The CA Fraternity of HomeRoasters (we dunnit)

[Mister Moo]

I could live without fresh roast, but why? :dr Once you dip your toe in, it's hard to go back.

Poppers - two years, excellent learning devices :tu
SCCO - many years, roast a pound with perfect control :tu
MooBQ - 2 months, two pounds - stand back :tu

Anyone else here roast their own?

[D_A]

I've been roasting with an SCCO for about 5 months now.

[Twill413]

I am still on my iRoar 2. Works like a charm, but the batch sizes are becoming ever more small.

[shade]

Popper
FR8
Gene

Been roasting about four years. Nothing beats home-roasted coffee. :tu

[FXAdam]

I roasted with a popper for about 6-8 months and then I moved to a different country so I couldn't bring it with me (different power and space issues). I was back in Canada for a few months and got to roast some again then but that's it. I really miss it, especially since most of the coffee you can get here is just not good. Lots of instant. It's kind of terrible.

[Resipsa]

why yes I do

[donjefe]

I've been known to roast a bean or two!

[replicant_argent]

I do poppers for quick batches, and have built several SCCOs for my BOTLS. I have learned a lot with both, the learning curve is steep, but short, and I have also come to the conclusion that even when my batches don't come out perfectly... they are far superior to any whole bean coffee available at the coffee shop, or the grocery store. Moo and Tristan have helped me through their knowledge many a time, unbeknownst to them, but I do pay attention to those that have been far mare particular about their roasts than myself. I actually fly more by the seat of my pants on roasts, now, and play with roasting profiles of beans a little, but it almost always comes out a fine product. I must be lucky ;)
I like most of the regions where coffee is produced, whether it be of African, South American, Central, Indonesian, Indian.... I don't really care for Hawaiian or Jamaican, perhaps I should roast some for a bit and see how it is fresh roasted, the only examples of those I have tried have been in a commercial setting. I mainly press pot or espresso my daily brew, but occasionally run a drip pot, moka pot, or cold infusion.

I love my coffee, and I rarely trust those that do not drink it, much as I distrust those people that do not love dogs.

[backwoods]

I am the owner of a well used SCCO machine. Most of the roasts are for me and the wife but I have been doing more roasts for friends and family:D


hmmmm where are the coffee smilies:confused:

[MaytagMan]

Hottop in the house!

[Hardcz]

I haven't had any fresh coffee in over a week, I have the shakes, my eyes are blood shot, and I keep waking up in the fetal position on the floor at night....

[King James]

have been using an SCCO for a few months and love it

[Gargoyle]

I just upgraded from a West Bend Poppery to an I-Roast 2. I would have loved to get a drum roaster or something with more capacity, but I can't justify that purchase yet. :)

[trogdor]

Heatgun/metal bowl, on the gas grill. Max batch size is about 2/3 of a pound.

[novasurf]

Can I join?....

[replicant_argent]

Can I join?....

Sorry pal, no rookies, Norman.....



Tell us a story, Unca Norman.......

[gvarsity]

Go moobbq! I have some green beans waiting but haven't had a chance to roast yet. Soon. Soon.

[Mister Moo]

Norman is so full of beans.

This thread is useless without PICTURES!!!

SCCO is the 1-lb cat-daddy for the homeroaster who wants low price, quality and a little project.

MooB'Q is pretty cool but it isn't a great place to start. A popper is or, even, an SCCO. An SCCO really iis a great place to start and, possibly, the last roaster many people would ever need.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v339/xenawarriorcat/Roasting/roast.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v339/xenawarriorcat/Roasting/shaftandsocket.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v339/xenawarriorcat/Roasting/SVcooler.jpg

[Bigwaved]

I am about at 95% home roast and 5% local roast when laziness or business takes a hold

[Cigargal]

I-roast, therefore I am...two years now.

[tzaddi]

This past week while visiting my brother-in-law we had the chance to roast for the first time. He had ordered an i-Roaster 2 with 8-1 pound sample bags from Sweet Maria's that week. It was tasty great fun. When I departed Saturday he gifted me the roaster and the remaining 7 pounds of green beans. This morning I roasted a pound of Costa Rican that I am pleased with. So I guess that means I am in the Fraternity now :D

[novasurf]

So I guess that means I am in the Fraternity now:ss:ss

[Cigargal]

This past week while visiting my brother-in-law we had the chance to roast for the first time. He had ordered an i-Roaster 2 with 8-1 pound sample bags from Sweet Maria's that week. It was tasty great fun. When I departed Saturday he gifted me the roaster and the remaining 7 pounds of green beans. This morning I roasted a pound of Costa Rican that I am pleased with. So I guess that means I am in the Fraternity now :D

you have arrived-you lucky sonofagun...nice brother!

[Demented]

I-Roast two, since January '07.

