The Roast it Yourself Podcast

Episode 57: We respond to a question from an espresso drinker who's just getting started roasting about which country/origin produces the best beans for espresso. We discuss some of our favorites and how to choose a good coffee and roast level for espresso, based on your tastes!

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Episode 56: A listener sent us an AI analysis of the raw coffee they were about to roast, based on just a couple of uploaded photos, which raised the question: Is AI this helpful for home roasters? Are there other uses for AI that roasters can take advantage of? Dive in with us and find out!

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Episode 55: We received a detailed roast log from a listener, along with a question -- why do the coffees I roast taste the same? The answer lies in profiling, and that's what we dive into today!

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NOTES:

Here's the Hot & Fast recommended roast profile for the SR800 with Extension Tube (Post )

Get coffee roasted to order by Catherine (or Josh!) coffee here!

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Episode 54: This week, we're going into detail on the most important piece of roasting equipment there is -- your roast log. Whether you're roasting in a cast iron pan or firing up a 50 kilo production roaster, you MUST log your roasts, and we show you how. 

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NOTES:

Pictures of the roast logs we're discussing

33 Roasts Logbook

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Episode 53: This discussion started out answering a question about upgrading from a personal home roasting machine to something that would work for starting a roasting business. In the process of answering that question, we covered a lot of little tips and considerations for folks considering taking that next step! Check out the links in the Notes section for the specific coffees and equipment we discussed in the episode!

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NOTES:

Costa Rica La Minita Estate

Sumatra Raja Batak Peaberry (Catherine scored this an 87!)

C...

Episode 52: Should we be storing coffee in a valve bag or an air-tight container? This week, we dive into coffee storage strategies and discuss the best ways to keep coffee as fresh as possible for weeks! 

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NOTES:

Pick up some extra one-way valve coffee storage bags here!

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Episode 51: In this episode, we discuss some of our favorite iced coffee recipes that are a bit off the beaten path (no coffee-milk combos here)! A listener sent us his recipe for a "Colapresso," and that's when the fun begins! Catherine and I go through several other unique ways of enjoying iced coffee, that work for either espresso or cold brew. BONUS: We offer our tips on making a mean cold brew with NO special equipment!

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Episode 50: For our 50th Episode, we decided to record our top tips for newbie roasters or those looking to get into coffee roasting. Whether you're a first timer or an old timer, we share a lot of helpful information about coffee roasting that'll help take you to the next level!

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Episode 49: This week we answer a listener's somewhat controversial question about blending Premium Coffees, such as Geishas, Konas, or the legendary Jamacia Blue Mountain. We discuss whether this is a good idea, and then we dive into how to go about planning such a blend without sacrificing what makes these Premium beans so great!

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NOTES:

Check out our Premium Coffees here

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Episode 48: This week we address a question by a listener about how the Extension Tube affects the results he's getting with his Fresh Roast SR540. We discuss the differences between roasting with and without the Extension Tube, and offer tips on achieving the roast he's looking for with either setup!

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NOTES:

SR540/800 Extension Tube

Fresh Roast Roast-a-Long Video (With Extension Tube)

Fresh Roast Roast-a-Long Video (Standard Chamber)

Fresh Roast SR800

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Episode 47: If you've ever thought about starting a roasting business, this is the episode for you! We dive into a story of coffee roasting success, from his first roast on a cookie sheet less than 4 years ago to his rapidly expanding brick-and-mortar coffee shop and roastery in a small Wyoming town. Dave Starcevich walks us through how he and his wife built this growing business, and we dive into what makes a roastery like his successful.

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NOTES:

Copper Cup Coffee Co. Website

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Episode 46: In this episode, we answer a listener's question about roasting decaf coffee, discuss troubleshooting a roast profile, and discuss how the decaffeination process affects tasting notes. 

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NOTES:

Colombia Decaf EA Process

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Episode 45: In this episode, we address a question from a roaster who's looking to level up and begin selling his coffee but wonders: Which roasters should I buy? He asks specifically about the Bullet, the Kaleido, and Coffee Crafter's Artisan/Valenta roasters. We discuss our experiences with the Kaleido and Bullet and the pros and cons of each.

