Identify yourself: "I roast, therefore, I am..."

[Bob]

If it costs thousands of dollars I probably could not doo it. Champaine guy on a Beer budget!!

Bob

[RcktS4]

FR8+ - 6 months or so. Great, simple, puched me along the learning curve. Too small for a serious coffee junkie, and my house has 2 of those.

iRoast - better part of a year, I guess? Excellent quality, easier to adjust profile than FR, and I could roast close to 1/2 pound at a shot. Sweet.

SC/CO (Yeah Dan, finally got it all put together) - past 6 months or so, after a serious shove by Mister M, who built me a metal SC drive shaft before I had a SC, or a CO. And you know if you have a drive shaft, you just GOTTA get the rest of the guts to use that sucker, no?. This is easily the champ overall. Great consistency, easy to adjust 'on the fly' and I've had luck with as much as a pound and a half at a time if you give it a nice warm-up period to start. Under $100 sourcing costs ($50 if you're real patient with eBay) , and 30 minutes to roast a week's worth of coffee. WooHoo!

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Bob

If it costs thousands of dollars I probably could not doo it.

Who would? My SC/CO:

25.00 StirCrazy, Target on sale
32.00 Galloping Gourmet AX707A 1440W, used ebay
5.00 hardware for melt-proof driveshaft
10.00 Springform cake pan for spacer - used ebay
72.00 - the basics you can't live without

Along with the basics were existing hotpads, metal strainers and a window fan I used for handling and cooling. I added "options" -

25.00 small shopvac for rapid cooling and cleanup, WallyWorld
30.00 a thermocouple to find out what I already knew, Sweet Marias
00.00 a large carboard shipping drum to use for cooling with the shopvac
55.00

$127 sounds about right. If you're one of the lucky ones with a Galloping Gourmet oven or Stir Carzy in the attic then good on you.

It's a fair guess I use a pound or more of coffee/week. Storebought cost me at least $10/pound. Green beans work out, roasted and losing 15% of their weight, to about $6.00/pound or less. I feel like I paid for the SCCO in the first year. At this rate I will be rich in 2000 more years.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by RcktS4

...This is easily the champ overall. Great consistency, easy to adjust 'on the fly' and I've had luck with as much as a pound and a half at a time... WooHoo!

A cigar-smoking coffee-roasting beacon for all.

[whodat1]

Originally Posted by Mister MaDuroo

Hi Jamie. I haven't had a decaf or coffee from a pod in... 55 years.

Dan, I take it you haven't tried any of the water processed (WP) decafs? My son's girlfriend wanted to try some of my homeroast but she only drinks decaf, so I ordered some of the new WP decaf that Sweet Marias has started selling (I have heard good things about it). I got some CR Terrazu and while it isn't quite a good as the non-decaf terrazu, it does taste like good coffee instead of a coffee substitute.

[opus]

Been roasting coffee for 5 years, 4 1/2 of them using various unaltered popcorn poppers. I still use this method sometimes. A few months with an I roast-2, great roaster but small batches, and about the past 2 weeks with an SCCO set up. I am already officially hooked on this system. Large batch, total control, and the price is right. We go through at least 1 1/2 or 2 lbs a week at our house so the SCCO saves the day reducing roasting time.

As for a grinder, we have three burr grinders. Two are identical cuisinarts, one for Kona, and the other right next to it on the counter for whatever else we are roasting. We always have Kona around for the go to coffee. The third is our travel burr grinder. I forget the brand but it is just the right size for trips.

The coffee maker of choice nowadays is an Electric Bodum Santos vaccuum deal. I am sold on the vaccuum method. Also have a stove top Santos and a French press.

I have yet to leap down the espresso slope. The Espresso I have tried at restaurants and such has not been all that good. I know there is quality brew out there, I just have not had it yet.

I am always searching for the perfect cheer....I mean cup of coffee.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by Mister MaDuroo

Who would? My SC/CO:

25.00 StirCrazy, Target on sale
32.00 Galloping Gourmet AX707A 1440W, used ebay
5.00 hardware for melt-proof driveshaft
10.00 Springform cake pan for spacer - used ebay
72.00 - the basics you can't live without

Along with the basics were existing hotpads, metal strainers and a window fan I used for handling and cooling. I added "options" -

25.00 small shopvac for rapid cooling and cleanup, WallyWorld
30.00 a thermocouple to find out what I already knew, Sweet Marias
00.00 a large carboard shipping drum to use for cooling with the shopvac
55.00

$127 sounds about right. If you're one of the lucky ones with a Galloping Gourmet oven or Stir Carzy in the attic then good on you.

