u/Previous-Anxiety-932

Hey guys!

I have never roasted coffee but want to get into the hobby, learn how everything works, and get good at it. Long-term, it’d be awesome to eventually open a small roastery and sell coffee, but right now I just want to focus on learning the basics and making great coffee at home.

I currently drink light to ultralight pour overs, so my goal is to be able to roast for that.

I had a few questions for anyone who’s been in my shoes:

What machine should I start on?

Best ways to learn? Are there specific YouTube channels, books, or online guides you’d recommend for learning from scratch?

Is renting/leasing roasters a thing? Are there any companies or programs that rent home roasters out to try before buying, or do people mostly just buy them outright?

Would love any tips or advice on where a total beginner should start. Thanks in advance!

Edit: how long does it take to get to the level of the best: september sey big sur etc.

Hey y'all,

My birthday is coming up and my wife wants to get me a gift. I currently daily drive a ZP6 for pour-over and love the high clarity/flavor separation. I mostly drink light roast washed coffees, but I do enjoy naturals and funky ferments too.

I’m tempted to ask for another hand grinder to contrast the ZP6, maybe a K-Ultra, or Millab to get more body or a different presentation for those funkier processed bags.

But honestly, is the difference in the cup actually worth it, or am I just experiencing gear acquisition syndrome? If you have a ZP6, do you ever actually reach for a second hand grinder for pour-over?

Thanks!

Edit: I already get nice beans.

Hey guys,

Right now I am currently TWW and split them to have a bottle of half strength and some of 1/3-1/4 strength. I am about to buy more as I am about to run out, but I was wondering if I should get into mineral concretes and learn that whole thing.

Do you guys feel it is worth it over TWW or is it diminishing returns?

Hey Guys,

Me and my wife and our baby (who will be around a year old then) are going to Chamonix for a 4-5 days in late Jan/earlyFeb. We are looking to do another stop anywhere in Europe on this trip as well for another few days. We were thinking Madeira, but seems to be rainy there then. We are trying to figure out where, can be either cities or places with very dramatic landscapes (those are my favorite) and I do not mind cold or snowy I just really do not want rain.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

How do you choose which variable to adjust? I understand that each variable could lead to over extracting and under extracting how do you know which one to use? For example, I’m currently brewing, a natural Ethiopian from DAK and it doesn’t taste bitter nor sour and has good balance, but I feel like I could get more out of the cup, so how do you diagnose which variable to change? If anybody has any good resources on this, I’d appreciate it.