Coffee Roasting Reprise

After the last big coffee thread here, I mentioned that I was interested in home roasting my own coffee, after which she made fun of me for so anal and nerdy that I would actually roast my own coffee. Well, as it turns out, this was merely wife-ish subterfuge, as on Christmas today I received ... a Caffe Rosto machine from sweetmaria's, and a few different kinds of green beans! Mum's that word that I was originally just planning to get a $20 popcorn popper /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Anyway, I'm interested in particulary good green beans you've found recently, and how you've roasted them. I'm actually particularly excited about being able to finally afford Jamaican Blue Mountain now and then, since they're half the price as green beans; ditto Kona, which I like to mix w/ other beans. I'll try those out after I've mastered the process with Kenya AA etc. I'm interested in both caf and decaf (yes, decaf too, I hope that doesn't get me kicked out of the club)

Joe

I "was" and "still am" on the edge of doing it. Shipping to Alaska though seems to cancel out any real savings for me, therefore I'd have to do it for the taste.

I did buy a gold cone filter, doesn't absorb the oils like paper therefore renders a taste closer to the French Press. Even with paper, the beans/varieties I'm brewing are sooooooo much better than anything else I drink around town.

Definitely have to grind just before brewing. Anyone have any thoughts on a burr grinder vs. blades? I understand if one grinds too much with blades, it heats up the beans thus loosing flavor. Costco has a burr grinder for around $30 - I thought that was a pretty good price?

I stopped by my local roaster (they give a few ounces of beans out to sample different roasts/varieties - enough for a couple pots of brew - I think they're done giving samples to me! Hey, I buy my share of beans from them also. Their roaster did offer me some free 1lb samples, but I don't know how many I could get and for how long. I realize the green beans store pretty well, maybe I could fill up the back of my pickup?!)...I asked which was the best way to experience flavor...they said the French Press by far. So that's what I've been using for my standard. Been thinking about one of those Santos Vacuum brewers...anyone have any experience with one of those or one like it?

I dunno...still on the fence...

I think the main thing between burr and whirly grinders is grind consistency. With whirly blade grinders, you try to get a good grind, but some of it ends up like fine powder and other big boulders. The boulders get under-extracted and the powder gets over-extracted. My burr grinder gets a really nice consistency, the espresso people say a burr grinder is mandatory for espresso grinding, and I feel it makes a difference even for a drip coffee maker.

Joe

I too have recently gotten interested in this. I now have a french press thanks to Santa, and am thinking about going the popcorn popper route for my first roaster. So a grinder next but most importantly which beans to get? Don't be shy you coffee roasting experts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif