Coffee Tree To Cup Part 2

Roasting Coffee

Roasting transforms green coffee into brown coffee beans. Most roasting machines  maintain a temperature of about 290 degrees.  The beans are kept  moving throughout the entire process to keep them from burning and when they  reach an internal temperature of about 200 degrees, they begin to turn brown and the coffee oil pops out with a crack.

The oil is what produces the  flavour and aroma of the coffee we drink.  When the beans are removed from the  roaster, they are immediately cooled by air.

The best way to roast coffee without a roaster, is to treat it like making popcorn. You can use an electric popcorn popper machine or a saucepan and lid agitating constantly is the key to as even a roast as possible.

For the stovetop – heat the pan to 250 degrees (you will need a cooking thermometer) and add about 250 grams of green beans in to the clean pan, close the lid and either use popcorn crank or stir or agitate constantly. At a minimum every 30 seconds. In about 4-7 minutes the beans will start to make a crackling sound. Also, coffee smelling smoke will be produced so open a window or put on the fan.

After about a minute from the first crack, start checking the colour of the beans in between agitations. Once they reached the desired colour (it’s up to you how dark you like your roast) remove from heat and continue to agitate in a sieve to cool before grinding or storing.

Grinding Coffee

The purpose of a proper grind is to get the most flavour in a cup of coffee. Generally, the finer the grind the more quickly the coffee should be prepared. Always grind your beans as close to the brew time as possible.

Do not underestimate the importance of the size of the grind to the taste of your coffee. If your coffee tastes bitter, it may be overextracted, or ground too fine.  On the other hand, if your coffee tastes flat, it may be underextracted, meaning that your grind is too coarse.

Never reuse your coffee grounds – unless it’s for compost.

Brewing Coffee

Whether you use a French Press coffee plunger, an expresso machine or Moka Pot (stovetop expresso maker) make sure that your equipment is clean as residue from past cups brewed will leave a bitter, rancid flavor in the next cup.

Check your instruction manual or google your coffee maker and find out the best ratio of coffee to water. There may be a scoop with an expresso machine or a line indicated in your Moka Pot; for coffee plungers, depending on the number of cups it holds will dictate how much coffee is needed, a good rule of thumb is one tablespoon of ground coffee for every cup of water.

How to store roasted coffee

Storage is integral to maintaining your roasted coffee’s freshness and flavour. It is important to keep it away from excessive air, moisture, heat, and light to prevent beans going stale.

Everyday coffee

Your daily coffee supply should not be refrigerated or frozen as contact with moisture will cause it to deteriorate.  Instead, store coffee in air-tight glass or ceramic containers and keep it in a convenient, but dark and cool, location.

Buy frequently

Coffee begins to lose its freshness almost immediately after roasting so it is far better to purchase it in smaller quantities. Purchase freshly roasted coffee frequently and buy only what you will use in the next 1 or 2 weeks. And because exposure to air is your coffee’s worst enemy, it is a good idea to divide your coffee supply into several smaller portions, keeping the larger, unused portion in an air-tight container.

Storing Larger Quantities of Roasted Coffee Beans

If you’ve purchased a large quantity of coffee that you will not use immediately, small portions, wrapped in airtight bags, can be stored for up to a month in the freezer.  Once you have removed them from the freezer, however, do not return them. Instead, move them to an air-tight container and store in a cool, dry place.

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