I know this is a pretty old video but I use a Westbend poppery 2(an old style) and I believe I dialed in the process. I modded the heat element and air speed. My batch sizes are 113g from start to second crack is on average 12-14 mins. If you stir the hell out of it with a wooden spoon till the chaff is gone you'll end up with a more even roast. The best popper to roast with is the Westbend poppery 2. eBay is the best resource, and thrift shops.
We have been roasting since "98 on a bunch of Thrift Store poppers and have gotten nerdy all over it and then just part of the routine of our lives. now I have it hooked up to two variable voltage units just now hooked up to a '70's Wearever Pop Corn Pumper. We typically roast 6 oz. at a time and get first in 7 minutes and cool at 11 to 13 minutes depending on the level of roast desired and the variety/origin/crop year. The biggest advantage: always fresh roasted coffee and we can have a selection of coffees on hand for a variety of brewing methods and equipment that we use. We do a lot of impulsive blending of levels of roast and varieties. one being one origin in two roast levels--like Ethiopian in very light (city) and much darker (into the middle of 2nd crack) in various proportions gives us a greater range of the coffee in the cup.
Super old comment but maybe you'll respond if we're lucky. What you posted is some really cool stuff. So much so we'd all love to see some content of your roasting and sharing how mod these old poppers. Reading your post has encouraged me to pull my poppers out of retirement to start experimenting again.
I just bought a popper at a thrift store for 3.00 I have roasted several batches and stir the whole time with a wooden spoon to try to keep it all even. Around 3 minutes I have my second crack and immediately pour it into a wire mesh sifter to cool. I wait 24 hours to brew and when I open the coffee the smell is amazing!!! Poppers are perfect for home roasting at an affordable price
Hey Chris, Congrats on the Sprudgie nomination! Love the home roasting coverage. Though you are totally right about the comparison between a commercial roaster and a home machine I think you could go a long way toward dialing in your home roasting techniques as those results look super nasty compared to what is achievable. Honestly it's like having someone attempt to pull a perfect cup from an aeropress without ever touching the device before. Tips: 1. Use a thermometer. You wouldn't try to wing it on the SF-25 so don't do it on the popper either. You can get a laser thermometer pretty cheaply and that will read bean temp pretty well. People also use thermocouples that they can insert into the chamber. This will totally take your game to the next level. 2. Agitate the beans with a wire whisk at charge. This is crucial to get a clean and even roast. Poppers agitate the beans more and more as the beans get lighter along the roast timeline but at charge they mostly just sit on the bottom of the chamber. This can lead to scorching and just general uneven nastiness. This will also help get all of the chaff off of the beans early on to get a clean result and to avoid the chaff burning and potentially leading to nasty flavors. 4. Roast on top of a fan. I find this to be a super easy way to control temperature over the course of the roast and once it's ready for cooling I can just crank it up to max in a colander and cool the batch down super-quickly. It also helps get all of the chaff up and out of the chamber area. 4. Most people use an extension cord to control the temp of the popper. The longer the cord, the lower the temp. You can also remove the thermostat. Most machines have an internal thermostat that attempts to maintain a constant temperature in the chamber. That temperature is dialed in for popcorn but not always for coffee. It's pretty easy to do on most machines. I honestly think that home roasting is something that elevated my coffee game more than anything else I have done. It allows me to have a connection from green to cup and honestly it saves me a TON of cash ($4-7/lb for 1lb bags of really delicious product). It also keeps my coffee supply super-fresh as it is durable until I roast it on my schedule to my specs. Keep up the hustle...you guys are crushing it.
Good knowledge. Yeah my roast was especially haggard. When I used a popper some years ago I did some of those tricks but not all. The worst part about my old popper is that I burnt that thing out soooo fast. Really fun though. I definitely think it's a really cool tool to help people roast their own coffee as an experience - even if they don't care about quality or want to go through all the extra steps. I could see this being used in a classroom or something like that.
Sounds like people use the extension cord for the extra electrical resistance in the wire, reducing power to the heating element. That's interesting and I could see someone with knowledge of electronics get rid of the cord and use something to directly control the heating element.
Honestly thought I'd hear a rant about popcorn coffee, but glad to see a very balanced response. Average Joe can't afford a $50k machine at home, so it was nice to see/hear an encouraging response to get newbs or non-snobs into appreciating coffee.
