The Roast it Yourself Podcast

This week on the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen and Catherine tackle a question that gets right to the heart of roasting with intention: should you roast coffee differently depending on how you plan to brew it? Listener Steve from North Dakota asks whether coffees labeled for espresso, cold brew, or pour-over are truly roasted differently—or if it's mostly marketing. The discussion dives into...

Episode 96: This week, Bill (a newer roaster working with an SR800 and extension tube) asks a fantastic question: which coffee books deserve a permanent place on every roaster’s shelf? Stephen and Catherine dive into their favorite resources, from foundational roasting texts to broader guides on green coffee, blending, and the coffee industry as a whole. Along the way, they discuss why some books...

Episode 95: In this episode of Roast It Yourself, Stephen and Catherine tackle a listener question from a coffee newcomer diving headfirst into both home brewing and roasting. They break down what makes certain green coffees more beginner-friendly—highlighting why washed Central American beans (especially Costa Rican) are a great place to start thanks to their consistency and ease of roasting. The...

Episode 94: In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, the hosts tackle a thoughtful question from a home roaster looking to fine-tune their brewing process. They dive into whether weighing coffee beans before grinding really makes a difference, how brew ratios impact flavor, and what role roast level plays in measurement—especially as darker roasts lose more mass. Along the way, they break...

Episode 93: What’s really happening during first crack—and how much control do you actually have over it? In this episode, Stephen and Catherine tackle a listener question from a new home roaster dialing in their early batches on an SR540. The conversation dives deep into one of the most critical (and confusing) phases of roasting: first crack. Why does it sometimes drag on? Can you “compress” it?...

In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen and Catherine tackle a listener question that turns into a deep dive on roast technique, timing, and consistency. Jennifer from New Hampshire asks how to get the most out of her Fresh Roast SR800—and whether there’s a “right” way to approach heat, timing, and roast profiles. Stephen and Catherine break down different roasting styles, explai...

Episode 91: In this episode of Roast It Yourself, Stephen and Catherine answer a listener question from John in the UK about improving roast consistency and taking the first steps toward starting a small coffee business. They share practical, real-world advice on getting the most out of your current setup, how to squeeze maximum experience of each roast, and how simplifying your coffee lineup can...

Episode 90: Where do coffee tasting notes actually come from—and how accurate are they? In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen Burnett and Catherine Mansell dive into a listener question from Larry in Michigan about the mysterious world of flavor notes on coffee. Catherine explains how tasting notes are developed during the green coffee evaluation process, why coffee is roasted...

Organic coffee is often seen as the “better” choice—but what does that really mean when it comes to the coffee you roast and drink? In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen and Catherine tackle a thoughtful listener question about the difference between organic and conventionally grown coffee, specifically when it comes to pesticides and whether they actually affect the coffee bea...

In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen and Catherine are back together in person—and tackling a question from Lee about roasting a Tanzania Peaberry on the Fresh Roast SR800. If you’ve ever wondered why peaberries behave differently in the roaster, this one’s for you. They break down: What makes peaberries physically different (and a little “weird”) Why they can roast more aggre...

In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen from Coffee Bean Corral and Catherine of Current Crop Roasting Shop tackle a question many home roasters have wondered about: Should you preheat your roaster — specifically the Gene Cafe? Listener Ilona writes in after purchasing several origins and noticing that some roasters swear by preheating, while others skip it entirely. Stephen and...

In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen and Catherine focus in on the real-world experience of roasting coffee with the Fresh Roast SR800 and other small-batch air roasters. They talk honestly about what these machines are great at—and where expectations can get out of whack. From realistic batch sizes and roast times to cooldown periods and the limits of back-to-back roasting, t...

In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen and Catherine tackle a classic home-roasting debate: low and slow vs. hot and fast — specifically on the Behmor 1600AB. The episode is sparked by a listener question from Mike, a dedicated home roaster who’s dialed in a consistent workflow on his Behmor but wants to know if he can push his roasts further. Using African naturals and honey-pr...

