Green coffee beans to roast

[m_louise_2911]

I’ve got access to a home/DIY coffee roaster. Anyone searched for the cheapest beans around so I can practice? Green Bean House in the Wairarapa so far seems to offer the best deals on 1kg lots (start from $16.50/kg).

 

[yamila]

@m_louise_2911 Green Bean House is where I usually buy them

 

[banchocanh]

@m_louise_2911 I roast my own. A few protips, leave the cover on when cooling. It allows for even cooling.
If it's in cage roaster buy a air blower to remove the husks/shell. You can blow it while they are in the cage after the cooling process.

Mixing beans can heavily effect the taste. But 20 to 25% is the lowest amount u can blend evenly.

 

[m_louise_2911]

@banchocanh It’s a cage roaster. Thanks for the tip. Of course with the popcorn maker the chaff just blows out the top.

Have you found a good mix of beans to blend?

 

[banchocanh]

@m_louise_2911 I add multiple pain killing drugs to a Colombian and papa new Guinea mix. So I'm not the best person to give advice. But Colombian is better lightly roasted and papa is better median. Height above sea level does effect roasting more than u think.

 

[markiplier]

@m_louise_2911 I would recommend asking some smaller startup roasters in your area to pool ordering.
Plus, if you get an account with Cofinet, Opal, John Burton, Trade Aid, or Sucafina, you can ask for endless samples until you find an origin you like.

 

[barsomo]

@m_louise_2911 The Coffee Workshop in Christchurch have some decent per kg prices.
I usually buy in bulk and get the 5kg bags, saves on freight.

https://www.thecoffeeworkshopnz.com/shop-2

 

[m_louise_2911]

@barsomo I’ll check them out. Thanks!

 

[cbonetwobe]

@m_louise_2911 Just a warning, I broke my grinder doing this. It's safest to wait a small time between roasting and grinding.

I also found green bean house to be the cheapest.

 

[mr_mcbride]

@cbonetwobe By ‘small amount of time’ I assume you mean ‘several days’. Espresso brewed on the day of roasting is just a mound of suds. And it sounds like there was a stone in your beans.

 

[m_louise_2911]

@cbonetwobe Thanks mate. Yeah with my popcorn roasting method I’d wait a week for it to degas before grinding.

 

[tonyann]

@m_louise_2911 Popcorn makers are really good for this if you’ve got one. I found a skillet a bit messy with the chaff

 

[m_louise_2911]

@tonyann Yeah a popcorn maker is what got me started on roasting. I was buying beans from the Mojo roastery in Wellington though.

 

[gabriel1986]

@m_louise_2911 Me too. I used to live in Portland Oregon and there was a great shop called "Mr Green Beans" which sold an astounding variety of beans from all over the world.

One of the key takeaways is that the popcorn pepper had to be the kind that would blow the beans in a circular motion stole the circumference of the chamber, and not just blow the hot air straight up from the bottom. Do you know if popcorn poppers in New Zealand that work like this? Where do you even buy a popcorn popper for roasting here?

Thanks

 

[annabry]

@m_louise_2911 This place imports a tone of high quality green beans, just have to ask and they have pricing.
https://excelso.co.nz/

 

[m_louise_2911]

@annabry Ok. Yeah a couple of options. But their online store has heaps of fun looking (wallet draining) toys!