It's a fair guess I use a pound or more of coffee/week. Storebought cost me at least $10/pound. Green beans work out, roasted and losing 15% of their weight, to about $6.00/pound or less. I feel like I paid for the SCCO in the first year. At this rate I will be rich in 2000 more years.

Hey thanks, I think this will help a lot. If I can save that kinda money on my coffee addiction then I will be a happy camper!! I copied this for future reference.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by whodat1

Dan, I take it you haven't tried any of the water processed (WP) decafs? My son's girlfriend wanted to try some of my homeroast but she only drinks decaf, so I ordered some of the new WP decaf that Sweet Marias has started selling (I have heard good things about it). I got some CR Terrazu and while it isn't quite a good as the non-decaf terrazu, it does taste like good coffee instead of a coffee substitute.

Sorry about that, Jim. That was poetic license just for effect. I rarely drink decaf (someone pours it for me) but some homeroast WP's I've had, harrar most recently, were not detectable to me as being decaf. As you say. As always, sir!

[willy7318]

The wife votes for getting me back to roasting. Darn just looked still have a bunch of beans but they all 2 years old. lol

Maybe I can turn my roaster into a popcorn poppero Now there is a whole new catagory for the forum... Gourmet popcorn from your coffee roaster.

Willy

[DETROITPHA357]

Can anyone help out a fellow BOTL with roasting. I have a Pound or 2 I rec'v in a trade. They smell so good I want to brew them with out grinding them up Well I guess Im asking if someone could help to get me started. I love drinking coffiee and somking a sogie in the morning, I would like to step it up a knoch Thx for any help with this downward slopeeeeeee

Hello: My name is William Booker-Riggs, Im a Detroit Police Officer 10years. I love smoking cigars and now would like to introduced to some good coffee habits.

[ghostrider]

Originally Posted by DETROITPHA357

Can anyone help out a fellow BOTL with roasting. I have a Pound or 2 I rec'v in a trade. They smell so good I want to brew them with out grinding them up Well I guess Im asking if someone could help to get me started. I love drinking coffiee and somking a sogie in the morning, I would like to step it up a knoch Thx for any help with this downward slopeeeeeee

Hello: My name is William Booker-Riggs, Im a Detroit Police Officer 10years. I love smoking cigars and now would like to introduced to some good coffee habits.

PM sent.

[DETROITPHA357]

Originally Posted by ghostrider

PM sent.

Thxs, Im sure ill figure it out (the pm)

[CigarGal]

Hey Booker. You'll figure it out. I was confused by all the home made contraptions so I decided to start out with a machine(iRoast) There are machines you can buy starting at $100 that will get you started. Ask lots of questions. I'm sure these fellas will be glad to help.

[catfishm2]

I've been roasting for about 15 months now. All of it with a Fresh Roast Plus. And loving every minute of it I might add. I never knew there were so many different kinds of beans out there. So far my favorite is the Costo Rican coffee, but with so many yet to try, that may change anytime.

Although I enjoy roasting, the roaster I have does such small batches, it is a pain on occasion. For that reason a SC/CO is in my very near future. I've already been pestering Dan for info and he was kind enough to bring his this weekend and give me a lesson.

Two coffee makers, a Delonghi and Gevalia, both with a Swiss Gold filter. Grinder..a burr grinder that came with the roaster. Not near good enough for espresso, but does just fine for my drip machines. I do want to add a French Press and a Moka Pot in the near future.

Not only am I drinking the best coffee of my life now, but I also have a great new hobby in roasting.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by catfishm2

I've been roasting for about 15 months now. All of it with a Fresh Roast Plus. And loving every minute of it I might add. ...

... Not only am I drinking the best coffee of my life now, but I also have a great new hobby in roasting.

Roasting coffee makes you more popular at parties (SOME parties, anyhow) and an SCCO or IRoast costs much less that a decent piano.