Today I roasted a few batches of green coffee beans. I purchased the Caffe Rosto CR-100 Home Coffee Roaster from the Green Beanery in Toronto.

There are a number of variables in how you roast coffee. The Caffe Rosto is a basic unit, with the only two variables being roasting time and the weight of the beans you put in. Basically, the beans are placed in the top hopper and hot air is blown through them. The lid is glass so you can watch as they cook.

The first batch I did was Kenya AA a large rich bean. I roasted a 150-gram batch for 8 minutes. It was a very dark roast that went about 1 minute after the second crack, and the beans developed an oily exterior. While the coffee was strong and bold, it was not at all bitter.

The second was Indian Monsoon Malabar. These are interesting beans, as they are light in colour. Monsoon beans are grown in India and stored for 12 to 16 weeks in open warehouses that permit the monsoon air to flow through the bags. The beans absorb moisture and swell to almost double their size while losing most of their colour. I roasted 140 grams for 7 minutes. The result was a light to medium roast. The coffee is mild, so you need to add more coffee to your coffee maker. I bought only a half pound of coffee, and 140 gram is about 2/3 of that bag. I think I will take the balance and mix with some Kenya AA. The mix of sweet Monsoon with bold Kenya should make an interesting blend.

Below is a video of roasting that blend.

Roast Log

Found an excellent grading guide