When you first start roasting, it can be difficult to keep all the information straight—watching the temperature and timing, while also seeing and listening to what is happening to the beans. I remember having so many questions when I first started roasting. What does the first crack sound like? Is this a medium roast or did it go to a dark roast? What is full city…is that what this roast ends up as? It boggled my mind trying to get beans to their optimum roast levels—or even just a drinkable roast level—not to mention achieving consistency across all the beans. It takes a lot of trial and error getting comfortable with roasting your own coffee before moving to more expensive unroasted beans.
To help all our new roasters, or those with new roaster machines, we pulled together our favorite easy-to-roast beans.
They work at a variety of roast levels so even if you stop the roast early or leave them in a little longer you will only be pulling out different flavor notes not ruining the batch. While these beans aren’t our cheapest, they are a modest price and since they are easy to roast you won’t be tossing them in the trash.
New Roaster Roast Recommendation
If you are a new roaster, we recommend trying to get a medium roast. This way if you are over or under time you will still have a drinkable coffee. A medium roast is right after the second crack starts gaining intensity. You will want to quickly cool the beans, so they don’t continue roasting. While you can grind and drink immediately it’s always good to give the beans a day, or more, to rest. Once you get the hang of the medium roast its always fun to try different roast levels and tasting how reach does something slightly different to the flavors. It’s a fun experiment and one I greatly enjoyed doing even now.
Brazil Oberon
This Brazilian coffee bean highlights the best parts of the region’s coffee profile. Its location in Brazil is ideal for growing healthy coffee trees with temperatures, altitudes, and rain being optimal levels. This raw coffee beans consistently roast to a creamy body with sweet chocolate and citric notes, and a light acidity. You can't beat the clean and balanced taste of this full body coffee.
Shop Brazil Oberon
Nicaragua La Segovias
Coffee beans growing in Nicaragua are produced by small farms, supporting each other while sticking to traditional organic farming practice. These coffee trees are grown alongside bananas, corn, beans, and shade trees. You can expect clean well-balanced flavors with a smooth medium body, and brown sugar aromas.
Shop Nicaragua La Segovias
Dominican Republic Org Washed
These beans go through a complex wash process which allows little fermentation to the bean during the drying process bringing out a clean and robust flavor. These Ramirez Estate Beans have a smooth creamy body with sweet vanilla soymilk finish which is expected of an island coffee bean. We visited the Ramirez Estate a few years ago, it was amazing to learn about this 3rd generations own farm employing over 400 workers at a 300% higher wage then even Fair Trade Certification requires.
Shop Dominican Republic Org Washed
Guatemala Santa Margarita
As a member of the International Women's Coffee Alliance it’s not surprising the Finca Santa Margarita farm is mostly run my females. From the coffee pickers to the ladies running the grafting programs, school and health clinic this group of women are committed to service both their community and environment. The beans they grow have a smooth body with floral, chocolate, and almond notes. Combining into a smooth finish.
Shop Guatemala Santa Margarita
Colombia Bucaramanga
If you haven’t tried it, this Colombian is a cup of pure delight – expect a silky smooth body and mild acidity, with enchanting notes of citrus, brown sugar, pecan, fig, red grape, and honey. These beans are grown through the Santander Department widely known for natural, shade-grown coffee in rich forests with volcanic soils. Ideal growing conditions for specialty-grade arabica coffee beans.
Shop Colombia Bucaramanga
Best of all?
Like we mentioned before these beans will highlights their delightful flavors across different roast levels, making it nearly impossible to mess up! If you are new to roasting or just learning the ins and outs of a new roaster these beans will help you learn and grow more confident in your roasting skills, so you are ready to tackle the more nuanced beans.