Coffee is the new wine.
Anyone can enjoy the unending complexities of coffee, and roasting your own is the best way to fully experience all the unexplored notes.
Learning to roast your own coffee is an ever-evolving skill, because there are so many roasts, types of beans, and ways to roast them. I started roasting in a cast iron skillet, then I went to oven roasting, and finally began air roasting. As my experience grew, however, I began to want more manual control over my roast and I discovered The Whirley Pop. While it’s meant to be used for popcorn, it’s perfect for roasting coffee at home or out camping. Plus, you don’t have to buy an expensive roaster. If you want to learn the ins and outs of coffee roasting and bean flavor, start roasting. You can use an electric roaster, but it’s much more gratifying to smell the roast, and hear the pop and know when it’s done and that you made it happen. Not with a machine, but with your hands. Bring some beans camping and toss them around in a cast iron skillet over a fire, or just roast them at home. It ‘s easy.
Here are the tools you will need to get started.
1. Whirley Pop stovetop popcorn popper
2. At least one lb of green coffee beans
Step 1
Pour beans into the whirley pop until you can’t see the bottom.
Step 2
Turn burner to medium and begin to turn the crank. Not too fast and not too slow.
The process will take between 8 to 12 min. It is difficult to tell someone an exact time when you are roasting coffee beans manually because of all the variables.
Once you have been roasting for a while you will begin to hear some pops. This is the most important and most anticipated part of the roasting process. The first round of pops will sound kind of like popcorn. The second will sound more like sizzling. There will be smoke, so either do this with the windows open or outside, if you have an outdoor kitchen.
Step 3
Remove the beans from the burner, just as the second pop starts. Everyone likes their coffee a certain way, but to get the right flavor you want a good medium roast. This is the color you should be shooting for.
They should have a nice sheen on them, but not too oily. If you have roasted them correctly, there will be a considerable amount of chaff. This is the skin that has been shed from the roasted beans.
Step 4
Beans need to cool down quickly, because they will keep popping unless you cool them down. Once I remove The Whirley Pop from the heat source, I open the lids to air out the smoke (outside) for about one minute. Then I dump them in a bowl and place them in the freezer. Once they are cooled off you are ready to grind them up and have a taste. I give mine a day to rest, so I don’t have any smoky flavor, but sometimes you just can’t wait.
I have been buying my beans online from Burman Traders for eight years. Their selection, quality, and descriptions are the best I have found, plus they have outstanding customer service, good prices, and quick delivery.