I found the secret to good Popcorn Popping machine coffee roasting was to throw away the plastic top and construct a 12" tall metal flashing cone. Just pop rivet the metal flashing cone in a shape of a large funnel that fits into the top of the popcorn popper. This allows you to slightly shake the green beans with a vertical swirl and prevents burning and gives an even roast. It also prevents the beans from being blown out on to the floor. Has to be a 1500 watt for sufficient heat. Stages were , Chaff , 1st crack and 2nd crack sizzle sound and immediately dump in metal colander with swirl action to cool. Great coffee.
I've always had success throwing the coffee into a salad tosser after a home roast. It cools it down pretty quickly, but keeps the coffee all in one container, too!
Chris- so happy for you and Cat &a Cloud. I wish there were was more film like this out there. Not just of coffee, but of every profession. I def voted for you and you guys all the way on sprudgie. I haven't been to the cafe because I'm in Indiana, but everything else I voted. Finally thanks for this video. The last couple weeks I've been wanting to write in to the podcast about this very subject. I would love to hear more about your opinion on good roasters for at home roasting. Thanks again!
Thanks for the kind words Kyle, I really appreciate it! I need to try and get Tom Owens in a vid as he's basically the home roasting master. Maybe I can do a vid of our Quest sample roaster soon. Keep it fresh!
When I used a air popper I always had the same result roasting, dry and grainy flavor. Cannot do a dark roast with air popper, but a good way to learn and start.
awesome video. I used to cycle the popcorn popper on and off as well hand shake it. Then I moved to skillet roast, behmor 1600 and now using an artisan 6. voted for you guys!
AsIi have mentioned in some other posts, I roast my own as well. Sweet Maria's was the source using the Jiffy Pop at first and then purchased a Gene Caffe which I still use today. Have a 3 temp profile which gives great flavor and aroma. Large colander cools the roast after 1st crack. Great fun too. Roast size is only 240g but it lasts me for 5 or 6 days. Usually have 5-7 bean varieties in the roast all from Sweet Maria's and Captain's Coffee. Really like the Huehuetanango Guatemalan bean. Guest frequently state the best coffee ever had.
Hey Chris, I want to start roasting coffee and I got a barwell coffee roaster off Amazon I can’t find any instructions or help online and I was wondering if you could give me some tips, thanks!
Iron skillet & whisk is the way to go for home roasting. It takes more effort than a popcorn popper, but the results are much more akin to that of a traditional drum roaster with the wetter finish.
Gave up on popcorn poppers once I started to really get the hang of roasting. I was able to get some pretty good roasts out of them but I really didn't have that much control over roasting times / temperature profiles. Nonetheless I learned a lot from the experience and have since built a convection oven / stir crazy (aka "turbo crazy") setup... I can hit first crack in a few minutes or drag it out to 10 minutes plus, usually I shoot for around 13-14 minute roast times with a 300g batch.
Yeah that extra control is nice. When I used to play with the popcorn poppers a lot I tried all kinds of weird stuff but it was getting a bit too over the top. Also a 300 gram batch is an awesome size for roasting coffee for yourself. Enough to really dig into it and make a bunch of cups.
Way to tip your hat to home roasters showing their love for the bean! This is coffee culture all the way... voting just for the good vibes in the video. I currently use a West Bend Poppery II which rotates the coffee on its own due to the vents in sides of chamber and roast times are 8 mins + with even roast/flavor results. Currently experimenting with single origin, working into blends and using a ROK/Delonghi EC155 - all youtube/Internet as main source for learning more!
Thanks for voting! I've heard of the Poppery II, I think that's the one Tom really likes. Yeah home roasting is a rad way to get people amped on coffee which is basically the best thing ever.
Roasting in a cast iron pan? Can that result in better cup qualities that the popcorn popper? Having roasted that way many times it can turn out okay if you are really on top of it.
Years later but.. I've been doing the popper thing for years successfully. Two things: smaller batches so the beans don't get in each others way, and I rapid cool by dropping them into a bread tin in a freezer fora couple of minutes.
