Roasting Your Own Coffee - A Hobby You Can Love

There is nothing like a cup of coffee that has been freshly roasted, ground and brewed to perfection. There are a growing number of enthusiasts who are roasting their own coffee beans and enjoying the benefits of truly fresh coffee at about one-third of the price of beans from your local coffee shop. A recent article touts that roasting your own coffee is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the USA today.

A gift of freshly roasted coffee which you have roasted yourself is sure to be a hit and amaze the receiver of the hand made gift. The actual roasting of the coffee beans may be the easiest and most fun part. The packaging of your thoughtful gift will be the most challenging as you prepare the package with as much care as you have roasted the coffee.

Coffee which will be kept for any length of time should be kept in an airtight container out of sunlight. For the trip from roasting to the airtight container is where the creation of fun ideas comes in. Coffee is traditionally shipped in burlap sacks. You can buy some burlap at a craft store and sew up bags that will be great for packaging. At the same craft store you can buy pre-cut stencils with flowers, Lions, Elephants, Crocodiles etc and stencil your bags with animals, plants or other landmarks from a country of origin. A Lion on a bag of Kenya or Malawi, Palm tree from Costa Rica, Coffee cherries from Colombia, etc. Plain brown bags work well also and can be decorated in many ways with a coffee theme, re: cups, saucers, coffee pots etc.

Another idea, with the ease in which art can be produced and printed on stickers with the help of a computer, is to make your own labels. YOUR NAME's special blend or a blend for an event. How about a wedding gift with the bride and groom's picture and call it the "Perfect Blend". The possibilities are endless on how you can package the coffee you have roasted yourself with your own signature.

All that is needed to roast your own coffee beans at home is green coffee beans, available from a number of sources, an oven, cookie sheet, oven mitt, metal colander and a wooden spoon. Preheat your oven to 500F, spread raw beans evenly one layer deep on a cookie sheet, place on middle rack of preheated oven and watch them roast. In about 8-10 minutes there will be a crackling noise and smoke with a coffee essence. At this point the roast moves quickly and you need to pay close attention. About 2-3 minutes after the crackling, your coffee beans should be at the shade you like them. Carefully (using the oven mitt) remove the cookie sheet from the oven and pour the beans into the metal colander. Stir the beans with the wooden spoon to help cool quickly. Do this over a sink or outside, as there is chaff that comes off the beans during roasting. And remember; NEVER leave your roasting coffee beans unattended.

Almost any appliance used to pop popcorn can be used to roast coffee beans. The hot air poppers are great, however, you may want to roast outside or in your garage as they blow the chaff out and can be messy. There are a number of manufacturers of home coffee roaster, including several that use a gas grill and rotisserie.

The internet is full of sources to purchase raw beans, but you want to make sure that the supplier you use knows their beans and "cups" their coffee before selling it to you. One of the most reputable sources for green coffee beans is U-Roast-Em, Inc., a high quality, no frills supplier with 30 years in the industry. They can be found at www.u-roast-em.com on the web. Many other sources can be found using your favorite search engine. If you're interested in using a gas grill to roast your beans, check out www.rkdrums.com or www.buzzroasters.com. For electric, countertop-type coffee roasters, visit www.freshbeansinc.com.

Green, raw coffee beans last for years when properly stored. This allows you to build a collection of fine coffees to choose from as well as buy larger amounts of the great coffees and save more money. Keep your bean collection in a cool, dry place out of any direct sun light and they will last until you roast them. As coffee ages it loses acidity and becomes more mellow. Many like the rich mild cup of a coffee that has had a couple years to rest and mellow. More important than the year of the crop is the quality of the bean, the preparation at origin, transportation and warehousing in country of consumption. If all of these things are done correctly, your green coffee will last for years. Suppliers who know how to cup samples of coffee beans are able to determine if all of these criteria are done correctly before they purchase the beans.