[Vancouver_alex]

i have been using a westbend poppery for 6 years roasting 1lb of coffee every week with what i consider to be a phenomenal roast profile... i bought it for 2.49 at a goodwill store, and hotwired it to do a cooling profile

[Mister Moo]

i have been using a westbend poppery for 6 years roasting 1lb of coffee every week with what i consider to be a phenomenal roast profile... i bought it for 2.49 at a goodwill store, and hotwired it to do a cooling profileNice to have you join us in the Fraternity of CA Homeroasters, Alex. I too used a WB and WBII Poppery for years with nothing but excellent results. They are sporty little machines for practically any bean.

Any plans to scale up?

[Vancouver_alex]

Nice to have you join us in the Fraternity of CA Homeroasters, Alex. I too used a WB and WBII Poppery for years with nothing but excellent results. They are sporty little machines for practically any bean.

Any plans to scale up?

thanks!:)
i have the roast profile nailed on my little poppery so well that i really couldnt tell you the time i roast for, or the amount of beans with too much accuracy..... the blend that i am basically religious about is

60% brazil
25% sumatra
15% sidamo

this blend is killer with a cigar!!!!

i do have a monstrous commercial machine plumbed into my kitchen (due to an awesome and very tolerant wife:D).... a nuova simonelli mac digit that is on 24/7...i graduated over the years from

a delonghi(plastic POS)
saeco proteo barista
saeco barista (starbucks)
nuova simonelli beach (workhorse)
2nd nuova simonelli beach(still have it)
nuova simonelli mac digit

i have a number of friends who i have shared beans with who use iroast/hottop/alpenrost/poppery....and i prefer the ease, simplicity, and believe it or not, the quality of the roast from my $2 machine....i am always open to trying new things and i welcome any advice tips, experiences....as far as upgrades go, i was toying with the galloping gourmet/stir crazy for awhile, but really didnt want to spring for the convection oven part of it only to find out that the roast profile is subpar....i would want to actually see one in use, or taste the coffee from one before jumping in

i think that a sonofresco front of house style roaster might contribute torwards my next step into the abyss,should i find a bargain on one, as i havent found any difference so far from my poppery to the higher end consumer/prosumer machines

well, thats my long winded answer to your question (just finished a double espresso:D)

im very glad to meet up with some more like minded people here @ CA

[TheRealBonger]

Been roasting for a very short time with a popcorn pumper. It has been fun trying new things and drinking some excellent coffee along the way. :al

[FEAR]

iroast2 since Jan.08

[Mister Moo]

Been roasting for a very short time with a popcorn pumper. It has been fun trying new things and drinking some excellent coffee along the way. :alGood of you to join us us, Th'onger. Homeroasting is great hobby with the fringe benefit of having the worlds best coffee in your kitchen day in and day out. I hope you get a lot of pleasure from your efforts.

[Mister Moo]

iroast2 since Jan.08'bout time. Where you been? :) What's up for coffee this weekend?

[Mister Moo]

thanks!:)
i have the roast profile nailed on my little poppery so well that i really couldnt tell you the time i roast for, or the amount of beans with too much accuracy..... the blend that i am basically religious about is

60% brazil
25% sumatra
15% sidamo

this blend is killer with a cigar!!!!

i do have a monstrous commercial machine plumbed into my kitchen (due to an awesome and very tolerant wife:D).... a nuova simonelli mac digit that is on 24/7...i graduated over the years from

a delonghi(plastic POS)
saeco proteo barista
saeco barista (starbucks)
nuova simonelli beach (workhorse)
2nd nuova simonelli beach(still have it)
nuova simonelli mac digit

i have a number of friends who i have shared beans with who use iroast/hottop/alpenrost/poppery....and i prefer the ease, simplicity, and believe it or not, the quality of the roast from my $2 machine....i am always open to trying new things and i welcome any advice tips, experiences....as far as upgrades go, i was toying with the galloping gourmet/stir crazy for awhile, but really didnt want to spring for the convection oven part of it only to find out that the roast profile is subpar....i would want to actually see one in use, or taste the coffee from one before jumping in

i think that a sonofresco front of house style roaster might contribute torwards my next step into the abyss,should i find a bargain on one, as i havent found any difference so far from my poppery to the higher end consumer/prosumer machines

well, thats my long winded answer to your question (just finished a double espresso:D)

im very glad to meet up with some more like minded people here @ CAJeez-o. I forgot the question. :D

Oh yeah! Have you considered an homemade SCCO as a pooper alternative? I agree it's hard to beat a pooper - particularly a WB(1) Poppery pooper - but sometimes volume and speed trumps that special fluid bed precision. After a couple of years I finally got all popped out with my poopers and assembled an SCCO with nary a look back. It make a pound in 14-minutes, pretty precise repeatable profiles.

