I've done a couple quarter pound batches of an Ethiopian Yukiro in the whirley pop. The first batch I took to just short of the second crack and the second batch just a few seconds into the second crack. Both turned out good. I brewed in both the Hario pour over and the Areopress. Very nice. The second batch I put a small fan blowing out the kitchen window and it helped a good bit with the odor and smoke, although it wasn't too bad the first time.
Thanks for the reply Steve. I have to admit that I have converted to tea a couple months ago. I no longer drink coffee like I used to. Cheers.
@swarden43, I'd love some tips on the stove top popper. I think I will be trying this soon. I'd love to roast some Ethiopian. I have never roasted my own. When I visited Ethiopia, my host grew her own coffee. She picked some and did a traditional Ethiopian coffee roasting ceremony. Just a hot plate and a mortis and pestal. Hand ground. It was the most sublime cup of coffee I could imagine. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Get a thermometer that will read up to 500 degrees (I looked everywhere and could only find one from Sweet Maria's) , drill a hole in the top, insert thermometer. Preheat to 400, dump in half a pound of beans. You can do a pound at a time, but I found I had more control over the roast with half a pound. Experimentation will tell you what works for you. Once you have the beans in, just think popcorn. The temp will initially drop about 75 degrees, but then come back up. Spin the handle the entire time, hold the lid down and shake the popper up and down a couple of times every once in awhile. The first crack sounds like popcorn popping. Listen VERY carefully for the second crack - sounds like pouring milk on Rice Crispies. Knowing that second track is the most important part, but also the more difficult. Turn off the burner, go outside and pour the beans into a metal colander. Shake and blow to get the chaff off. I take a small fan out with me and shake and stir the beans over the fan. This helps cool and stop the beans from further roasting. Once cool, I put the beans in plastic zip lock bags with the one way valve (again, from Sweet Maria's). Let rest at least 24 hours. Me, I find 36 hours gets the flavor to its peak. All of this is at Sweet Maria's https://www.sweetmarias.com/instructions Let know if you have any other questions. I'll be happy to help! Hope all goes well! See @richgem, it's just that simple
@SharptoothC by the way, I intentionally didn't give times for how long each step takes. That's because I found different beans from different countries required different times for each step.
One more thing, while the thermometer isn't absolutely necessary, roasting started at low temps can result in a grassy tasting coffee.
Kenneth Davids has a couple of books out there, if you're into books. I have two of his. Lots of great stuff, not just how-to, but some cool history and info on the various bean origins.
I have been roasting my own coffee pits (I refuse to call a pit, or stone a bean) for a few years now. I use the Behmor 1600, purchased from Sweet Maria's, where I also purchase my coffee supply. The machine is very intuitive and has a bunch of presets that I never use. I set it on high and use my ears and eyes to determine when to hit the "cool" button. I get great results and can roast batches up to approximately 350g to a nice FC+. I would never go back to store-bought, pre-roasted coffee.
How long have you been using the Behmor? Most reviews I've read give it a 2-4 year lifespan. That, along with the cost, has kept me from getting one. My stovetop popper ($35 at Target) is 7-8 years old, still going strong I stick with the store-bought, Maxwell House Breakfast roast, during the work week. Home roasted is my weekend treat. I prefer to order from Sweet Maria's, but there have been occasions they have been out of Kenya, so I ordered through http://www.coffeebeancorral.com. Fante's down in the Italian Market section of Philly sells green beans, as well. They're only 20 minutes away, but after the bridge toll, paying for parking, dealing with city traffic (I hate city traffic), sometimes web orders are just easier.
I KNEW there was something wrong with you! Next you'll be stealing candied herring from baby penguins!
Hope things don't go that far. Store bought coffee is bad enough! But one can only spend what the wallet will allow.
Steve, I purchased the Behmor in 2011. I have had two issues since then and both were resolved with the amazing help of...I want to say Tom at Behmor. The motherboard went out a couple of years ago, with his help, I installed it myself. During that process, I screwed up the fan. Tom sent me a new one at no charge. Yes, it was $299, but you can spend A LOT more on roasters. Stove top isn't an option for me, because of the smoke. Sweet Marias does not always have the same green coffee in stock, but that is because he only stocks high-quality beans and if they don't meet his high standards, he won't purchase them. For example, Jamaican Blue Mountain...never good enough to warrant the exorbitant price, so he won't stock it. I enjoy trying new coffees and his website is THE most informative I have ever come across. I am sticking with Sweet Marias and when and if my Behmor dies, I wouldn't hesitate to replace it. I have probably roasted over 500 batches of coffee. The machine is a tank.
