The average home coffee drinker buys pre-roasted coffee beans (I know I do). Yet, many coffee lovers have taken a deep dive into exploring specialty coffee and may have considered roasting their coffee beans at home. Learning how to roast coffee beans takes some time, dedication, and research, but it’s certainly achievable.
Roasting coffee beans gives you more control over the coffee roast and can be a rewarding (and valuable) hobby. But how do you get started? Here’s what you should know before taking the leap and what steps to take to learn how to roast coffee beans at home.
How to roast coffee beans
Roasting coffee beans isn’t necessarily a difficult task to attempt at home, but it requires knowledge, patience, and practice. There are various methods you can take to roast coffee beans, but regardless, you’ll first need to start with quality green coffee beans from a trusted brand or roaster.
Pan/skillet roasting
Pan-roasting coffee beans is one of the most common techniques for beginners who roast coffee at home. This method involves heating green coffee beans on the stove, making it an accessible option for anyone without the need to purchase additional tools. The downside to this method, however, is that beans are often roasted unevenly, which can then affect the flavor of your brewed coffee. If you like to follow along visually, The Green Coffee Beanery does a great job of showing each step in this video.
Here’s how to roast coffee beans via pan roasting:
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet on the stove on low to medium heat.
- Once the pan is heated, add the green coffee beans and stir continuously to prevent them from burning at the bottom of the pan.
- Listen carefully as you stir, waiting for a cracking or popping sound. You’ll also notice the coffee beans begin to change color, getting darker the longer they are on the pan.
- Roast to your desired coffee roast level: light, medium, or dark.
- Use a method to cool coffee beans quickly (such as a cooling tray, colander, or ice bath) to prevent them from continuing to roast after being removed from the heating element.
- Wait a few days before using your roasted coffee beans to brew a cup of coffee.
Oven method
Another popular method for roasting coffee beans is to place them on a baking tray and put them in the oven. This method is considered safer than the stovetop method and helps roast large batches of green coffee beans at once. However, this method can also lead to uneven roasting of your coffee beans. Here’s how to try this method:
- Preheat your oven to 475 to 500°F. Once your oven reaches the desired temperature, place green coffee beans on a baking sheet or oven-safe pan.
- Spread the beans across the sheet in an even layer to avoid overlapping. Then, place the tray in the oven and set a timer based on your desired roast level (usually takes around 15 to 20 minutes for a medium roast coffee). The first crack of the coffee bean typically occurs around the 6- to 8-minute mark, while the second crack happens at 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir and check on your beans occasionally to prevent burning. Once done, remove them from the tray and allow them to cool.
- Wait at least 12 to 24 hours before brewing freshly roasted coffee beans.
Tips for roasting coffee beans at home
When it comes to learning how to roast coffee beans, there’s a lot of knowledge to explore. Mike Perry, founder and roastmaster of Klatch Coffee, recommends that coffee lovers interested in learning more take a class on coffee roasting to learn from the experts. If you don’t live near a trusted roaster, Perry recommends exploring online course options that dive deep into coffee roasting knowledge.
“Expert roasters can help you with selecting your own equipment, technique, and best practices, leading to huge savings and reduced waste,” says Perry. “At Klatch Coffee, for example, we offer private in-person roaster training.”
Using quality coffee beans
Your success in roasting coffee beans starts with using good-quality beans. “Some roasters offer ‘green’ (unroasted) beans for sale. If you have a favorite roaster, buying unroasted green beans from them is a great place to start. There are many variables when roasting coffee beans, and by choosing good-quality, unroasted beans to roast, you’ve eliminated one key variable and increased your chances of success. You might also select beans that you’ve previously enjoyed in roasted format – providing a big head start in recognizing what the finished product should look like, the aroma, and its flavor,” shares Perry.
Expect mistakes
“Instead of focusing on failures when roasting coffee beans, consider it an opportunity for learning if and when something goes wrong. Tying back into our previous point of keeping a log or diary, diagnose and record mistakes to prevent them from occurring in the future,” Perry says.
