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Thought of all you home roasters!

Cool beans: New coffee machine roasts, grinds, then brews
Devin Coldewey NBC News
http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/cool-beans-new-coffee-machine-roasts-grinds-then-brews-2D11577469

If you're the type of coffee drinker who insists on using only the freshest beans and grinding them at home, the Bonaverde coffee maker could be right up your alley. It not only brews the coffee, but roasts the raw beans and grinds them as well — taking roasteries and other middlemen out of the equation.

It's true that in a coffee-loving city like Seattle or Portland, you may be lucky enough to get beans picked only a couple months back and roasted last week. But Bonaverde thinks the process can be shortened and simplified, resulting in more money for growers, fresher beans, and potentially better coffee. The Berlin-based coffee enthusiasts and engineers are hoping to raise $135,000 on Kickstarter to get the machine out the door.

The Bonaverde has a roaster built right in, and a single load is put in whenever you request a pot to be made, and roasted to your preference. Naturally, it's going to take longer than putting a "pod" into a machine in which all that needs to happen is hot water passing through the grinds — but if you can wait 15 minutes for your coffee, this will probably be a better brew.

Bonaverde's team hopes that being able to roast your own beans will let you rely on the coffee growers themselves rather than big wholesalers or (perish the thought) Starbucks. Pick a grower or blend you like and get a 6-pound sack delivered to your door. Less warehousing, distributors and other companies taking a cut means more per pound for the farmers themselves.

Will it end up saving you money? It's hard to say. But buying things in bulk is usually cheaper — and at $300 (the price for backers), the Bonaverde itself is cheaper than many home espresso machines. Of course, you can't make espresso or steam milk with it, but some people prefer drip to begin with.

Because it's Kickstarter, there's always the possibility it won't be funded, or that the whole project will self-destruct before the delivery date a year from now. But it appears to be a pretty professional operation and it's well on its way to the $135,000 mark as of this writing. There are a limited number available for backers, though, so if you're interested, better hop to it.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jimguldi/worlds-first-roast-grind-brew-coffee-machine
 
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As a former home roaster (had to give it up, as I'm now allergic to caffeine), I question this design. All beans roast different, and you really have to listen for first and second crack, as well as visibly checking the color as well as aroma, so you can shutdown the roast at just the right time. Right after roasting, you need to cool the beans down quickly. Also, roasted coffee should "degas" for 24 hours before brewing. When you roast beans, the outer paper shell (called chaff) comes off, and needs to be removed from the beans before grinding. I don't see how this machine would address these requirements, yet alone replace a real home roaster's setup.
 
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As a former home roaster (had to give it up, as I'm now allergic to caffeine), I question this design. All beans roast different, and you really have to listen for first and second crack, as well as visibly checking the color as well as aroma, so you can shutdown the roast at just the right time. Right after roasting, you need to cool the beans down quickly. Also, roasted coffee should "degas" for 24 hours before brewing. When you roast beans, the outer paper shell (called chaff) comes off, and needs to be removed from the beans before grinding. I don't see how this machine would address these requirements, yet alone replace a real home roaster's setup.
Knowledge. May be good for some but not all beans.
 
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Looks cool, but the hassle factor does not seem worth it. If you've got a good roaster in your town, I just found one 2 towns over, its worth letting them focus on the roast and I'll focus on the brew.
 
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Looks cool, but the hassle factor does not seem worth it. If you've got a good roaster in your town, I just found one 2 towns over, its worth letting them focus on the roast and I'll focus on the brew.
I think you are right, the hassle and the extra time involved in brewing may not make it worth it.
 

thejavaman

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As a former home roaster (had to give it up, as I'm now allergic to caffeine), I question this design. All beans roast different, and you really have to listen for first and second crack, as well as visibly checking the color as well as aroma, so you can shutdown the roast at just the right time. Right after roasting, you need to cool the beans down quickly. Also, roasted coffee should "degas" for 24 hours before brewing. When you roast beans, the outer paper shell (called chaff) comes off, and needs to be removed from the beans before grinding. I don't see how this machine would address these requirements, yet alone replace a real home roaster's setup.
All great points. Half the fun to me is being able to control all the variables (roast profile, how light/dark to roast a particular bean, rest time, etc.). This almost automates the process too much for my liking. Cool idea in principle though.
 

sofc

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All the fun for me is saying "hey kid, can you get me a cup of coffee" and they go press the button and espresso (granted it's not real) comes out.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 

sofc

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All the fun for me is saying "hey kid, can you get me a cup of coffee" and they go press the button and espresso (granted it's not real) comes out.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
And I drink it off course.

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As a former home roaster (had to give it up, as I'm now allergic to caffeine), I question this design. All beans roast different, and you really have to listen for first and second crack, as well as visibly checking the color as well as aroma, so you can shutdown the roast at just the right time. Right after roasting, you need to cool the beans down quickly. Also, roasted coffee should "degas" for 24 hours before brewing. When you roast beans, the outer paper shell (called chaff) comes off, and needs to be removed from the beans before grinding. I don't see how this machine would address these requirements, yet alone replace a real home roaster's setup.
^^^ This

Plus, one of the reasons I roast at home is the enjoyment of it. It's not just about getting the best flavor (which is a reason) but also about the interaction with the roasting process. I enjoy having to set up the equipment, measure out the green coffee beans, pay attention to the roasting level, and cooling the beans. I think a machine like this is for the snob, not the craftsman. I had a client once who had a $10,000 computerized smoker and, while he was a great cook, he never understood the process of smoking meat because it did it all for him.

If someone made a fully automated humidor where all I had to do is plug it in and forget about it, I probably wouldn't want it because I like having to check the RH, let the ammonia escape, and so on.

Just my 2¢
 
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Well said Rob! From what I gather it seems the more expensive machines for example in roasting seem to give the users more grief in getting ideal end results than say a $150 Nesco or $30 air popper that I use. I don't use Espresso anymore but I know if I did the manual Rancillio Ms. SILVIA would be my choice over the super automatics because it gives me control over the nuances of the different blends that a program simply cannot account for.
Same for cigars, I want a completely hand made cigar over any made by machine including the much lauded Habanos with machine rolled wrappers. PERIOD.
 
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