Home Coffee Roasting: Romance & Revival

I plan to start roasting my own coffee and was told to read this book first. I did, and that was good advice. It's very readable and full of excellent reference material. I had already done enough research to know what roaster I would start with, but it was nice to have such a full description of the pros and cons of each kind. There's a great deal of useful, even crucial, information to learn here about coffee. Also, the book is so well organized that it will be easy to use as a reference.

Although my coffee roasting apparatus (homemade) is not included in this book, virtually all of the commercial roasters, and some homemade, are, and in great detail. Easy to read, well articulated without being pompous, he describes the origins of the coffee beans, processing, and shipping. Now I know why canned coffee tastes so awful! He describes the entire roast process, all the way from storage of the green beans to grinding and brewing, and even some coffee flavorings to spice things up for those who enjoy that. An engaging book for someone who really enjoys coffee, and especially for those home roasters.

Let me start off by saying that I do not like to read at all. I rarely start books and even more rarely finish them. With this book however I read it from cover to cover in three days! A very fun book for the coffee hobbyist or anyone who would like to learn more about coffee and home coffee roasting. Not only is this book packed with history (in a fun way) it is also a wealth of reference information regarding home roasting and the overall coffee process, from plant to cup! This book is laid out in a very easy to read format. The chapters can be long but everything is broken down into small 1-4 page sections. Kenneth Davids has a real grasp on the fundamentals of coffee production and lays out a lot of information in an easy to follow entertaining way. The book reads very well from cover to cover. The content is not too scientific and also not too general. Whether you have no idea about anything coffee or you are a coffee hobbyist (like me) you will learn a lot and come to appreciate all that goes into a truly good cup of coffee. Davids also includes a lot of reference information laid out in a fashion that is easy to search and locate specific information such as coffee origin notes, roasting and flavor terms, roasting equipment and methods to name a few. Davids does review and discuss many of todays home roasting equipment quite well however this information is already dated. Not to worry though the total of this information represents a small portion of the total book. Included are also a lot of drawings and diagrams. This book really captures the romance of coffee and coffee roasting and delivers it in a wonderful easy to read and use fashion. I cannot put this book down and have read and reread many parts of it. I refer to the roasting notes and procedures to assist in my home roasting. This book is as much an indispensable tool as it is an entertaining easy chair read. If you even have a slight interest in coffee then this book has a lot to offer!

This a great how to book for those who have a passion for coffee. If you want to learn how to roast coffee at home and a bit more, this is a great one for you. This book is part of a collection of books written by Kenneth Davids in the subject of coffee preparation and appreciation. Keep it in your personal library for future reference It even has color tiles in the last page to help you identify types of roast. I like it so much that I have recommend it on my own web site.

Kenneth Davids provides an in-depth look at the evolution of roasting methods as well as the bean itself. The recommended roasting methods and instructions are easy to understand and follow. Filled with sample charts, journals, and definitions "Home Coffee Roasting: Romance & Revival" is a how-to manual that is written to encourage and guide the way through the wonderful experience of roasting your own coffee. A must on every connoiseur's bookshelf