What are Green Coffee Beans?
Green coffee beans are raw, unroasted coffee beans. There are so many different types of sophisticated green coffee bean roasters on the market today which roast consistently, evenly and with little time and effort. If you're not sure about investing in a luxurious roaster right away, you can always try roasting green coffee beans in a skillet or a popcorn popper (which is what I tried before investing in i-Roast Coffee Bean Roaster). Whatever you use, skillet or popcorn popper, make sure your equipment is very clean otherwise your coffee will be "seasoned" with a either a buttery smell (yuck) or with whatever you last used the skillet for.

Interestingly, green coffee beans roasted lightly contain slightly more caffeine than darker roasts. However, the darker roasts don't have that acid taste of the lighter style. Needless to say, use high quality green coffee beans!

The green coffee beans should be heated between 460 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit (see table below), so don't be alarmed when it starts to smoke. Turn on your stove-top exhaust, or open the windows for cross ventilation, or a fan works too. If this is your first time home-roasting, be aware that in addition to the smoke, there will be also be an odor that happens with the roasting process so persuade family members to enjoy the outdoors for a bit while you air out the house.

Temperatures of Roasting in Fahrenheit and Celsius

Put the green coffee beans in the roaster and crank up the heat. It would be a good idea to disable your smoke alarms. Many roasting machines come with a built-in thermometer, which is very useful, but if you plan on using your skillet, purchase a thermometer made for making candy.

As you start the roasting process, your green coffee beans will first turn a pale, yellowish color and, then finally, some shade of brown. However, the shade of brown depends on how dark of a roast you prefer which is always on an individual preference.

While the green coffee beans being to heat, a combination of oil and water appears, which puts pressure on the surface of the bean and you may hear a loud crack. This is to be expected, perfectly normal, so do not panic. You will hear this sound sometime after four to seven minutes of the heating process. Make sure to stir constantly during this crucial time.

As the roasting progresses, the natural sugar inside the coffee bean will begin to caramelize. However, it's up to your individual taste buds to the extent of the caramelization. Make sure to check the color every thirty seconds.

If you plan to roast your beans long enough because you prefer the taste of darker roasts, then you typically hear a second loud cracking sound. By this time, the coffee beans will be very dark. Please keep in mind that roasting beyond the second loud crack is just burning the coffee, which doesn't add much to the flavor and usually makes it taste too harsh.

After you're done roasting, pour the beans into a colander to allow for cooling then agitate them. Along with the beans, you will see a thin, skin-like peel called the chaff. The chaff either needs to be removed during the roasting process or after it's done with a mesh cooking screen.

To discover what your taste buds prefer, experiment with different batches of different types of roasts with different types of green coffee beans. Please be aware that even though you've stopped the roasting process, the heat trapped in the bean will continue to cook it for awhile, so stop just a little before the desired roast. With some trial and error and lots of fun, you will be drinking the freshest, most delicious cup of coffee or cappuccino. Enjoy your freshly roasted coffee after 4-24 hours of resting, which enables the CO2 to de-gas. Also, see my post on storing freshly roasted green coffee beans. Good luck, enjoy and have fun!!

To insure the freshness of your green coffee beans, they must be stored carefully, which doesn't require much time. Here's some tips to keep in mind on how to properly store your green coffee beans.

Usually, green coffee bean suppliers ship the green coffee beans in clear plastic bags to prevent any type of cross contamination during the shipping process. If you're going to use the green coffee beans within a week, two at the most, then it's all right to leave them in the clear plastic bag. If not, then it's very important to transfer the green coffee beans into paper lunch bags, or clean cotton bags. The coffee beans need to breathe. Typically, green coffee beans have a moisture content of 10-15%, and if they're sealed in an airtight container, moisture will accumulate (especially if there's temperature fluctuations). Over time, the quality of your green coffee beans will ruined. Remember to label the bags if you're storing different types of green coffee beans!

Also, avoid exposing your green coffee beans to direct sunlight and store your beans cool, dry, dark place like a kitchen cabinet or pantry.

Finally, if you're planning on storing your green beans in a cloth bag, be diligent about washing it with unscented detergent. Otherwise, the aroma of the detergent will affect the taste of the coffee bean.

If you're too lazy to store and roast your own coffee beans, you might want to look into Gevalia Coffee Club Offers. This is a service that delivers fine coffees right to your door.  Much less work!

Take a look below at old roasting devices circa 1900s.

Unfortunately, as interstate trade grew and the mass packaging of goods became readily available, some roasting companies grew their businesses into massive companies resulting in a diminishing supply of raw materials such as green coffee.   Less green coffee entered into the homes of Americans, as the focus shifted to labor and time-saving packaged goods, such as roasted, ground coffee.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, there was resurgence in local coffee roasting shops who wished nothing more than to return to “basics.”   A professional and tradition that was extinct for 50 years had been reborn by the pioneers of today's coffee industry.   Sadly, there are several that still don’t produce a decent cup of coffee, which is why the quest for fresher, better tasting coffee has inspired coffee lovers to home-roast once again!

You also may want to learn more about valve coffe bags and other coffee roasing materials.