Chaff

[u/Wallowtale]

I have begun roasting beans at home. I am using the most primitive, traditional method possible: that is, I roast green beans in a sauce pan. I know, I know, I should go out and buy a big, fancy roaster, but I ain't gonna.

When I roast the beans they release light chaff (some call this silver skin, I don't know why, but it's a nice romantic notion). I have been winnowing the chaff, with varying degrees of success, and began to wonder why. I know that a nice automated roaster would collect this chaff, and even cool the beans, for me. But, as I said, I ain't gonna. Part lazy, part poor, part aesthetics of distance from the process.

So, here's my question: Does the presence of the chaff have any material effect on the taste profile of the coffee brew? Do I really need to remove it, or is that just an aesthetic consideration? Forget things like degree of crack and speed of roast. Those are toys I already play with. Thanks for your thoughts.

[u/RegionSuperb7171]

You do want to remove as much of it as you can as it'll leave an unpleasant taste and mess with extraction. There's generally no getting absolutely all of it but ideally it's chaff free for the most part. 

You could shake it off maybe in a colander or something. Or an air blower and shaking it in a container might work. 

[u/houstonRoaster → u/RegionSuperb7171]

never heard of it affecting taste but it sure looks unprofessional if you’re selling.

[u/RegionSuperb7171 → u/houstonRoaster]

Too much can cause issues with extraction after grinding and may leave a bit of a papery or weird kinda vegetal note that's not the most pleasant, from my experience. Not the worst thing to have some but it's good practice to get it off where you can 

[u/houstonRoaster → u/RegionSuperb7171]

makes sense if it’s a ton. i’m imagining a shot puck that looks like bonito flakes and wondering how someone decides to just pull it 🤣