I make a batch of just under 4 oz of beans, maybe 3.7-3.9oz. I shake the whole popper til the start of the 1st crack, about 3 minutes. It should be swirling on its own at that point. Then I’ll shake it about 10 seconds about a minute later. It’ll take a total of 8-9 minutes total. If the ambient temperature is under 40 degrees Fahrenheit or so, I’ll keep the plastic top on. If very cold, I’ll put in a cardboard box and partially cover. If extremely cold, I’ll do it in the garage or basement. It’s as good or better than all but the best coffee shops I go to in town. The roast is not completely even but better than I saw in your video. You have to make sure you shake a lot in the beginning to keep things moving and avoid burning some beans closest to the heat.
Popcorn popper is fine. Let it de-gas for 2 or so days. I've compared it to numerous commercial coffees, no big difference, except popcorn popper paid for itself overnight.
@@steeping Try just picking up the unit and tossing the beans up and down, not too aggressively or the beans will fly out.. After a minute or two they should be light enough to spin on there own. Alternatively, just put in fewer beans
I have been using both my skillet and an air popper. I’m having a blast. Hmm 🤔 I think today I’ll put the skillet on the BBQ for a smoky flavor. BBQ roasted coffee.
Only way I roast. Love it, it's an art. Got a popcorn popper too. It makes great popcorn. Never got around to using it for coffee because the heat gun/dog bowl works so good.
Thanks for the video! I'd love to see if Sweet Maria's could send you a Behmor 1600 Plus and see what you think. At $370 that is currently where I would plan to start with home roasting if I ever get to that point.
@@RealChrisBaca I love my 1600...I've been roasting with one for about 8 years. Had the original and now the plus. You can get some truly amazing roasts,
Hey Bro. I roast my coffee with a West Ben two. I roast for five minutes and get a even roast. I’ve been roasting for three years. I also have a Behmor Roaster but like the popcorn popper much better. Good vids as usual.
That's a fast roast for a popper, I have a "West bend poppery 1" modded for much better airflow, 10 min total roast time and very even roast, also extension chord help slow the roast down.
My kit consists of a bread machine, paint stripping gun, IR thermometer, fan and colander. App 250 lbs so far over 4 years. I'm certainly no pro......but happy with the nice even roasts in 1 1/4 lb batches. Note that this must be done outdoors........or the wife will not be pleased....
Only issue with the SF-25 is it is a bit small. When I first looked at San Franciscan equipment i thought that the SF-25 was a 25KG roaster.....silly me. But we ended up buying the SF-75 and the SF-25. I really really really really wish they would use KG as the metric and sell 10KG and 25 KG roasters. BEST EVER roasters in the industry. We have 6 different brands.
4 minute roast is too short! Reducing the amount of beans by even a small amount can extend the roast time enough to make a nice difference. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, having fewer beans (up to a point) reduces the build up of heat. In my Toastmaster, going from 1/2 cup to slightly less than 1/2 cup extended the roast times by a minute (and kept first and second crack from running into each other without a pause). If you can roast without the popper's hood on (you may want to use a tin can as a chimney to keep beans from popping out), I recommend removing the popper's hood AND stirring the beans (with a lifting motion to ensure turnover of the bean mass) every five to ten seconds until first crack gets going. Using these three techniques together, my roast time went from five minutes to eight to nine minutes with a great deal of control over the final degree of roast.
Also, you didn't mention that most poppers aren't suitable for coffee roasting because they are a fire hazard. If the popper doesn't have solid metal between the beans and the heating element then the chaff will catch on fire and float all over your house and set it on fire. But obviously you knew that since your Air Crazy popper has solid metal between the beans and the heating element.
if you buy beans that are not shipped in Grain Pro bags they will almost always taste bland with almost no body and balance. 1st crack for 1KG should be about 7 min for a good taste so 50 grams should be about 4-5 min and NOT 2 min.....NORMALLY I hit 1st crack in 1KG about 8 min and 2nd crack at 12-13 min......in a commercial roaster
Your roast is too uneven. I stir the beans with the handle of a wooden spoon. You only need to stir until the beans start rolling by themselves. For cool down, people use a double layer aluminum pizza pan just full of holes. To control the heat, use a router motor speed controller. Starting at less than full heat makes the roast more even. I'd like to see a comparison between the pro roaster and the popcorn popper after you had some more experience.
