(Photo by Thomas & Dianne Jones) In these tough economic times, even the jitteriest java junkie may have to face the tough choice between putting gas in the car and fueling their need for $4 skinny half-caf lattes. If tightening the belt on your coffee budget has left you with a killer caffeine-withdrawal headache, we have good news. You can save a lot of money -- and get much tastier coffee -- by not just grinding and brewing your joe at home, but by roasting it yourself, too. Home roasting sounds daunting at first, but the process is simple -- and cheap. Green coffee beans (which can be purchased from local roasters or ordered online) cost about half as much as roasted beans. Unlike their pre-roasted compatriots, which lose flavor quickly, they can survive storage of more than a year, so there's no reason not to buy in bulk. Small batches can be roasted and used within a few days, the peak of the beans' flavor and aroma, so that each cup you brew is guaranteed fresh -- and probably much tastier than any cup you've brewed before. You can pick the beans you want by processing method and region (even down to specific estates), which will determine the ultimate flavor of your brew. Best of all, when you control the roast, you can get your beans exactly as dark or as light as you like them, and can even create your own custom blends. As for the skill required... well, can you air-pop a bowl of popcorn? Then you can roast coffee. Beans just need heat and agitation (for about 4-25 minutes, depending on your method and how dark you want your roast), then a quick cool-down, and you're in the brew business. You could buy a fancy roaster, but many home-roasters swear by basic air-poppers -- that you may be able to find secondhand for roughly the cost of one of those store-bought skinny half-caf lattes. Suggested Sites... CoffeeKid: A Home Roasting Primer - the history and revival of home roasting. Roasting Coffee With a Popcorn Popper - easy-to-follow instructions from CoffeeGeek.com. Roasting Coffee Beans in Popcorn Popper - in under five minutes, this video can teach you to be a home coffee Sweet Maria's Coffee Library - tons of information from a popular retailer of green beans and roasting equipment. HomeRoasters.org Discussion Board - a lively forum for home-roasters.

Directory categories: Coffee Roasting, Coffee, Coffee Retailers and Accessories, Coffee Roasters and Brands

Archived under: Caffeine, Coffee, Cooking, Creativity, Food and Drink, Gadgets, Homemade, How-To, Recipes

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