Roasting Tips
With any roasting process, you will see the following:
- After a few minutes, the green beans will turn a lighter yellowish color and emit a grassy aroma.
- The beans will later start to steam as any water in them is released.
- The steam will become fragrant. Soon after that, you will hear the "first crack." The cracking sound occurs as the real roasting starts to kick in. The sugars in the beans start to caramelize, more water is released, the structure of the bean breaks down and oils start to be released.
- After the first crack, the beans are at the Cinnamon Roast. You can stop here if you like VERY lightly roasted coffee. The beans are dark brown, but not very oily.
- The beans then begin to caramelize more, more oils appear, and the bean expands as the roast becomes dark.
- Soon after, the "second crack" can be heard, and it will probably be louder than the first. Pieces (chaff) will be blow away from the bean. You may want to stop roasting at the first sign of the second crack unless you are going for a dark roast.
- During the second crack, the sugars will burn and smoke will be more pungent. The dark beans will take on a very oily appearance.
- As the beans become hotter and the sugars start to completely burn, you will have a very very dark roast. If you bought your beans because of their country of origin, at this point, it's not going to matter where they came from. Your beans look like espresso. Smoke is a lot more prevalent.
- If you go beyond this point, you are going for a French or Italian roast. Sugars and oils are almost burned off completely and you can expect a thinner coffee.
Select your roasting method
How much coffee can be roasted at a single time?
With the Alpenröst you can roast a 1/2 lb. (8 oz. / 225 grams) of green coffee beans; (enough to last an average family for a week to ten days). This roaster has the largest capacity of the most common home roasting machines. You may want to experiment with a smaller batch than 8oz. If you do, be sure to keep an eye on the roast and listen for the "cracking" of the coffee beans as they roast.
How long does it take to roast beans?
It takes between 16 and 20 minutes to roast coffee beans using the Alpenröst. The lighter the roast, the shorter the time... the darker the roast, the longer the time, with the roasting time dependant on the type of bean. The Alpenröst is one of the best roasters for attaining a dark coffee roast.
How do I control the length and outcome of the roast?
The Alpenröst has 15 different preset roasting cycles, with 1 being the lightest and 15 being the darkest. The time between each cycle is predetermined, with an 8 setting being a medium roast for the most common coffee beans.
How simple is the Alpenröst to use?
Very simple. Just fill the bean cup with the desired amount of green beans (up to a 1/2 lb. / 8 oz. / 225 grams), close the lid, select your desired roast and push the green 'ON' button. 20 or so minutes later you will have fresh roasted coffee beans. The Alpenröst is so versatile that the user can adjust for virtually any type of roast, green bean variety or blend, humidity, altitude, etc.
Is there an aroma?
Yes, roasting is a cooking process. Some coffee beans produce a pleasant aroma. Darker roasts may produce a smoke as the oils within the bean are released. You should vent your unit externally using a counter-top vent or stove-top range hood, by simply directing the adjustable ventilation port. Some may want to use their roaster outside (weather permitting, of course) or in a ventilated garage. Remember that the darker you roast, the more smoke that will be produced. Since the Alpenröst is one of the best roasters for dark roasts, you will want to consider ventilation.
What beans should I be using in the Alpenröst?
The Alpenröst is perfect for coffee drinkers who enjoy full body and low acidity coffees. You will have the best results with Indonesian coffees (Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi), Columbian, and larger bean coffees (Try our Galapagos Island Coffee). You can use any beans, but you might want to avoid smaller beans like those found in African varieties.
How easy is it to clean?
There are really only four components that require cleaning after roasting... the roasting drum, the chaff collector tray, the bean cup and the ventilation port. The roasting drum is made of stainless steel and is dishwasher safe. The bean cup and ventilation port are made of polypropylene and are also dishwasher safe. The chaff tray is simply removed, like the crumb tray in a toaster, dumped and replaced. Occasional cleaning of the damper doors at the rear of the roasting chamber is also required.
What is the power requirement?
The Alpenröst can be plugged into any typical household outlet (120V 15A circuit). The unit draws only 1000 watts of power, compared to most conventional hair dryers that draw about 1500 watts.
- Read the instruction manual!
- Always be consistent with your batch size and your roasting location. Temperature can affect your roast.
- Allow the roasted coffee to rest for at least 12 hours before consuming. Coffee will taste weaker right out of the roaster.
- Make sure you let the cooling cycle complete before you unpower the roaster.
- Empty the chaff collector between every roast and brush it out to improve consistency.