Hello, regarding the router motor speed controller, when reducing the heat, does it reduce the ventilation, simultaneously ? Is the ventilation still sufficient for you?
If the ventilation isn't sufficient, turn up the speed controller. I start at less than full power, to even out the roast. Full power at the start of the roast, doesn't have enough ventilation to mix the beans. Then as first crack starts I turn the power on full for the rest of the roast. I always do this because some random website told me to.
FZ1 Owner thanks for replying ! Can you help me understand one point? You say “full power at the start of the roast, doesn’t have ventilation enough to mix the beans”. But at the same time you start at “less than full power, to even out the roast”. If full power doesn’t provide enough ventilation at the start, how can “less than full power” provide enough ventilation to mix the beans at the start of the roast?
FZ1 Owner ah ok you start with lower heat and lower ventilation, but you add to the ventilation your manual stirring. Well it seem certainly better than turning off the device and stirring manually every now and then as I do lately. Thank you
I think you need to spend more time learning the popper. It's a highly advanced piece of equipment that can't be mastered in a single batch. You seem like a smart guy..........put in the work ( learning ) and it will pay off in the end.
My suggestion is to invest one roaster that can take you for a couple of years instead of keep upgrading later. Watch this video from Jason Scott: th-cam.com/video/yVSqPZVwViU/w-d-xo.html
If i can buy green coffee beans for say 10 dollars a pound, say ethiopian washed heirloom, and i roast them in a popcorn popper, will it taste better than roasted coffee that is 10/lb
You should be paying max like 6.50/lb for Ethiopian, I guess it depends on if you're on the us and buying online or not. Whether it tastes better or not, roasting your own is a more intimate and more rewarding experience. I got a popper for 2.99 at a thrift store and you can get beans online for as low as $4/lb pretty easily
@@steeping I just used 10 dollars so I could make a comparison to store coffee. I rarely see anything under 10 dollars a pound. I want to save money by roasting my own coffee, but not if I have to significantly sacrifice quality, so lets say 6.50 then for a pound of ethiopian beans. If i roast them myself in a popcorn popper will it be higher or lower quality than pre-roasted coffee that is the same price?
Wait! What? a $30 popper doesn't roast as well as a $50K machine?
Dude, this is exactly what I needed to see!
Thanks homie!
you got to try to slow the roast down with a variable speed router controller so that the drying out phase happens slower and the flavors are fuller.
I know this is a pretty old video but I use a Westbend poppery 2(an old style) and I believe I dialed in the process. I modded the heat element and air speed. My batch sizes are 113g from start to second crack is on average 12-14 mins. If you stir the hell out of it with a wooden spoon till the chaff is gone you'll end up with a more even roast. The best popper to roast with is the Westbend poppery 2. eBay is the best resource, and thrift shops.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the higher end spectrum of home roasting equipment. For example the Gene Cafe CBR-101.
We have been roasting since "98 on a bunch of Thrift Store poppers and have gotten nerdy all over it and then just part of the routine of our lives. now I have it hooked up to two variable voltage units just now hooked up to a '70's Wearever Pop Corn Pumper. We typically roast 6 oz. at a time and get first in 7 minutes and cool at 11 to 13 minutes depending on the level of roast desired and the variety/origin/crop year.
The biggest advantage: always fresh roasted coffee and we can have a selection of coffees on hand for a variety of brewing methods and equipment that we use. We do a lot of impulsive blending of levels of roast and varieties.
one being one origin in two roast levels--like Ethiopian in very light (city) and much darker (into the middle of 2nd crack) in various proportions gives us a greater range of the coffee in the cup.
Super old comment but maybe you'll respond if we're lucky. What you posted is some really cool stuff. So much so we'd all love to see some content of your roasting and sharing how mod these old poppers. Reading your post has encouraged me to pull my poppers out of retirement to start experimenting again.
I just bought a popper at a thrift store for 3.00
I have roasted several batches and stir the whole time with a wooden spoon to try to keep it all even. Around 3 minutes I have my second crack and immediately pour it into a wire mesh sifter to cool.
