Coffee Roasting Basics

Do you know how they roast coffee? This will give you a basic idea of how coffee is roasted and the most common roasting times.

Coffee is shipped unroasted and is called green coffee. It is stored in bags made of jute or sisal, or can be shipped in huge plastic-lined freight containers. About seven million tons of green coffee are shipped worldwide every year.

The roasting process starts with the green coffee beans being heated in large, rotating drums using temperatures reaching 550 degrees F. The tumbling motion of the drums keeps the beans from burning.

After about 8 minutes, the beans reach about 400 degrees F and actually "pop" like popcorn. They are now double in size and begin to brown as the oils within them start to emerge. This oil is called coffee essence or caffeol.

The chemical reaction of the heat and coffee essence is called pyrolysis, and this is what produces the flavor and aroma of coffee. A second "pop" occurs, about three to five minutes later, and means that the coffee beans are fully roasted.

Coffee roasting is an art and roastmasters use sound, sight and smell to determine when the beans are roasted to perfection and timing is everything. Coffee roasting is what determines coffee's final flavor.

The roasting time affects the color and flavor of the final brew, so the length of the roasting period depends on the type of coffee desired. Espresso is the darkest of all roasts being roasted the longest.

Here are some of the typical roasting times depending on the type of coffee you want:

7 minutes - lightly roasted; typical American mass-marketed coffee

9 to 11 minutes - medium roast; a full-bodied roast that is sometimes called "city roast"

12 to 13 minutes - dark roast; known as French or Viennese coffee; like the specialty coffees of the Pacific Northwest

14 minutes - darkest roast; known as espresso roast. The beans actually begin to smoke, and the sugars in the beans caramelize and burn.

Once the beans are roasted to perfection they are poured into a cooling tray.

Many coffee lovers are now buying green coffee beans and roasting their own coffee at home. Once you taste how vibrant and truly fresh coffee can be, it's easy to get hooked on home roasting.

The fragrance of coffee roasting is virtually a heavenly pleasure. If you are a true coffee lover, home coffee roasting is something you should try.

Home Coffee Roasters

Green Coffee Beans

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Coffee Humor

You might be addicted to coffee if ...

Your T-shirt says, "Give me coffee and no one gets hurt."

You walk twenty miles on your treadmill before you realize it's not plugged in.

Starbucks owns the mortgage on your home.

Your coffee mug is insured by Lloyds of London.

You introduce your spouse as your coffeemate.

You can outlast the Energizer bunny.

You've ever built a miniature city out of little plastic stirrers.

You forget to unwrap candy bars before eating them.

You dip your coffee cake in coffee.

You get a tax write off for all the coffee you bought.

You've carried your coffee cup into the shower with you in the morning.


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Iced Tea Tips

Can you think of anything better than a cool glass of iced tea to quench your thirst on a hot Summer day? Here are some cool tips for making great iced tea.

A lot of people make sun tea in the hot weather because the sun mellows the flavor and produces a milder taste over traditional brewed tea. Just fill a glass jug or jar with clean, filtered water, add your tea bags or herbal tea bags, put a lid on the container and place in a sunny location.

Just let the tea sit for a few hours to slowly steep in the warmth of the sun and you've got a delicious batch of sun tea. Experiment with how many bags you need to get the desired strength you prefer.

Here a a few tips for making better sun tea. You might want to try using "family size" bags instead of a bunch of tea bags because it's less trouble and is faster to make.

Another tip for sun tea is put your tea out in the morning when it's not quite so hot. The lower temperature is not as likely to destroy the delicate oils and flavors of your tea.

If you end up with cloudy tea there is a remedy for that. To keep your tea clear, don't put your sun tea straight into the refrigerator after it's made.

Let it cool at room temperature first then put it in the fridge. Cooling sun tea too fast makes the tannin settle out, causing cloudy tea.

Hard water can also make your iced tea cloudy so use clean filtered water. If your tea is already cloudy, try adding just a little hot water to it. This won't always clear it up but will make it clearer.

The same goes if you start your iced tea in a kettle or brew it in a pan. Wait until the tea is room temperature, then cool it in the refrigerator. Making tea ahead of time usually produces better results.

If you sweeten your whole pitcher or batch of tea before you drink it, add the sugar or artificial sweetener while it is still hot. Sugar or artificial sweetener disolves much better while the tea is hot.

If you need your iced tea a little quicker you might want to use an automatic iced tea maker. Popular brands like Mr. Coffee, Hamilton Beach and Salton have several different models to choose from.

With an automatic iced tea maker you just add water, drop the ice into the pitcher, select brewing strength, add tea and press the power button.

Most of the automatic iced tea makers use tea bags or loose tea and brew a full pitcher of iced tea in about 10 minutes. The tea pitchers hold from 2 to 3 quarts of iced tea depending on the make and model.

Automatic iced tea makers are ideal for parties, backyard barbeques or even everyday use because you can always keep a fresh pitcher of iced tea handy.

A good tip for automatic iced tea makers is have plenty of ice around because you use a large amount of it to cool the tea. You may want to buy bagged ice because you don't want to wait for your freezer to make ice between batches.

The next time you want a refreshing glass of iced tea to quench your thirst, you'll know exactly how to make a perfect batch.

Automatic Iced Tea Makers

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Article courtesy of Best Coffee Makers Online where you can easily shop and compare coffee makers and purchase Automatic Iced Tea Makers.