Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Coffee Geeks?

I know there are many types of geeks in the world (and on this board). So, I'm hoping the chances are good that someone here has done some home roasting in the past (i.e is a coffee geek).
Specifically, with a machine (not a pan on the stove) taylor made for coffee roasting.
I'd like to ask, what kind of smoke/smell problem did you have. I'd like to try it out. Sweet Marias (a bay are online coffee bean and roaster supplier) has the Fresh Roast Plus 8. I'm thinking of purchasing one.
However, I live in a studio so if this thing is going to create a lot of smoke or a smell that does not easily air out, I'll have to skip it until/unless I move.

Experiences? Opinions?

-james

Wow, that's more geeky that me...roasting your own that is.

I've heard people actually have success w/ a hot air corn popper.

I suggest coffeegeek.com for better informed geeks.

For me the best recommendation was to get beans from Barefoot Roasters in Santa Clara. Element 14 is fantastic.

funny you should mention it. A buddy of mine at work just got into the whole roasting the beans thing and he got that exact model you have. He did mention that after the first time, he'll be doing all his roasting outside from now on. He managed to fill his kitchen with smoke pretty quickly. I was thinking of getting one too, but ~$80 seems kinda steep to me for a hot air popper.

I don't do any roasting but my wife just started getting some different types of coffee from Gevalia, all tastes the same to me

Thanks for the info Ash. I guess I'll be taking a pass until I have an outside space or don't live in a studio anymore.

-j

I Love Coffee. We call it "the Brown Elixir of Life" at our house.

But I just do not have time or inclination to do my own roasting. I would agree with others that smoke is very likely to be an issue. The larger capacity roasters listed on that site specifically mention required venting to the outside.

There has got to be a professional roaster near you; I think for the time / trouble / money that roasting your own would take, perhaps more frequent trips to the freshest possible source might be an adequate substitute to improve the quality of your cuppa joe.

It would be cool, though. Problem is, with my luck, I'd try the inexpensive one, quickly ascertain that you really need (insert Tim Taylor noise here) more power, and then be compelled to buy the $700 one. As if I didn't have enough electrified buttony things to buy.

Really? I usually notice a fairly distinct difference between the Gevalia coffees.

A good mail order one is Caribou Coffee. A tad pricey, but it's better than Gevalia.

It's probably my habit of sweetening up the coffee that kills the flavor, my wife seems to like the Gevalia, I'll have to check the Caribou.

Oh, man, I drink coffee candy. 2 sugar cubes, lots of cream. Not creamer, cream. And we usually make the coffee pretty weak.

In reply to:

---

Oh, man, I drink coffee candy. 2 sugar cubes, lots of cream. Not creamer, cream.

---

My record is still 8 Sugar Twin (the chemical equivalent of 16 sugar) in a 12oz. cup.

Did I mention this cup I brewed at work at 8am and I was drinking at around 10pm... yes, same pot all day. No one orders coffee at a drive-thru only restaurant.

Bren R.