I wait 24 hours to brew and when I open the coffee the smell is amazing!!! Poppers are perfect for home roasting at an affordable price
Hey Chris,
Congrats on the Sprudgie nomination! Love the home roasting coverage. Though you are totally right about the comparison between a commercial roaster and a home machine I think you could go a long way toward dialing in your home roasting techniques as those results look super nasty compared to what is achievable. Honestly it's like having someone attempt to pull a perfect cup from an aeropress without ever touching the device before.
Tips:
1. Use a thermometer. You wouldn't try to wing it on the SF-25 so don't do it on the popper either. You can get a laser thermometer pretty cheaply and that will read bean temp pretty well. People also use thermocouples that they can insert into the chamber. This will totally take your game to the next level.
2. Agitate the beans with a wire whisk at charge. This is crucial to get a clean and even roast. Poppers agitate the beans more and more as the beans get lighter along the roast timeline but at charge they mostly just sit on the bottom of the chamber. This can lead to scorching and just general uneven nastiness. This will also help get all of the chaff off of the beans early on to get a clean result and to avoid the chaff burning and potentially leading to nasty flavors.
4. Roast on top of a fan. I find this to be a super easy way to control temperature over the course of the roast and once it's ready for cooling I can just crank it up to max in a colander and cool the batch down super-quickly. It also helps get all of the chaff up and out of the chamber area.
4. Most people use an extension cord to control the temp of the popper. The longer the cord, the lower the temp. You can also remove the thermostat. Most machines have an internal thermostat that attempts to maintain a constant temperature in the chamber. That temperature is dialed in for popcorn but not always for coffee. It's pretty easy to do on most machines.
I honestly think that home roasting is something that elevated my coffee game more than anything else I have done. It allows me to have a connection from green to cup and honestly it saves me a TON of cash ($4-7/lb for 1lb bags of really delicious product). It also keeps my coffee supply super-fresh as it is durable until I roast it on my schedule to my specs.
Keep up the hustle...you guys are crushing it.
dzurisintube killer comment. I was gonna share much of the same. I used a popper for green purchasing decisions at Spotted Cow. Never led me astray.
Good knowledge. Yeah my roast was especially haggard. When I used a popper some years ago I did some of those tricks but not all. The worst part about my old popper is that I burnt that thing out soooo fast. Really fun though. I definitely think it's a really cool tool to help people roast their own coffee as an experience - even if they don't care about quality or want to go through all the extra steps. I could see this being used in a classroom or something like that.
dzurisintube ive never thought of that before. You mean setting the entire poppet on one of those big 2foot square house fans?
Sounds like people use the extension cord for the extra electrical resistance in the wire, reducing power to the heating element. That's interesting and I could see someone with knowledge of electronics get rid of the cord and use something to directly control the heating element.
@@spamcan9208 People definitely do use dimmer switches for this purpose...just takes a little know-how and some fiddling.
Honestly thought I'd hear a rant about popcorn coffee, but glad to see a very balanced response. Average Joe can't afford a $50k machine at home, so it was nice to see/hear an encouraging response to get newbs or non-snobs into appreciating coffee.
made me so happy to see a Thrasher hoodie and pounds of fresh coffee beans in the same shot
I found the secret to good Popcorn Popping machine coffee roasting was to throw away the plastic top and construct a 12" tall metal flashing cone. Just pop rivet the metal flashing cone in a shape of a large funnel that fits into the top of the popcorn popper. This allows you to slightly shake the green beans with a vertical swirl and prevents burning and gives an even roast. It also prevents the beans from being blown out on to the floor. Has to be a 1500 watt for sufficient heat. Stages were , Chaff , 1st crack and 2nd crack sizzle sound and immediately dump in metal colander with swirl action to cool. Great coffee.
congrats for Sprudge thing I was freakin happy when I see it!!!! :DDD
Thanks so much!
Do you own or work in a special coffee shop? If so, where?
I've always had success throwing the coffee into a salad tosser after a home roast. It cools it down pretty quickly, but keeps the coffee all in one container, too!
That's an amazing move right there!
Great idea, thanks
Chris- so happy for you and Cat &a Cloud. I wish there were was more film like this out there. Not just of coffee, but of every profession. I def voted for you and you guys all the way on sprudgie. I haven't been to the cafe because I'm in Indiana, but everything else I voted. Finally thanks for this video. The last couple weeks I've been wanting to write in to the podcast about this very subject. I would love to hear more about your opinion on good roasters for at home roasting.