[King James]

after a few month hiatus dusted off the sc/co last night and made some wonderful brazilian. mmmmmmmmm!

[Mister Moo]

after a few month hiatus dusted off the sc/co last night and made some wonderful brazilian. mmmmmmmmm!I gotta say I've been putting off roasting some Daterra for a long time but finally threw some on the barbie last weekend. It is drinking OH-SO sweet today. It is so damn balanced it almost seems like fake coffee - or maybe a blend. Phew. It's nice. REEEEEEL nice. Been in the press. Been in the turkish pot. Maybe try some espresso tomorrow.

[King James]

I gotta say I've been putting off roasting some Daterra for a long time but finally threw some on the barbie last weekend. It is drinking OH-SO sweet today. It is so damn balanced it almost seems like fake coffee - or maybe a blend. Phew. It's nice. REEEEEEL nice. Been in the press. Been in the turkish pot. Maybe try some espresso tomorrow.

Good luck!

I think you will be okay though :tu

[Killjoy]

I really gotta look into this, it sounds really cool. anyone have any good online resources for how to make or buy a roaster, and where can you get fresh beans?

[drob]

Started with a WB popper about a year ago, then got a killer deal on a FR8.
I still use them both for finding rough starting points, or when the weather does not permit me to use the MooBBQ. Thought about the SCCO, but the MooBBQ was much simpler to build.

[drob]

I really gotta look into this, it sounds really cool. anyone have any good online resources for how to make or buy a roaster, and where can you get fresh beans?

Go hither, young man!

http://www.sweetmarias.com/

[Curly Cut]

I was gifted a long while back (maybe 4 yrs ago) a FR8, which i never used until last summer. found out mine was faulty, then someone else gave me theirs that they weren't using.
I have now been roasting very infrequently, but am picking it up quickly, since late October. I'm the only one in the house (other than my son) that drinks coffee, but at work is where i drink the most, with a couple co-workers.
I need to upgrade from a drip pot to a press-pot (still).

[Vancouver_alex]

Jeez-o. I forgot the question. :D

Oh yeah! Have you considered an homemade SCCO as a pooper alternative? I agree it's hard to beat a pooper - particularly a WB(1) Poppery pooper - but sometimes volume and speed trumps that special fluid bed precision. After a couple of years I finally got all popped out with my poopers and assembled an SCCO with nary a look back. It make a pound in 14-minutes, pretty precise repeatable profiles.


nice....i used old techspeak in my post for scco, they were originally referred to as stir crazy/galloping gourmet or scgg...i see they have become more popular since the original which was named after a co called a galloping gourmet readily available @ value village for 20 bucks.....i guess the combo has stood the test of time:)

i found an sc about 2 years ago...any recommendations on the co?

[DocLogic77]

I-roast 2 for 2 years now...I'm loving everything except batch size.

[Mister Moo]

nice... i found an sc about 2 years ago...any recommendations on the co?The old Galloping Gourmets are good (ebay) and folks are buying new ones (Sunpentown) and getting good results.

Altho drob and I went MooBQ (:)) a while back I still think an SCCO is the bees knees for all but the hopelessly lost. Easy. Inexpensive. Reliable. Precise. Compact. The project end calls for a steel centerpost replacement which can be done with a few nuts/bolts, a Dremel tool and a tube of JB Weld.

[Mister Moo]

I really gotta look into this, it sounds really cool. anyone have any good online resources for how to make or buy a roaster, and where can you get fresh beans?Ah... fresh meat.

All you need is right here, my son. What's your budget?

[germantown rob]

I have been roasting for a year and a half now and just love it. I started with a roaster, that will go unnamed, until I killed it in 6 months, than I roasted in a dutch oven for 2 months until I got the HotTop. This last year I have learned a great deal about beans, harvest, shipping times, and roasting. I love that this hobby is so simple to get started on with immediate results you benefit from.

There is no going back for me, even if I could only get one green bean and no roaster or stove I will be firing up a wood fire and using a wok to roast just like the whole world did before the 50's.

I would sure love to have a room setup for a professional sample roaster or two and proper venting for non toxic breathing but that will wait till I have college payed for the daughter and the possible next little one. However a BBQ roaster could easily fit the budget with the same benefits as a roasting room.

[ashtonlady]

Yes, i am a coffee roaster. I started with a FR8 about 4 years ago. And then up graded to a behmor 1600 last christmas. I am not some one that drinks a lot of coffee, but I have learned that I dont' drink swill.

[King James]

finally getting warmer out so it isn't so damn cold in the garage when roasting :tu

[tedrodgerscpa]

Just a little bump to the top of the forum...

Just moved from a popper to a Corretto roaster LINK (http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1154442377/0)... Batch size in the Corretto (a.k.a. HG/BM) is MIND NUMBING in comparison to the popper. Going from 4 oz roasts to 1.5 lbs is like night and day.


