When it’s dried it becomes the green coffee bean that is

The coffee bean is like a dry pinto bean, meaning it can be

 drink would be bitter and very acidic, making it essentially

During the process, some of the natural sugars are converted

As soon as the roasting process is complete, the coffee begins

The 10 Stages of Roasting Coffee

City Plus. This roast will reveal even more layers of

 Also, it is important to note that some charts include more or

Dark Roast vs. Light Roast

As beans roast, their internal temperature rises. And with that

This is also the point where many consider roast character to

Cooling the Beans and Removing

1. Green Coffee – Depending on where you live this could

 When you roast, be sure the beans remain in constant motion

 that the roasting process produces quite a bit of smoke, so be

 will quickly become quite smoky.

This is by far the easiest method of all of them as the roaster

1. Place the proper amount of coffee inside the roaster.

How to Roast Coffee Beans

What you’ll need:

1. Setup and Pre-heat

3. Roast The Coffee Beans

It’s important to pay attention to the process here- to control the

5. Store The Beans

Wabash Valley Farms -

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

It takes only a few short minutes, and allows you to experiment

What You’ll Need:

• A hot air popcorn popper

1. Setup and Pre-Heat

 At home, give yourself plenty of counter space for the popper,

2. Add The Coffee Beans

3. Roast The Coffee

It’s important to pay attention to the process here- to control the

4. Remove and Cool

 5. Store The Beans

 containers. However, you’ll want to give the beans up to 12

Presto 04820 PopLite Hot

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

If you click this link and make a Last Updated: 10/09/2019

Shop Related Products

$18.23 $29.99 $27.99 $30.00 $27.62 $39.99

Best Popcorn Popper for Roasting Coffee

French Roast: Worth Pulling the Shot?

compares to other roasts, and some of the potential concerns

8 Best Home Coffee Roasters

How To Prime A Keurig & Keep Your Sanity

 chicory coffee is? And, more importantly, do you know how to

Learn to Make Barista-Level

The Home Barista Coffee Course 14-lesson

Click Here To Learn More

Exclusive Member of Mediavine Food

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate

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