Now all you have to worry about is your friends beating down your door to get some more of that wonderful coffee you roasted for them. I guess at that point you just get them started roasting their own, they'll be forever grateful.

Jim Cameron is a semi retired 30 year veteran of the Specialty Coffee Industry. His small coffee business now sells only the finest green coffee beans to the home roasting market at his web site: http://www.u-roast-em.com

---

A Look At Cigar Humidors

Cigar humidors are storage units designed to hold, preserve and... Read More

Are Your Collectibles Valuable? Heres How to Find Out

The first thing you will need to do is check... Read More

Use Order and Text to Give Life to Your Scrapbook

There are no specific rules stating that all photographs or... Read More

Jewelry Making: Measuring for Bracelets Without a Tape

Your cousin's friend in Saskatchewan has asked you to design... Read More

Craft Fairs, Bazaars & Flea Markets?Oh, My!

Many names are associated with events such as these. Craft... Read More

Remember When You Were Taught How To Make Things From Metal With Your Bare Hands?

How would you like the chance to use the skills... Read More

A Look at Cloisonné Lapel Pins

Cloisonné lapel pins are the most traditional, if not the... Read More

Making Beaded Jewelry Is Easy to Do

Making beaded jewelry is an inexpensive and fun hobby that... Read More

A Few Tips About Comic Book Backing Boards

Comic Book Backing Boards come in different thicknesses and acid-free... Read More

Weaving Photographs and the Use of a Collage to Give Your Scrapbooks Artistic Flare

For more dramatic results from your photographs, trying weaving two... Read More

Getting Rid of Messes and Mistakes in Your Scrapbooks

No matter how careful you are, you will undoubtedly find... Read More

Woodworking Tools: Right Selection And Care Will Save You Money, Part 3

Woodworking: Tools Of The Trade, Part 3 - Tools For... Read More

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

The song says it all, "Hot Fun in the Summertime."... Read More

Saving Family Keepsakes for Scrapbooking

I'm new to scrapbooking, and I still can't believe all... Read More

Money Making Hobby - Do You Have One?

Everyone has a hobby. We love all kinds of music,... Read More

Organize That Stash!

Do you control your stash or does it control you?... Read More

Learn Origami

Basic foldsMost of the designs that you will learn will... Read More

Ideas for Making Gift Baskets

Do you want to give gifts to your friends or... Read More

Essentials of Genealogy - Getting Started with Your FamilyTree

Since genealogy is my hobby, my profession, and my passion,... Read More

Make Your Own Lampshades

When redecorating your room, you may be faced with looking... Read More

Easy Steps to Scrapbooking with Young Kids

Kids grow up so fast and if you don't try... Read More

Printing on Canvas

Given the progress in inkjet and media technology, demand for... Read More

Scrapbooking Childrens Favorite Stories

Countless memories are built during the formative childhood days. If... Read More

17 Tips For Getting Balloons to Last Longer in Hot Weather

In warm weather, latex balloons will typically only last outside... Read More

What Is A Reverse Painting?

Welcome to the world of Reverse Painting on Glass. Reverse... Read More

A Playtime Project: The Memory Quilt

A friend recently suggested a use for my daughter's first... Read More

Diet and Fitness ? Help from Your Hobbies

Everybody battles with their weight from time to time. It's... Read More

Blown Glass: They Do Still Make It Like They Used To

Blown art glass is quickly becoming one of the fastest... Read More

From Clutter To Treasure: Re-use and Not Reject!

Make use of clutter to decorate your home! Sounds strange?... Read More

A Brief History of Candles

For centuries man's progress has been lighted by candles. However,... Read More

Scrapbooking Ideas for Kids

Many times at auctions, or estate sales, a box of... Read More

Antiques From Europe...Is It Really The Goose That Layed the Golden Egg?

Many dealers and auctioneers have been bringing container loads of... Read More

Origami Instructions - Getting Started

The birthplace of origami is still a mystery. Paper was... Read More