Ask A Coffee Fanatic

I was thinking of a stirring type. However, I was worried about smoke in an unventilated area. Also, this is just for me. My wife drinks tea.

J
 
No, a stirring type wouldn't get the kernels nearly hot enough. And smoke is definitely an issue. Unless you have a fume hood that ventilates to the outside in your kitchen, you want to do this outside or in a garage.

However, the unit I own that is mentioned in the OP can be used indoors. It has a special "afterburner" that eliminates a lot of the fumes.

The I-Roast above it used essentially the same technique as a hot air popper. There is no way you would want to use that indoors without a fume hood. They even provided a metal attachment to the top so you could use dryer hose to vent it to the outside.
 
Done. Thanks.

Now I just have to get a butane hot plate, because the camp stove is gasoline.

What quantity of green beans would be best to order with one person drinking?

This is ironic, because the Department of Defense owns a coffee franchise called Green Beans. I once had their MOAC (Mother of All Coffee) 24 oz brewed, plus 4 shots for $5.99. That was Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

J
 
Green beans will last quite a long time.

But I wouldn't buy too much the first time. You may find that it is not worth all the effort that grinding this pot for 13-15 minutes requires. Hearing the cracks is pretty obvious. The first crack will be louder than the second, that is if you want to take the roasting that far.

You also need to discover which coffee you like the most. What regions do you drink now? Do you prefer regular roasts or darker roasts?
 
Formaldehyde said:
Green beans will last quite a long time.

But I wouldn't buy too much the first time. You may find that it is not worth all the effort that grinding this pot for 13-15 minutes requires. Hearing the cracks is pretty obvious. The first crack will be louder than the second, that is if you want to take the roasting that far.

You also need to discover which coffee you like the most. What regions do you drink now? Do you prefer regular roasts or darker roasts?
Click to expand...

I know I like Moka-Java. There is a shop that roasts most of the restaurant coffee for Austin, Tx. I have sampled several things from time to time.

J
 
Perfection said:
What do you think of the Kuerig?
Click to expand...
It is rather pricey. But if you like convenience and don't mind the added cost, it seems like a good alternative to buying the more expensive roasted beans in the grocery store if you don't drink that much coffee, or if you like a lot of variety.

But the best coffee will always be freshly roasted and freshly ground made by the pot. The second best will be freshly ground by the pot. You get more flavor if you use more coffee.

onejayhawk said:
I know I like Moka-Java. There is a shop that roasts most of the restaurant coffee for Austin, Tx. I have sampled several things from time to time.
Click to expand...
Then that's a good place to start. I'd also recommend you try Kenya AA. That is my favorite.

Sweet Maria's and other green bean purveyors have starter packs with 4-8 different beans. But they tend to have the cheaper beans and charge you more for them.

I found a local place that sells green beans. Not only are their prices better than the bigger internet vendors, the shipping is a lot cheaper. So it is a good idea to shop around.

Amazon also sells green beans at fairly reasonable prices so don't forget about them. I've bought Kenya AA from them a number of times and I was very impressed with the quality.
 
BTW for the mocha-java be sure to roast the beans separately then blend them together. Green beans have different roasting times. They also often have different roasting curves, but I don't think you are going to be able to control that.
 
OK I'll ask the wife for some green beans for Christmas. she does Amazon all the time. She'll give them to me as soon as the y get here. I have to figureout a heat source.

BTW about the new Kuerig that will do 4 cups, don't bother. It's junk. Not only does it not work well for the 4 cup cycle, the 1 cup cycle is not as good as a regular machine, plus you have to use approved brands, which is a hassle.

J
 
It looks like we get a choice of three. which would you recommend?

Lavanta Coffee Roasters Tanzania Peaberry Direct Trade Coffee, Green, 2 lb
Lavanta Coffee Roasters Sulawesi Toraja "White Eagle" Direct Trade Coffee, Green, 2 lb
Lavanta Coffee Roasters Peru Direct Trade Coffee, Green, 2 lb

J
 
Tanzanian and Peruvian are excellent choices and similar, to me, to Kenyan. But I buy roasted beans....
 
I'd go with the African. But that's just me. This should be quite similar, albeit a bit less expensive, than my favorite: Kenya AA. I like to roast it until just after the second crack starts.

The best thing to do is to continue to buy these smaller sized lots until you find what you like. You can also try changing the roasting time as well to see what suits your taste. You want to wait until at least a minute or two into the first crack as a typical minimum, but the total amount of time is adjustable based on how dark you like it. But once the second crack starts, it won't be long until it turns into charcoal so beware. You will also get a lot more smoke.

You want to wait 24 hours or so for the CO2 to dissipate after roasting.

I recommend grinding it fairly finely. I use a few notches up from the finest setting on my burr grinder. I also use a large number 6 Melitta drip cone and filter with boiling hot water that empties directly into a stainless steel thermos. It will last 5-6 hours.



One of the benefits of going this route is that it takes a lot less coffee than most drip coffee makers. .9 liters of coffee only takes 5 scoops of my .25 oz measuring spoon instead of 8. But I also use a number 4 filter instead of a number 6 and make sure all the grounds get completely saturated by filling the filter with water, letting it drain down and then pouring the rest of the water over the grounds stuck on the side. It takes a bit more time, but it makes the coffee a lot richer while not wasting any. You can do the same with number 6 filters, but they are harder to find. Any grocery store carries number 4s and they are extremely cheap. Publix sells 200 for $3 or so.
 
They did a study. That low tech approach also produces the best coffee. I ought to get some filters for my old Chemex brewer. I tend to use a moka pot for personal use. No filter needed. for those that do not know about them, here is a graphic. Pots run about $20 US on up and work stove top.



I think I'll go with the Tanzania peaberry.

J
 
I have a really expensive Bonavita that makes a hellaciously good pot of coffee. But you have to use nearly twice as much coffee to get the same results.
 
It could be worse. The second generation Keurig's cost about the same and they are so much junk. I use a Bialetti 4 cup or a no longer available Gemini 2 cup.

BTW Did you know that making milk froth at home is easy? Just heat the milk in a microwave. Pour it into a French press and run the plunger up and down. The plunger on the press makes excellent foam. You can do everything from light froth to almost stiff.

J
 
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