# We have a coffee roaster! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [December 13, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051 "2009-12-13T01:34:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/1 "2009-12-13T01:34:47Z")
As I told Ivylad this morning, he will never be happy with restaurant coffee again. And this is a man who brought an electric kettle, the coffee grinder, and our French Press when we went to Key West this summer. [This](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS241&q=coffee+roasters+for+sale&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=542523100676880876&ei=eEMkS5OECYyRtgetudXcBw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CB8Q8wIwAg#ps-sellers) came with three pounds of green coffee. Of course, Ivylad had to start with the one called [Mysore Nuggets](http://www.coffeereview.com/review.cfm?ID=921) from India. He roasted his first batch for 25 minutes, then you have to let it cool in an open container for several hours to overnight. Apparently if you put the roasted beans in a sealed container before they are fully rested the container can explode. :eek: We ground up the freshly roasted coffee this morning and made it in our French press. It was a nice airy taste, not quite as bold as Ivylad is used to, but still very good. He made another batch, this time roasting it for 30 minutes. We’ll have it tomorrow morning. Green coffee lasts much longer and is much cheaper than roasted coffee, so I have a feeling this roaster will pay for itself fairly quickly. Anyone else roast their own coffee? We’re thinking about roasting some beans up and giving it as a Christmas gift. Of course, it won’t be roasted until Christmas Eve. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/2 "2009-12-13T03:04:01Z")
I do! Although it’s been a little while. I need to get back into it. I have [The FreshRoast Plus](http://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Beans-Coffee-Roaster-minutes/dp/B0001NYC46/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260672845&sr=8-1), which I like, but it can only make such a little bit at a time (3oz, I think), I get a little annoyed. I’d like to move up to a bigger one. The one you have looks very nice. If you haven’t discovered it yet, take a look at [Sweet Maria’s](http://www.sweetmarias.com/). I order all my green coffee beans from them. Great, quick service, always a wonderful selection, and really nice customer service. I love the fresh coffee, and I love the way it makes my place smell. Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/3 "2009-12-13T04:40:33Z")
I use an old forced-air popcorn popper that has been slightly modified. Got it on eBay for $5. I use an extension cord to drop the power so it doesn’t roast the beans too quickly – I shoot for about 10-12 minutes for a city + roast. Works perfectly. I buy beans from Sweet Maria’s. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/4 "2009-12-13T05:35:04Z")
damn it, this goes onto “things I must have when I move back to the US” list. I played around with home roasting a bit 10-12 years ago. Seems like the home roast machines have gotten much much much better. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/5 "2009-12-13T11:59:51Z")
Congrats, it’s a wonderfull thing. the nesco is a cool machine. If you need any advice, I used to roast coffee for a living… a few things. Try to get the beans down to room temperature withing 5 minutes of roasting. if the nesco doesnt do that, you might want to cool them manually. Sweet marias is awesome, tons of great information and great beans. Coffee wholesalers is good too. If you have a local roaster, they may sell green as well. I still have around 600 pounds of green beans laying around, or I’d order from sweetmarias. Try a huehuetenango…roasted to just barely into second crack. awesomeness. ---
**Author:** ![Fritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Fritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fritz)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/6 "2009-12-13T13:06:29Z")
I use the iRoast2 and get all of my coffee from Sweet Maria’s. I roast once a week for two people and we couldn’t be happier. Fresh coffee - all the time. YUM. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I’ve enjoyed mine, **ivylass**. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/7 "2009-12-13T14:26:07Z")
> [@bdgr](#): > > Try to get the beans down to room temperature withing 5 minutes of roasting. if the nesco doesnt do that, you might want to cool them manually. There is a five minute cool down cycle, so I think it is doing that for us. Ivylad found checked out Sweet Maria’s briefly…he said they seemed somewhat expensive compared to the others. And if I’m using the term right, he didn’t realize there was a Rule 34 for green coffee beans until he went looking. ---