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NOTES:

Kaleido M10 1.2 Kilo Roaster 120v and 220v

Bullet R1 Roaster 1 Kilo

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Episode 44: Nobody likes wasting coffee, which is why any roaster who's planning to tackle a large batch should start with a few small "sample roasts" to figure out their roast profile. But once you nail the sample roast, how do you scale up the profile you've created for production? In this episode we answer this very question, so check it out!

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Episode 43: In this episode, we discuss quality control in the coffee world, especially making sure there are no foreign objects in your beans! We answer a question from a listener about whether he should get a de-stoning machine for his roastery and demonstrate the steps we take to remove foreign objects from our coffee beans before we ship them out.

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Episode 42: A brand new roaster/new listener sent us an insightful question about how to think about coffee degassing (or "resting"), how long coffee should rest for different brew methods, and whether roast level plays a part (hint: it does!)

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Episode 41: Today we've got a special treat as Stephen was joined by the wonderful folks behind Silver Run Coffee Crafters -- Bradley and Rebecca Ladnier! They started their roastery 9 months ago and are already shipping coffee all over the country! In this interview, we discuss how they started a successful specialty coffee roasting operation in a small town, how they found stores to carry their beans, and how they win over "cream & sugar" coffee drinkers to their fresh, smooth, Specialty Coffee creations!

A note on the audio/video quality: We set this up last minute and hoped...

Episode 40: Following up on Episode 34, we answer a listener's question about how to get started roasting his first blend, how to choose which coffees go into a blend, and offer an easy way to adjust the blend until it's just right!

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Episode 39: Record high coffee prices are here, so now is a PERFECT time to start roasting coffee yourself! But what goes into the price of your morning mug of joe? Listen in to our discussion on the factors that go into coffee pricing, why they're so high right now, and more!

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Episode 38: This week we tackle a question from a friend of the show who's afraid he's missing out on the intricacies of coffee tasting. Should he work on his palate, or tweak his roasting to bring out more of the tasting notes he's looking for? Let's dive in and discuss!

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Episode 37: Ever wondered about highlighting the sweetness in a coffee while you're roasting it? This week we respond to a question from a listener about profiling on the Gene Cafe roaster, slow roasting without "baking" the coffee beans, and more!

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NOTES:

The Gene Cafe Coffee Roaster

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Episode 36: In this episode, we field a question from a couple of listeners about the industry terms you run across when trying to buy coffee, from names of coffee varieties, "MASL", bean size, grade rating, and more! Ultimately we discuss how to decide which of those notations are most important when choosing your next coffee!

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Classes at Current Crop Roasting Shop

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Episode 35: This question is all about tasting (and enjoying!) coffee as espresso. We respond to a listener's question about tasting the cupping notes printed on the label in pour-over vs. espresso, and how to improve your palate!

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How to Cup Coffee

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Episode 34: Ever wondered what makes a great coffee blend? Does it matter if you roast the beans together, or should you roast them separately? What about blending different roast levels? Do the beans share flavors in the roaster, like the ingredients of a simmering stew? Find out in this week's episode as we respond to a listener question all about blends!

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Catherine's Fav Blend -- Tanzania Peaberry + PNG Purosa Organic

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Episode 33: Ever wondered how to find a good single origin coffee to roast for espresso? What about a blend? In this episode we tackle a question from a listener about how to sort through green coffees to find the ones that make the best shots!

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Ferdelance Blend (Makes Excellent Espresso!)

Timor Organic Heritage Reserve, FTO

Brazil CHC Reserve for Espresso

Kaleido M10 1,200 Gram Roaster (Looks Super Cool)

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Episode 32: In this episode we discuss dark roasting techniques, what's beyond 2nd Crack, and we dispel a common myth about Sumatran coffees!

