Re-roasting coffee

[Shel_B]

Recently I bought some dark roasted coffee, but it turned out the roast wasn't dark enpough for my taste. While sipping the insipid brew, I asked myself, "Why can't I take these beans and roast them some more?" Now I'm asking you, the coffee mavens. Can this be done? And how might be the best way to do it? Thanks!

[weinoo]

No way. Why bother? Nothing to add scientifically, but if it's that bad, toss it and chalk it up to buyer beware.

Many people assume the darkness of the roast is directly related to the coffee's flavor, but more likely it's either stale coffee, improper water temperature or something else that's causing your coffee to taste "insipid."

Have you tried to brew your coffee using more coffee or via a different method? What method(s) do your currently use?

[cdh]

If it is a throw-away anyway, it can't hurt to experiment. Best way to roast coffee that you're likely to have in your house is a hot-air popcorn popper. Chuck a few scoops of whole beans in there and let it rip. Beware that coffee can go from just right to carbonized dreck in the final 30 seconds of roasting.

But Mitch is probably right that it isn't the lack of roastiness that is making your coffee suck. Underroasted coffee is sour, not insipid. How are you grinding it, when are you grinding it, and how are you brewing it?

[Shel_B]

I know how to brew coffee, I sometimes roast my own at home with a coffee roaster, and I understand about old coffe, under roasted coffee, and the like. This was not old coffee, nor was it under roasted. It was just not roasted the way I prefer my beans to be roasted. I bought a dark roast that was not to my satisfaction. The same beans from the same roaster, roasted darker, are more to my liking. Therefore my question.

The answer, it seems, is that I can't re-roast the coffee beans. Although, in another venue, a fellow mentioned an article in coffeegeek.com that said the Swiss often do it, although the coffee takes on a different character. I've not read the article yet.

Thanks for jumping in.

Edited April 4, 2010 by Shel_B (log)

[cdh]

So if you have the equipment and know-how, why are you asking us whether and how, then getting touchy when we chime in?

Just do it... and report the results!