**Author:** ![Fritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Fritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fritz)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/8 "2009-12-13T14:47:48Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > There is a five minute cool down cycle, so I think it is doing that for us. Ivylad found checked out Sweet Maria’s briefly…he said they seemed somewhat expensive compared to the others. > > And if I’m using the term right, he didn’t realize there was a Rule 34 for green coffee beans until he went looking. Rule 34? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/9 "2009-12-13T15:04:44Z")
I THINK Rule 34 means whatever your fetish, there’s a porn site dedicated to it. I was trying to say (rather clumsily) that you can find anything on the internet, and you don’t know how much is dedicated to it until you look for it. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/10 "2009-12-13T16:47:08Z")
I am so trying to not add roasting my own beans to my espresso obsession. But I am envying you the experience! Hm, rule 34. Espresso porn? I saw a video of a ‘bottomless’ pull for a ristretto. Would that count? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/11 "2009-12-13T19:38:30Z")
Ivylad did the dark roast this morning. Yum! ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/12 "2009-12-13T19:42:19Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > I use an old forced-air popcorn popper that has been slightly modified. Got it on eBay for $5. I use an extension cord to drop the power so it doesn’t roast the beans too quickly – I shoot for about 10-12 minutes for a city + roast. Works perfectly. I buy beans from Sweet Maria’s. I had done this a few times (years ago) after a friend had shown me the technique. The roasted coffee tasted great as far as I can recall. Is there some advantage to a $150 roaster over a $5 popcorn popper? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/13 "2009-12-13T21:18:32Z")
Well, ours has a chaff holder and a catalytic converter to contain the smoke, as well as a timer and an automatic cool down cycle. But if your popcorn popper works, go for it! ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/14 "2009-12-14T13:30:59Z")
I’ve roasted a LOT of coffee using a corn popper. The nesco is a better idea, but definately more pricey. Sweet Marias is more pricey because they carefully cup everything they sell. You never get a bad batch of green, but you pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![Fritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Fritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fritz)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/15 "2009-12-14T13:34:25Z")
> [@bdgr](#): > > Sweet Marias is more pricey because they carefully cup everything they sell. You never get a bad batch of green, but you pay for it. Second this. I’ve never been disappointed with Sweet Maria’s. I have been very disappointed with other suppliers. ---
**Author:** ![akwally1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akwally1/32/3220_2.png) [@akwally1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akwally1)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/16 "2009-12-14T14:45:09Z")
I’d love to try doing this myself also, but I’d need to do it inside for then next few months. How’s the Nesco do at cutting down on the smoke? Does it let just a little smoke out, or is it still pretty smoky? Mark ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/17 "2009-12-14T18:09:10Z")
There is no smoke at all. There is a catalytic converter (that’s what Ivylad calls it) that absorbs all the smoke. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/18 "2009-12-14T22:43:40Z")
> [@bdgr](#): > > I’ve roasted a LOT of coffee using a corn popper. The nesco is a better idea, but definately more pricey. > > Sweet Marias is more pricey because they carefully cup everything they sell. You never get a bad batch of green, but you pay for it. actually you can get a bad cup, they sell deliberately bad beans so people can get a feel for what is wrong, i like the one they have named sulawesi goo goo muck … not that i would order it, but it has a great name =) I just ordered the african coffee pairings for the holidays. I keep having the usual stuff, kona, blue mountain, new world stuff and sumatran, to be honest, other than a tanzinian peaberry a few years ago I really have not done any african coffees. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/19 "2009-12-14T22:59:54Z")
Before mine gave out I really enjoyed it, just not enough to replace it, obviously. Mine most definitely did not have the catalytic converter. All roasting (after the first one in which I learned my lesson) was done on the back patio. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051/20 "2009-12-24T00:31:23Z")
Ivylad got more green coffee beans today. We’ll be roasting some tomorrow to give as a gift on Christmas. Now, of course, he’s on a mission to get a burr grinder. He has to get a blade burr grinder right now because the conical burr grinders are a bit out of our reach this second, financially. I fear I have created a monster. (Do they sell green kopi luwak?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-a-coffee-roaster/521051.md?page=2)