Roasted up some Ethiopian from Dean’s Beans this morning. Ethiopian beans have a very delicate flavor that can get quickly roasted away (this way with many African coffees), so Alex suggested I roast it at a City+ level. I am usually a bit uncomfortable doing lighter roasts for some reason- I usually leave those to Alex! Nevertheless, I gave it a try. Ah now for the waiting period!
There is something about roasting your own coffee that gives such a deep down, soul, satisfaction. Seeing it transform before your eyes. Hearing the different sounds it makes throughout the process (from popcorn-like sounds to like rice crispy “snap, crackle, pop”). I think however, that my favorite part of the process is the smells. It is not like any smell that you have experienced before. One might expect it to smell like a fresh brewed pot of coffee but it is far from that. There are numerous different smells throughout the roasting starting with a very “bready” smell. Kinda like a fresh loaf of bread baking- but a bit more sour than that. Then when the beans start to smoke, unlike regular smoke, this has a very very sweet smell. It definitely has some distinct “coffee” characteristics to it but it is so different. I love this smell. I especially love after Alex has been roasting coffee and comes in the house, he smells like it! Ahh. I love fanning the first wisps of smoke in my direction just so I can inhale their sweet smokey uniqueness. It’s lovely. Then comes the smell of it cooling and it releasing its final cracks as it is ejected from the roaster. We usually like to comb our fingers through the beans and just smell them.
It is an accomplishment every time. Every time the beans are rotating around in the drying pan, I stand back in awe and amazement of what I just did. Like I said, deep soul satisfaction. The kind that puts a smile on your face. The kind that never gets old. The kind that you don’t take for granted. The kind that gives back in a few days when you brew the first pot of your fresh roast. I love it.