Thanks again!
Thanks for the kind words Kyle, I really appreciate it! I need to try and get Tom Owens in a vid as he's basically the home roasting master. Maybe I can do a vid of our Quest sample roaster soon. Keep it fresh!
So glade you made this video
When I used a air popper I always had the same result roasting, dry and grainy flavor. Cannot do a dark roast with air popper, but a good way to learn and start.
hey chris , what do think about oven home coffee roaster that looks like a drum ?
Chris that was real cool. What if you turn the PCP off in the middle of the roast a few seconds to give the beans time.
How and wer do u buy those 100 pounds bags??
What do you recommend for home roasting
That was fun. I haven't roasted anything yet because we've got many sources of freshly roasted coffee here in Costa Rica.
awesome video. I used to cycle the popcorn popper on and off as well hand shake it. Then I moved to skillet roast, behmor 1600 and now using an artisan 6. voted for you guys!
Thanks! Yeah cycling on and off is a solid move. My first popper I toasted in about 2 months cause I roasted on it so much. You definitely upgraded.
AsIi have mentioned in some other posts, I roast my own as well. Sweet Maria's was the source using the Jiffy Pop at first and then purchased a Gene Caffe which I still use today. Have a 3 temp profile which gives great flavor and aroma. Large colander cools the roast after 1st crack. Great fun too. Roast size is only 240g but it lasts me for 5 or 6 days. Usually have 5-7 bean varieties in the roast all from Sweet Maria's and Captain's Coffee. Really like the Huehuetanango Guatemalan bean.
Guest frequently state the best coffee ever had.
really enjoyed this one chris👌
Thanks so much ^__^
Voted bro, Always awesome videos, Good Luck!!!
Chea boy!
Any of you ever tried to use an insta pot or air fryer to roast your coffee?
Hey Chris, I want to start roasting coffee and I got a barwell coffee roaster off Amazon I can’t find any instructions or help online and I was wondering if you could give me some tips, thanks!
i agree. I think it almost tastes better after like 2-3 days of roasting instead of just one day.
What about limiting the current a little on the popcorn popper? Run chord in series through an incandescent bulb or resistor of some kind?
Iron skillet & whisk is the way to go for home roasting. It takes more effort than a popcorn popper, but the results are much more akin to that of a traditional drum roaster with the wetter finish.
Is it better than off-the-shelf coffee?
Gave up on popcorn poppers once I started to really get the hang of roasting. I was able to get some pretty good roasts out of them but I really didn't have that much control over roasting times / temperature profiles. Nonetheless I learned a lot from the experience and have since built a convection oven / stir crazy (aka "turbo crazy") setup... I can hit first crack in a few minutes or drag it out to 10 minutes plus, usually I shoot for around 13-14 minute roast times with a 300g batch.
Yeah that extra control is nice. When I used to play with the popcorn poppers a lot I tried all kinds of weird stuff but it was getting a bit too over the top. Also a 300 gram batch is an awesome size for roasting coffee for yourself. Enough to really dig into it and make a bunch of cups.
Way to tip your hat to home roasters showing their love for the bean! This is coffee culture all the way... voting just for the good vibes in the video.
I currently use a West Bend Poppery II which rotates the coffee on its own due to the vents in sides of chamber and roast times are 8 mins + with even roast/flavor results. Currently experimenting with single origin, working into blends and using a ROK/Delonghi EC155 - all youtube/Internet as main source for learning more!
Thanks for voting! I've heard of the Poppery II, I think that's the one Tom really likes. Yeah home roasting is a rad way to get people amped on coffee which is basically the best thing ever.
Voting is closed for Sprudgie but congrats anyway
Chris! I am looking at getting into roasting for espresso mainly. Do you have any recommendations on a home roaster?
Please
Roasting in a cast iron pan? Can that result in better cup qualities that the popcorn popper? Having roasted that way many times it can turn out okay if you are really on top of it.
Years later but.. I've been doing the popper thing for years successfully. Two things: smaller batches so the beans don't get in each others way, and I rapid cool by dropping them into a bread tin in a freezer fora couple of minutes.
