Coffee. Need I say more. Ok, I will... I have been trying different coffees everywhere I have traveled. Most of them have one thing in common, the burnt taste. And after roasting my own, I can tell just why they taste burnt, because essentially, they are. In my quest for great coffee,
I have now learned to roast my own. I ordered my 'green' coffee beans ( green means un-roasted) from Sweet Maria's. They have many varieties to choose from. I chose beans from Peru and Guatemala. The Peru beans are defined as "Wonderful creamy quality, chocolate syrup that lingers nicely, subtle, malic acidity provides a nice backdrop for the sweetness of this lot." So,
I really needed to read nothing other than the first three words, SOLD. As for the Guatemala beans they are defined as "Good caramelized sugar sweetness, hazelnut roast tones, dark honey finish, cinnamon stick hints, raisin and milk chocolate at darker levels." In this demonstration I have roasted the beans from Peru but the same process is equal for all un-roasted coffee beans.
The items you will need are: coffee grinder, metal strainer, green coffee beans, and an old fashion popcorn maker. This one has the lid removed.
Plug the popcorn maker in. Wait 30 seconds for it to warm up. Take a handful of the beans (1/2 cup) and put them all in the popcorn maker. Place a wire strainer over the top of the machine (you will have beans all over if you don't).
You will hear after 1 minute or so crackling. This is called the "first crackle." This is a VERY light roast if you were to remove the beans now. This is what the first crackle looks like
