Roasting 'bible' ?

[davidd]

As a novice roaster, selecting beans, roast profile, appropriate brewing methods etc. is a minefield (I'm sure that it will get easier). Are there any publications or other sources which will give some essential guidelines? I appreciate that reading through the various fora here will eventually give lots of information, but there must be a simpler way to avoid repeating mistakes made by others. I'm aware that roasting is a matter of individual choice, but again there are all sorts of very direct 'tips' which would be invaluable.
I belong to another online (wine) group which publishes 'tasting notes'. How possible would it be to include a new forum here for example, which focuses on the beans rather than the 'equipment and techniques?

[phil]

David

We already have the forum that you ask for. Beans, Blending and Cupping is its name.

We have coffee reviews too.

All of these sections of course stand or fall by the quantity and quality of the contributions.

However, I do have to say that any novice roaster would be well advised to head on over to read Tom Owen's words of wisdom on the Sweet Marias site.

HTH

Phil

[HughF]

There is the Kenneth Davids book, "Home Coffee Roasting" which many might recommend but I found it (in the first edition) VERY disappointing. There is almost no colour photography (no photos of roasted beans at all!) and apparently there is even LESS in the new second edition. If you did buy it, you would definitely want to refer to the Sweet Marias site to see any useful pictures - so why not just use the SM site and save UKP 8? You could always show your gratitude by buying some beans (with cheaper slow shipping they are competitive with European suppliers and noone has complained about their quality or their helpfulness as far as I know).

Cheers,

Hugh

[davidd]

We already have the forum that you ask for. Beans, Blending and Cupping is its name.

We have coffee reviews too.
l

Thanks (again) Phil. I guess that what I had in mind was more of a list or archive where particular beans could be 'looked up'. For example, I have half a dozen different packs of beans at present (which came with the Alpenrost), but not much idea what's going to be the best way forward with any of them. Rather than submitting a question to the forum each time I plan to roast a 'new' (to me) bean type, and with it being unlikely that 'Beans, Blending and Cupping' will have covered the particular bean recently .... I guess I'm looking for an 'Idiot's Guide'. Sweet Maria's may well be the way forward. I've looked at the site a couple of times, but have been a bit daunted by it - just need to learn to navigate it perhaps.
Thanks to Hugh too for the same advice - have always been wary of ordering stuff from the States since I was 'stung' by Customs on a couple of CD's - cost me almost 70% of the purchase price for duty and 'collection charges'. With p&p it would have been much cheaper to buy thjem here in the UK.

[phil]

Buying coffee from the US is completely different - it's food so it's zero rated for UK VAT. Shipping costs are the only issue you need to look out for.

Our coffee reviews may one day be the resource you're looking for, if enough people contribute.

However, if you have an outline for something specific which you can't find anywhere on the net, let me know and I'll see if I think it's something we could feasibly develop.

Phil

[DarthVader]

David,

Have you tried www.hasbean.co.uk they sell green beans and also describe the flavours and sometimes suggestions for the roast. You can also see how they sell their roasted beans and presummably this is to get the best out of them. Anyway it would be a good starting point.

DV

....always use the dark side if the roast

[tisri]

....always use the dark side if the roast

Woo Hoo! Another dark roaster!! Welcome to the clan Darth - we need more dark roasters to balance those who prefer the light to the darkness.