Topic: Roasting coffee

[Peripatetic Phil]

Does anyone here roast their own coffee ?  I ask because I have had two very bad batches of Monsooned Malabar delivered recently, the first completely lacking in aroma and the second only a little better, but I discovered that if I re-roasted the second batch there was a marked improvement in both aroma and flavour.  Both batches were medium roast at best, but to my mind Monsooned Malabar requires a dark roast to bring out its unique flavour.  Anyhow, the point of the question is

[vinotinto]

I drink the same coffee - do you get it from Coffee Direct?  I haven't noticed any difference although might be interesting to experiment with some additional roasting.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I used to get it from Waitrose, then when it disappeared from their stock list I switched to Coffee Direct and then Redber

[vinotinto]

Thanks Phil - I'll have a look at those other suppliers (the better ones) - I do spend quite a but on the coffee...

[Peripatetic Phil]

Just received a private message from the more recent (and cheaper) of the two coffee vendors about whose products I left negative reviews, which I am sure he will not mind my sharing here :

Dear Philip,
Thank you for buying my coffee I just read your in-depth review and thanks for providing your thoughts on the coffee.  I do roast Indian beans light medium and I do accept that I can go darker on these beans but lately most customer ask for light roast.  Would you like me to send you darker roast of these beans? If you are happy than I can list a darker version of Indian Mansoon to Amazon.

Thanks again, and best wishes
Caner

[vinotinto]

Good that they will roast how you want - I had never realised that was an option. 

[Peripatetic Phil]

I very much suspect that with major online vendors such as Coffee Direct it is not; but Roast Batch / QuickSafe is obviously much smaller, and perhaps better placed to respond to customer demands.  Certainly when I used to buy my beans in the High Street (Importers Ltd., Bromley; Twinings in the Strand/Fleet Street), it was possible to ask for a custom roast but only if you were willing to purchase one complete drum-roast batch.  Perhaps Roast Batch / QuickSafe use smaller drums, or even different technology.

** Phil.

[mickdabass]

I love a good cup of coffee too. Monsooned Malabar is my fave as well. I use waitrose when im passing by. Last time I was in there I bought some MM - about 3 weeks ago. Bought some off Redber not long ago and that was good, also tried some Old Brown Java and I must admit I prefer it to MM but a t

[Peripatetic Phil]

Might be possible

[Peripatetic Phil]

A quick update.  I have now "roasted" (pan fried, without oil) all the remaining beans from my recent Roast Batch / QuickSafe order. and the results have proved very successful indeed