Thanks for the advice! :) :)
I was thinking about putting the strainer in the freezer for a few minutes and then putting the beans into the cold strainer maybe 🤔
Voted! Nice to see Square Mile roasters popping up there too! My roaster of choice
Nice! They sent us some coffee a few weeks ago which for sure made my week like 3,000x better
Is there a home roaster you would recommend (other than the popcorn popper)?
Im curious too
I make a batch of just under 4 oz of beans, maybe 3.7-3.9oz. I shake the whole popper til the start of the 1st crack, about 3 minutes. It should be swirling on its own at that point. Then I’ll shake it about 10 seconds about a minute later. It’ll take a total of 8-9 minutes total. If the ambient temperature is under 40 degrees Fahrenheit or so, I’ll keep the plastic top on. If very cold, I’ll put in a cardboard box and partially cover. If extremely cold, I’ll do it in the garage or basement. It’s as good or better than all but the best coffee shops I go to in town. The roast is not completely even but better than I saw in your video. You have to make sure you shake a lot in the beginning to keep things moving and avoid burning some beans closest to the heat.
Popcorn popper is fine. Let it de-gas for 2 or so days. I've compared it to numerous commercial coffees, no big difference, except popcorn popper paid for itself overnight.
What popper do you have? I have a nostalgia but am not getting much motion with 60 grams until the beans get fairly dark
@@steeping Try just picking up the unit and tossing the beans up and down, not too aggressively or the beans will fly out.. After a minute or two they should be light enough to spin on there own. Alternatively, just put in fewer beans
I have been using both my skillet and an air popper. I’m having a blast. Hmm 🤔 I think today I’ll put the skillet on the BBQ for a smoky flavor. BBQ roasted coffee.
Sprudgie done ! Keep the good work!
Thanks Nicolas! I appreciate it!
Thought this was a really cool video and I voted for us
Thanks Tim! w00t!
You should try the heat gun rout and hand stir it! You can control temperature a lot more and get roast times right at where they should be.
Good knowledge. I just need a heat gun. I actually need to roll my fenders so maybe I can justify getting one, as it'll do double duty ^__^
Only way I roast. Love it, it's an art. Got a popcorn popper too. It makes great popcorn. Never got around to using it for coffee because the heat gun/dog bowl works so good.
My green bean supplier says that, although not as good as a designated roaster, air popper roasted coffee is better than anything you get at Starbucks
Tbh the sbux roastery has much better coffee than the normal stores
Another sweet video - I put a vote in for your channel seeing as though I didn't make it in... :'( haha ;)
Also - Kind of happy that a commercial roaster beats out a popcorn maker.. Otherwise I'd have to trade in my roaster for an army of poppers ;-)
Next year! I'll nominate you ^__^
Thanks for the video! I'd love to see if Sweet Maria's could send you a Behmor 1600 Plus and see what you think. At $370 that is currently where I would plan to start with home roasting if I ever get to that point.
Yeah I'd love to get my hands on some more home equipment for sure.
@@RealChrisBaca I love my 1600...I've been roasting with one for about 8 years. Had the original and now the plus. You can get some truly amazing roasts,
I gotchu!
Thanks J dog!
voted! Good luck man
Thank you so much!
I use a cast iron skillet .
My popcorn popper is much more consistent. However, it takes about 7 minutes total to do a medium roast.
Hey Bro. I roast my coffee with a West Ben two. I roast for five minutes and get a even roast. I’ve been roasting for three years. I also have a Behmor Roaster but like the popcorn popper much better. Good vids as usual.
That's a fast roast for a popper, I have a "West bend poppery 1" modded for much better airflow, 10 min total roast time and very even roast, also extension chord help slow the roast down.
hecka voted!
You just made my day!
actually it is fun and it taste amaising over store bought.... i disaggree on quality diff is quantity
Nespresso have cereal as a flavour note on a lot of their coffees…perhaps they use these? 😂
My kit consists of a bread machine, paint stripping gun, IR thermometer, fan and colander. App 250 lbs so far over 4 years. I'm certainly no pro......but happy with the nice even roasts in 1 1/4 lb batches. Note that this must be done outdoors........or the wife will not be pleased....