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Sumatra: Mandheling G1, Aceh

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Episode 31: In this episode we discuss how to roast coffee in cold temps! We focus on the Fresh Roast coffee roaster, but discuss a few general hacks for achieving that perfect roast in frigged winter months.

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Episode 30: In this, our thirtieth episode, we respond to an excellent question from a listener about how to recognize 1st Crack when you can't hear the cracking! We offer 4 tips on how to nail your roast even when the audible cues are minimal or missing entirely!

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Episode 29: In this longer-than-normal episode, we scroll through out YouTube comments and answer the questions we find there! Enjoy this rapid-fire, multi-question episode about all things roasting, tasting, and (most importantly) enjoying coffee.

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NOTES:

Tanzania Peaberry

Fresh Roast SR540

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Episode 28: Listener Kyle asks some questions about the first Crack: how to know when it has really begun and whether you should increase or decrease heat during 1C to highlight fruity notes. We go off the deep end a little bit and discuss espresso, roast logging, and how to get reliably consistent results from coffee in general. Of course we manage to at least mostly answer Kyle's question in the process!

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Episode 27: In this episode, we answer a lister's question about roasting coffee at 6,000 feet! She's noticing that following roast guides online tend to yield darker roasts than she's expecting, so we walk through how roasting at altitude affects the finished product, how to tweak your technique to achieve the roast you want, and discuss the importance of RECORDING YOUR ROASTS!

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NOTES:

Steamboat Coffee Company's article about roasting at altitude

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Episode 26: "If 2 roasters use the same beans, roasted to the same level, will they taste the same?" We respond to this excellent question from a newbie roaster, discuss roast profiling, and ultimately how to get the most out of your coffee roasting journey!

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NOTES:

Roaster specific Roast-a-Long Videos

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Episode 25: Are top-dollar coffees really that much better than their less expensive Specialty Grade counterparts? Is there a direct link between price and quality? We dive into where coffee pricing comes from and how to answer the question of value vs. cost.

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NOTES:

Coffee Bean Corral's Premium Coffees

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Episode 24: We dive DEEP into green coffee defects, discuss the difference between defects and "ugly" beans, and discuss how to know which defects will actually affect the coffee-drinking experience. We also lay out our thoughts on the Behmor roaster and how to get the most out of roasting with it!

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NOTES:

Old (but free!) SCA Defects Sheet

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Our Behmor Roast-a-Long (with Tips in the Description)

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Episode 23: We love natural and honey-processed coffees, which often produce more than a little chaff during roasting. We answer a listener's question about handling extra chaffy coffees in a Fresh Roast roaster and cover how to roast chaffy coffees in general.

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NOTES:

The Hornet recipe: in a pint glass, mix 1 double shot of espresso and 20ml of caramel syrup over ice, then fill the glass with orange juice, sip, and enjoy!

Tamper Specialty Coffee in Madison, MS

Fresh Roast Roaster

Episode 22: So what does an "uneven" roast look like, or can you actually tell by looking? This week we discuss the aspects that affect evenness, including bean density, bean processing, etc.

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NOTES:

Density = grams/mililiters. The high end of density is around .75, and the low end is around .65 g/ml

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Episode 21: This week, we discuss perceived acidity in coffee, how to brew coffee to control acidity, the factors that contribute to acidity in coffee, and the difference between "acidic" and "sour."

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Episode 20: What's the process for perfecting a roast, and how do you know when you've done it? We answer these questions in response to a future roaster and listener to the show!

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Take a look at the 1 Kilo Aillio Bullet Roaster

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Episode 19: In this episode, we field an excellent question that tends to go un-asked and unanswered for most roasters, but listener Chris from Minnesota dared to ask it! We discuss what happens when you drop (end) a roast at the beginning or middle of 1st or 2nd crack, how it affects the flavor, and really how to think about how roasting technique affects the flavor profile of the coffee.

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Ethiopia: Organic Limu G2, Oromia

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Episode 18: If you've wondered how coffee is decaffeinated, what the pros and cons of the different decaffeination methods, and which decafs we prefer, this is the episode for you!

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