How to Roast and Store Coffee Beans: Guide to Home Roasting

Roasted coffee refers to the roasted form of the coffee bean, a seed from the coffee plant, a fruiting shrub in the Rubiaceae family. After producers remove the seeds from the fruits, or “cherries,” they soak and dry them before shipping the beans worldwide for roasting. Unroasted coffee beans are available for purchase from many online specialty retailers.

There are many home coffee-roasting methods for coffee enthusiasts who want to skip the coffee shop: roast the coffee beans on the stovetop, in a hot air popcorn popper, or inside of a conventional oven.

The roasting process—defined by two audible signposts, known as cracks—transforms these raw green beans by releasing moisture and carbon dioxide, drawing the flavor compounds and oils to the surface. The beans shed their papery outer skin, or chaff, and become lighter and larger as they expand in the heat.

Though there are many acknowledged stages throughout each step, roasting coffee is understood in three main categories:

• Light: With coffee beans, the roast time directly impacts flavor. There are three main roast levels for coffee beans: light, medium, and dark. Light roasts contain the most caffeine of the three roast levels. Light roasts are popular among coffee purists who aim to maintain as much of the bean’s unique flavor as possible. Lightly roasted coffee beans are roasted at around 400°F: just long enough to pass the first crack. This results in bright, fruity, acidic notes, a light brown color, and a dry, rather than oily, texture.
• Medium: As the beans continue to roast past the first crack, they lose a bit of the fresh acidity and acquire a toasty, almost sweet undertone. A “city roast” or “breakfast roast” is a common way for roasters to refer to a medium roast.
• Dark: Beyond the second crack, beans enter medium-dark roast and dark roast territory. Also known as “Full City” or Vienna roasts, these beans are dark in color, oily, and have deeply caramelized flavors with very low acidity. Some baristas prefer brewing this roast for concentrated drinks like espresso. Like a French roast or Italian roast, the much darker roasts, with their deep black color and intensely oily texture, feature little to none of the original bean’s nuance. These beans lean into the flavors of the roast itself, with strong notes of smoky char.

There are many ways to roast coffee from the comfort of your own home. You can use a home coffee roaster to achieve a high-quality roast, but if you don’t want to spring for special equipment, you can roast the beans on the stovetop in a cast-iron skillet, a hot air popcorn popper, or a conventional oven. Here’s how to roast your own coffee beans in the oven:

• Preheat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Spread the green coffee beans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and place it on the middle rack. If it’s your first time roasting beans, turn on the oven light so you can observe them as they change color.
• Listen for the crack. After a few minutes, you’ll hear the first crack, which means the beans have achieved a light roast. If you prefer a medium or dark roast, continue roasting until about one minute past the second crack.
• Remove the beans. Transfer the roasted beans to a metal colander. Using oven mitts, shake them continuously over the sink to remove the chaff until the beans reach room temperature.

After roasting, beans need to rest to finish releasing carbon dioxide, which acts as a natural preservative. Resting will also allow their flavors to mature.

For the best results, let the roasted beans sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 12 hours before transferring them to an airtight container, and at least a full day before introducing them to a grinder.

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