Here's what it cost me to get up and running...

Heat gun, $29.99 at Harbor Freight Tools (heat gun has 12 different settings!).

Microphone stand to hold heat gun ~$22.00 at Radio Shack (I'm sure it can be done for MUCH CHEAPER on line).

K-Type thermometer $24.99 online.

Bread machine was $7.00 flat at Goodwill


The first batch I roasted used just the heat gun and the bread machine. I used my ears and nose to monitor the roast, while holding the heat gun over the beans until City/City+... Total cost of the first batch was $36.99 + beans

Rewiring the bread machine so that it runs the 'dough' cycle ONLY is a must. My first batch came dangerously close to a failure after the bread machine's thermostat shut down the unit. Plus, if you run out of time on the dough cycle and your roast isn't complete, you better be happy with it!


Pros:

Cheap cheap cheap cheap cheap

Full control over roast (roast too fast? move gun back...)

Did I say 1 - 1.5 lbs batches?



Cons:

ZERO chaff containment. It's like a chaff fountain when I roast. I have a shop vac on hand for clean up

Small batches would be difficult

[kenstogie]

Just a little bump to the top of the forum...

Just moved from a popper to a Corretto roaster LINK (http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1154442377/0)... Batch size in the Corretto (a.k.a. HG/BM) is MIND NUMBING in comparison to the popper. Going from 4 oz roasts to 1.5 lbs is like night and day.


Here's what it cost me to get up and running...

Heat gun, $29.99 at Harbor Freight Tools (heat gun has 12 different settings!).

Microphone stand to hold heat gun ~$22.00 at Radio Shack (I'm sure it can be done for MUCH CHEAPER on line).

K-Type thermometer $24.99 online.

Bread machine was $7.00 flat at Goodwill


The first batch I roasted used just the heat gun and the bread machine. I used my ears and nose to monitor the roast, while holding the heat gun over the beans until City/City+... Total cost of the first batch was $36.99 + beans

Rewiring the bread machine so that it runs the 'dough' cycle ONLY is a must. My first batch came dangerously close to a failure after the bread machine's thermostat shut down the unit. Plus, if you run out of time on the dough cycle and your roast isn't complete, you better be happy with it!


Pros:

Cheap cheap cheap cheap cheap

Full control over roast (roast too fast? move gun back...)

Did I say 1 - 1.5 lbs batches?



Cons:

ZERO chaff containment. It's like a chaff fountain when I roast. I have a shop vac on hand for clean up

Small batches would be difficult
Nice post!!
I have been using the popcorn popper
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sctUupuw_Zk/Sueci0hD_yI/AAAAAAAADdM/3AnFWmvhNgI/s400/IMG_9131.jpg
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21573&page=2

but found that the small batch size was limiting and only did this occasionally. I really did like the results, it was a great way to learn, plus I can pop popcorn not stick that bag of chemicals in the micro!

[Wanger]

Got a Behmor 1600 for my wife for our anniversary last November. Been loving home roasting ever since. We roast inside the house, and the smell is more pleasing than a problem. :)

...oh, and did I mention I didn't drink coffee regularly until someone (she knows who she is) got me hooked on home roasted when they visited my family last year?

[replicant_argent]

Got a Behmor 1600 for my wife for our anniversary last November. Been loving home roasting ever since. We roast inside the house, and the smell is more pleasing than a problem. :)

...oh, and did I mention I didn't drink coffee regularly until someone (she knows who she is) got me hooked on home roasted when they visited my family last year?

But you conveniently leave out the part about the fire, don't you, sir?

[ashtonlady]

What Fire? I have never had a fire with mine.

[Wanger]

But you conveniently leave out the part about the fire, don't you, sir?

It was more of an extra heat roasting...no actual flames in there, but some toasted/charred chaff...about as close to a fire as you can get without having one. That batch was actually completely salvaged, too. :D We just tried to roast too much of a high chaff bean (and might have let it go about a minute too long).

And I need to say that the Behmor performed as it is supposed to. No issues after the incident, and any potential for something worse was completely contained. :)

[floydpink]

What Fire? I have never had a fire with mine.

Me neither, although I was concerned by all the reading.

I follow the advice carefully regarding self cleaning every 5 roasts and do a Simple Green cleaning every 10.

I couldn't be happier with my Behmor 1600 and push most of my espresso roasts into second crack.

My verdict is that it's a great drum roaster.

There is no roaster or roast method which doesn't have a fire risk if the roast is left too long. None.

[ghostrider]

I also started out with pooper, thanks to the ever gracious Mr Moo here. That was about 5 or 6 years ago. I've since put together a SC/CO that takes care of a couple pounds of beans a week remarkably well. Took a few years, but I finally have the wife drinking my coffee.