Only issue with the SF-25 is it is a bit small. When I first looked at San Franciscan equipment i thought that the SF-25 was a 25KG roaster.....silly me. But we ended up buying the SF-75 and the SF-25. I really really really really wish they would use KG as the metric and sell 10KG and 25 KG roasters. BEST EVER roasters in the industry. We have 6 different brands.
4 minute roast is too short! Reducing the amount of beans by even a small amount can extend the roast time enough to make a nice difference. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, having fewer beans (up to a point) reduces the build up of heat. In my Toastmaster, going from 1/2 cup to slightly less than 1/2 cup extended the roast times by a minute (and kept first and second crack from running into each other without a pause). If you can roast without the popper's hood on (you may want to use a tin can as a chimney to keep beans from popping out), I recommend removing the popper's hood AND stirring the beans (with a lifting motion to ensure turnover of the bean mass) every five to ten seconds until first crack gets going. Using these three techniques together, my roast time went from five minutes to eight to nine minutes with a great deal of control over the final degree of roast.
Also, you didn't mention that most poppers aren't suitable for coffee roasting because they are a fire hazard. If the popper doesn't have solid metal between the beans and the heating element then the chaff will catch on fire and float all over your house and set it on fire. But obviously you knew that since your Air Crazy popper has solid metal between the beans and the heating element.
2:41 100%
if you buy beans that are not shipped in Grain Pro bags they will almost always taste bland with almost no body and balance. 1st crack for 1KG should be about 7 min for a good taste so 50 grams should be about 4-5 min and NOT 2 min.....NORMALLY I hit 1st crack in 1KG about 8 min and 2nd crack at 12-13 min......in a commercial roaster
Your roast is too uneven. I stir the beans with the handle of a wooden spoon. You only need to stir until the beans start rolling by themselves. For cool down, people use a double layer aluminum pizza pan just full of holes. To control the heat, use a router motor speed controller. Starting at less than full heat makes the roast more even. I'd like to see a comparison between the pro roaster and the popcorn popper after you had some more experience.
Hello, regarding the router motor speed controller, when reducing the heat, does it reduce the ventilation, simultaneously ? Is the ventilation still sufficient for you?
If the ventilation isn't sufficient, turn up the speed controller. I start at less than full power, to even out the roast. Full power at the start of the roast, doesn't have enough ventilation to mix the beans. Then as first crack starts I turn the power on full for the rest of the roast. I always do this because some random website told me to.
FZ1 Owner thanks for replying !
Can you help me understand one point? You say “full power at the start of the roast, doesn’t have ventilation enough to mix the beans”. But at the same time you start at “less than full power, to even out the roast”. If full power doesn’t provide enough ventilation at the start, how can “less than full power” provide enough ventilation to mix the beans at the start of the roast?
I stir the beans with the handle of a wooden spoon.
FZ1 Owner ah ok you start with lower heat and lower ventilation, but you add to the ventilation your manual stirring.
Well it seem certainly better than turning off the device and stirring manually every now and then as I do lately.
Thank you
I think you need to spend more time learning the popper. It's a highly advanced piece of equipment that can't be mastered in a single batch. You seem like a smart guy..........put in the work ( learning ) and it will pay off in the end.
gr8 1
Thanks!
die koffiebrander kost 6000 euro vriend
You should be a teeth model
My suggestion is to invest one roaster that can take you for a couple of years instead of keep upgrading later. Watch this video from Jason Scott:
th-cam.com/video/yVSqPZVwViU/w-d-xo.html
If i can buy green coffee beans for say 10 dollars a pound, say ethiopian washed heirloom, and i roast them in a popcorn popper, will it taste better than roasted coffee that is 10/lb
You should be paying max like 6.50/lb for Ethiopian, I guess it depends on if you're on the us and buying online or not. Whether it tastes better or not, roasting your own is a more intimate and more rewarding experience. I got a popper for 2.99 at a thrift store and you can get beans online for as low as $4/lb pretty easily
@@steeping I just used 10 dollars so I could make a comparison to store coffee. I rarely see anything under 10 dollars a pound. I want to save money by roasting my own coffee, but not if I have to significantly sacrifice quality, so lets say 6.50 then for a pound of ethiopian beans. If i roast them myself in a popcorn popper will it be higher or lower quality than pre-roasted coffee that is the same price?
Your hat's crooked
How about you straight that hat?