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Step 4Obtain some beans
In order to roast coffee, you will need to get some green coffee beans to roast. There are actually more types of beans than a person can reasonably keep track of, and they can be obtained from many different places.
Many local coffee roasters/shops (not chains) will sell you green beans if you ask. Typically they will charge you almost as much for the green ones as the roasted ones. This is not all that great of a deal, but it can be good to get you started.
I purchase all my beans online, or trade beans with a few roasting friends who also buy online. I get most of my beans from The Coffee Project because of the reasonable price, good selection, 1 pound increments but multiple pound discounts, and the cool burlap bags often they come in. I occasionally get beans from Coffee Bean Direct. One friend buys primarily from Green Coffee Buying Club, which has great deals and is very people-oriented, but also takes a lot more time and work. The Cadillac of online green coffee stores is Sweet Maria's; they carry more types of beans than anyone else, and have some of the highest quality beans, but they also are higher priced to match all that service. (They also have some of the best information available on home roasting anywhere.) There are many, many other places out there to get green beans, possibly including your local micro-roasting coffee shop.
The point is, you need beans to roast, and you will end up wanting a lot of them. I now buy about 3 kinds of coffee at once, and 5 or 10 pounds of each. Lots of coffee. The good news is that green coffee keeps a very long time, so long as it is kept dry and out of sunlight.
Many local coffee roasters/shops (not chains) will sell you green beans if you ask. Typically they will charge you almost as much for the green ones as the roasted ones. This is not all that great of a deal, but it can be good to get you started.
I purchase all my beans online, or trade beans with a few roasting friends who also buy online. I get most of my beans from The Coffee Project because of the reasonable price, good selection, 1 pound increments but multiple pound discounts, and the cool burlap bags often they come in. I occasionally get beans from Coffee Bean Direct. One friend buys primarily from Green Coffee Buying Club, which has great deals and is very people-oriented, but also takes a lot more time and work. The Cadillac of online green coffee stores is Sweet Maria's; they carry more types of beans than anyone else, and have some of the highest quality beans, but they also are higher priced to match all that service. (They also have some of the best information available on home roasting anywhere.) There are many, many other places out there to get green beans, possibly including your local micro-roasting coffee shop.
The point is, you need beans to roast, and you will end up wanting a lot of them. I now buy about 3 kinds of coffee at once, and 5 or 10 pounds of each. Lots of coffee. The good news is that green coffee keeps a very long time, so long as it is kept dry and out of sunlight.
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Apr 10, 2009. 1:14 PMPexotinets58
says:
I've been home roasting for a few years. Coffee Bean Corral is a great source. They carry ONLY green beans. Selection is good. They are not as pricey as some other sources I've used. I'm currently living on the East Coast, and my orders arrive within a couple of days. Visit their website at www.coffeebeancorral.com Enjoy your home roasting experience. You'll never go back to "regular" coffee again!
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Feb 25, 2009. 3:26 PMMichaelEaton
says:
The Coffee Project gives out free samples and instructions to roasting newbies in the US. Email them at orders@coffeeproject.com with your name and address.
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