At first, I thought coffee roasting was strictly a “leave it to the pros” thing. You walk into a roastery, see those huge machines spinning, smell that deep toasted aroma, and it feels expensive and way too technical to do at home. Then one day, I watched someone roast beans in their kitchen with a…
Are you tired of ruining a perfect roast because you didn’t cool your coffee beans fast enough? When I first started roasting coffee beans at home, I had no idea that cooling them down quickly was just as important as the roasting process itself. I was so excited about my new hobby that I didn’t…
Ever felt your coffee should taste better… but it never quite gets there? When I first started roasting my own beans, I had a popcorn popper, a handful of green coffee, and way too much confidence. I honestly thought I’d be drinking café-level coffee by the end of the week. Yeah… no. My early roasts…
Ever wondered what would happen if you threw your coffee beans in a smoker? I did, though not exactly on purpose at first. See, I’m not really the outdoorsy, camping-for-fun type. The mosquitoes always seem to think I’m the main course, and I spend half the night doing a weird half-dance trying to swat them…
Have you ever had one of those conversations where a casual chat turns into a goldmine of information? That’s exactly what happened when I was catching up with my friend from Spain. We were talking about coffee and my blog, Coffee Voilà, when he casually dropped a bombshell about his family’s secret coffee roasting technique—Torrefacto…
Have you ever been watching a barbecue show on TV and suddenly gotten an idea that just clicks? That’s exactly what happened to me. I was watching someone expertly grill steaks, and out of nowhere, it hit me—why not roast my coffee beans on a grill? I had roasted coffee before, but never on a…
Ever start something thinking you need all the fancy tools, only to realize the basics work just fine? That was me when I first tried roasting coffee. I figured I’d need expensive equipment. But instead, I grabbed an old popcorn popper and later tried my hand with just a simple pan. Spoiler alert: both worked…
Ever try something for the first time and completely mess it up? That was me with oven roasting. One of the first times I tried roasting coffee in my oven, I thought I had it all figured out. I cranked up the heat, tossed the beans in, and patiently waited. Next thing I knew, my…
Ever skipped out on camping because you hate those relentless mosquitoes? That was totally me. I loved the idea of camping, but the thought of swatting bugs all night? No thanks. But when I decided to write this guide on roasting coffee over an open fire, I knew I had to experience it firsthand—even with…
When I first started roasting coffee at home, I was totally lost. I didn’t know any of the roasting terms, and every batch was a guessing game. I’d end up with beans that were too dark, too light, or just plain weird-tasting. It was frustrating, to say the least. I realized that without understanding the…