Alpenrost Home Coffee Roaster

If you're a coffee nut like we are, perhaps you've given some thought to roasting your own beans? Coffee begins to lose its flavor within minutes of being roasted. After a few days, some 50% of the original flavor is lost. We've found a terrific drum-type roaster made by Swissmar.

The Alpenrost will tumble up to 8 ounces of coffee beans, and its settings provide you with 15 roasting levels. In order to derive the best results from the unit (according to your tastes), you will have to experiment a bit, but it's worth the effort (see below) There are other roasters on the market, and most of them function like hot air corn poppers. They are considerably less expensive than the Alpenrost. If you're serious about your home roasting, the Alpenrost is worth a look.

swissmar.com

"I love the way coffee smells when it is ground. I wish it tasted the way it smelled when I drink it". How often have you heard that remark or thought it yourself whether you are a coffee lover or not. Well, the good news is - you can have the aroma in the cup and on your taste buds. The trick seems to be roasting your own, grinding it shortly thereafter, and brewing. Nothing, but nothing, beats the taste of a cup of Joe made "from scratch".

To roast coffee at home, you can opt for special equipment (more on that below), but you simply us a cast iron skillet, or a stovetop corn popper (see our notes on the Whirley-Pop Popcorn Popper) and a pound or two of good quality green coffee beans. Green coffee beans taste like raw dried peas and look similar. Once they are roasted, they undergo an incredible transformation. Unlike pre-roasted coffee, which has a short shelf life (2 to 5 days, depending on how they are stored), green coffee is good for 1 to 2 years. So, you can stock up on Columbian or whatever else you like and not worry about freshness. Green beans will also cost you far less.

When you roast, you roast very slowly, and as evenly and gently as you can. Otherwise, you will scorch, not roast, the coffee. You can roast in a cast iron skillet set over the lowest heat possible or in a stovetop popcorn popper. If you use the former method, you must stand by and use a wood spoon to gently toss and rotate the coffee beans as they change from green to dull brown, and lose their husks. You may also use a machine like the Alpenrost (above). I tried all three methods. In the end, I would opt for the Alpenrost (above). Adjust the settings for type of roast, start the machine, and go away for 15 minutes. It cools the beans and stops by itself. If you blend varieties, it will take a bit of practice in order to achieve your preferred roast. Take notes.

Mixing green beans to create your own blend is fine, but it means you must pay attention. I prefer a mix of 80 / 20 (brown to black beans). I roast them in two batches to blend the beans afterwards. Truth is, roasting coffee is an art. It gives you new respect for professional roasters (like our friends at Schapira's) who work with enormous quantities every day, and keep the quality consistent.

Aside from the Alpenrost (kindly provided to our Test Kitchens by Swissmar in Toronto), there are other types of roasters available (which I have not tested). See the Sweet Maria's web site for advice and supplies. As far as green beans are concerned, not all places that sell roasted beans will sell you green beans. I found only two places in Montreal that would agree to sell me some. You may have to order online (from a site like Sweet Maria's).

When it comes to grinding, I tested the superlative Peugeot mill (of salt and pepper fame, also provided by Swissmar). This is a nifty mill that grinds 1 - 2 cups worth of coffee quite briskly. Also look for the Zassenhaus brand (via Sweet Maria's) and grinders from the Robely Imports. They have hand-cranked mills in every size and style possible including some that allow you to grind the coffee directly into a vacuum canister for storage.

You can start with a stovetop method and see if you want to upgrade to an electric home roaster or other equipment. In the end, it can be complex and precise, or as modest and simple as you like. Roasting coffee is an experience that brings you closer to a natural process that has a long and fascinating history. I confess, next to bread baking, roasting coffee is as romantic and dramatic as it gets. In the kitchen, anyhow.