In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, we dive into a practical roasting challenge many home roasters face: scaling up batch size without wasting coffee. Stephen Burnett and Catherine Mansell respond to a listener question from Greg, a longtime DIY roaster who recently upgraded to an Aillio Bullet R2 and is looking to move from 250-gram batches to the Bullet’s sweet spot of 1.5 pounds—w...

Episode 83: In this episode, we dive into a listener question about dialing in a FreshRoast SR800 with the extension tube. We talk through whether temperature targets are actually useful, how reliable (or unreliable) roaster thermometers can be, and why we often focus more on time, sensory cues, and roast phases than chasing exact temps. If you’re roasting on an SR800 (or any hot-air roaster), thi...

Episode 82: Can you tell the difference between a Colombian washed and an Ethiopian natural just by looking at the unroasted beans? In this episode, we answer a listener's question about identifying coffee origins and processing methods by what we can glean from the green coffee beans themselves! Catherine and Stephen share useful tips on what to look for when examining green coffee beans, includi...

Episode 81: Ever wondered how to nail that bold, dark French roast at home? In this episode, we tackle listener Theron's question about achieving a perfect French Roast using the Fresh Roast SR540 with the extension tube. Certified Q-grader Catherine Mansa breaks down the low-and-slow method for dark roasting, including crucial tips like: - When and why to lower your fan speed during second crack...

Episode 80: In this episode, we review a new roaster's roast log to help figure out why he's not getting the results he's looking for using his Fresh Roast SR800. We talk about troubleshooting in general and discuss which data points in a roast are the most vital to achieving that perfect result we're all chasing! Check out the photo of his roast log here . SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO:  questions@riypo...

Episode 79: In this episode, we answer a question from a new roaster whose very first roast on his Fresh Roast SR800 was darker than he wanted, and he noticed oil on the beans. He asks us to explain what this oil is and how it may affect the coffee he brews with these beans. Are oily beans desirable? Are they a problem? Check out our response to find out! SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO:  questions@riypod....

Episode 78: Can you reuse coffee storage bags? Is there a right way or wrong way of doing it? In this episode, Catherine and Stephen answer these questions and talk coffee storage best practices, and drop a HUGE announcement about Current Crop in the process! SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO:  questions@riypod.com NOTES: Follow Our Instagram Account  @RIY_POD CHECK US OUT HERE: Coffee Bean Corral YouTube Co...

Episode 77: In this quick on-the-road episode, Stephen (while carefully and safely observing the rules of the road...) shares his absolute favorite reason to roast coffee, and the best way to get other folks into the coffee roasting hobby! SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO:  questions@riypod.com NOTES: Follow Our Instagram Account  @RIY_POD CHECK US OUT HERE: Coffee Bean Corral YouTube Coffee Bean Corral Web...

Episode 76: This is sure to be our smelliest episode yet! Catherine and Stephen respond to an unusual question about post-roast aroma of all things, which, though unusual, proved to be quite a helpful conversation! Many people who've smelled roasting coffee come away with the same observation: "That doesn't smell like coffee at all!" But there's so much more that can be gleaned from the fragrance...

Episode 75: In this episode, we discuss an often under-treated subject: roaster capacity. How much coffee is too little for your machine? How much is too much? Apart from just reading the manufacturer's "minimum" and "maximum" capacity, can you find that Goldilocks 'sweet spot' for your specific machine? We dive into this question and several related questions to help point roasters in the right d...

Episode 74: In this episode, Catherine and Stephen answer a question not about technical mumbo jumbo, but about their personal preference, about roasting styles, and about their first time roasting. Everybody starts somewhere, and often, where you start roasting plays a defining role in your greater roasting journey from there on. If you're an experienced roaster, you can certainly relate, and if...

Episode 73: This week's question is from a newbie roaster who asks whether they should try a whole bunch of different coffees, or just pick one or two that they really like. It seems like a simple question, but it led to a lively discussion and a ton of helpful tips for newbies (or longtime roasters who feel stuck in a rut!) We hope you enjoy! SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO:  questions@riypod.com NOTES: F...