Felix Roasting Co: A Simple Guide to Roasting Coffee

Felix Roasting Co is a coffee roaster, not a single dish or standardized recipe. If you’re looking to roast green coffee beans at home, this practical small-batch method uses a hot oven and a perforated pan to develop an even roast, then lets the beans rest before brewing.

Ingredients

8 oz (227 g) green coffee beans, sorted to remove stones or damaged beans

Instructions

Set up for good ventilation. Roasting creates smoke and chaff, so open windows and switch on an exhaust fan that vents outdoors. Keep a metal colander, oven mitts, and a heat-safe tray ready. Do not roast near curtains or other flammable materials.
Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C). Position a rack in the upper-middle portion of the oven. Spread the green beans in one layer on a perforated roasting pan or a wire mesh tray designed for oven use. Avoid a solid, deep-sided pan, which can trap steam and roast unevenly.
Roast for 12–15 minutes, checking through the oven window if possible. Around 5–8 minutes, the beans should turn pale yellow and smell grassy; later they darken and give off a toasted aroma. Listen for the first crack, a series of light pops, commonly around 8–12 minutes. For a light roast, remove the beans shortly after the first crack begins. For medium, continue about 1–3 minutes after it starts. Times vary with oven performance, bean size, and the tray, so use color, aroma, and sound together rather than relying on the clock alone.
With oven mitts, take out the pan and immediately transfer the beans to the metal colander. Stir or shake them carefully for 1–2 minutes to cool quickly and remove loose chaff. Do not use water to cool them: it can affect the beans and create a burn hazard from steam.
Spread the beans on a heat-safe tray and let them cool completely, about 10 minutes. Leave them in a ventilated area away from children and pets; the beans and pan remain very hot. Do not seal warm beans in an airtight container.
Once cool, place the beans in a clean, dry container with a loose-fitting lid or a one-way-valve coffee bag. Let them rest for at least 12 hours, preferably 24–48 hours, before grinding and brewing. Roasted beans release carbon dioxide, so avoid tightly sealing them during the first day.

Tips

Choose fresh green beans. Buy coffee sold specifically for roasting from a reputable supplier. Green coffee is not the same as raw grocery-store beans, and old or poorly stored beans may roast unevenly.
Keep the batch small. One 8-ounce (227 g) batch leaves room for airflow and is easier to observe. Crowding the tray can lead to patchy color and a mixture of under- and over-roasted beans.
Ventilate before you start. Smoke can build quickly, especially toward a darker roast. If the oven smokes heavily, turn it off, keep the door closed briefly, and ventilate the room safely; do not leave a hot oven unattended.
Expect chaff and unevenness. Some papery skin will come off the beans. Home ovens are less consistent than dedicated roasters, so a small variation in color is normal; avoid trying to correct it by extending the roast until the beans are oily or smoking heavily.

Serving Suggestions

Grind the rested beans just before brewing for the best control over flavor. A medium grind works for drip machines and pour-over brewers; use a coarse grind for a French press and a fine grind for espresso. As a starting point, use about 2 tablespoons (10–12 g) of ground coffee per 6 ounces (180 ml) of water, then adjust to taste and to your brewer’s instructions.

A lighter roast often tastes brighter and may show more of the bean’s origin, while a medium roast tends to have a rounder, toastier profile. These are tendencies rather than guarantees: bean variety and growing region matter, and roast labels are not perfectly standardized. Brew the coffee black first if you want to notice its flavor, or add milk and sweetener as you normally would.

Variations

Light roast: Remove the beans shortly after the first crack starts. This preserves more of the bean’s distinct origin character, though it may taste sharper or more acidic to some drinkers.
Medium roast: Continue briefly after the first crack, watching closely. The result is generally more balanced and toasted without the stronger smoke and bitterness associated with a very dark roast.
Use a dedicated home roaster: Follow its manual and capacity limits rather than transferring this oven timing directly. Drum and fluid-bed machines use different airflow and heat, so their timing and sound cues may differ.
Try a different green coffee: Beans from different regions and varieties can produce noticeably different cups under the same roast. Keep notes on bean origin, batch size, color, and roast time so you can compare results.

Storage and Reheating

Coffee beans do not need reheating. After the initial 24–48-hour rest, store them in an airtight, opaque container in a cool, dry cupboard, away from sunlight, heat, moisture, and strong odors. For best flavor, use home-roasted beans within about 2–4 weeks; they may remain drinkable longer, but their aromas fade. Grind only what you need for each brew. Freezing can help preserve a larger quantity: divide beans into airtight portions, freeze them, and allow a portion to reach room temperature while still sealed before opening, to limit condensation. Do not refrigerate the beans, where moisture and odors can affect them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the official Felix Roasting Co recipe?
No. “Felix Roasting Co” does not identify one universal roasting recipe, and the method here is a general home-oven approach for green coffee. Follow a roaster’s own instructions if you have a specific product or machine.

Can I roast coffee in a regular oven?
Yes, but results vary because household ovens cycle heat and do not provide the controlled airflow of a dedicated coffee roaster. Use a small, single-layer batch, ventilate the room, and monitor closely. Never leave the oven unattended.

How do I know when the beans are done?
Use color, aroma, and the sound of first crack together. The beans become yellow, then brown, and produce light pops as moisture escapes. Remove them shortly after first crack for light roast, or continue briefly for medium; there is no single exact time for every oven and bean.

Why do freshly roasted beans need to rest?
Roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide, especially during the first day. Resting for 12–48 hours gives much of that gas time to escape and can make brewing more consistent. Some coffees benefit from a longer rest, so taste and adjust.

Can I roast pre-ground or already roasted coffee again?
No. This method is for green, unroasted coffee beans. Re-roasting roasted beans or heating ground coffee is likely to burn them and will not produce a fresh roast.

Can I roast beans on a baking sheet?
A perforated, oven-safe tray or mesh roasting pan allows better airflow. A solid baking sheet can work in a pinch, but it may roast less evenly; keep the beans in one layer and stir carefully if needed. Confirm that any mesh tray is rated for the oven temperature.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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