How to Roast 20 Coffee Origins on the Apollo Home Roaster

Home roasters often wonder how to get consistent, flavorful results without diving deep into complex roast curves. The good news? You don’t need to. With the right approach—simple controls, smart batch sizing, and awareness of origin traits—you can achieve professional-quality roasts right on your kitchen counter.

The Apollo home coffee roaster recommends loading 60%–80% of its 150g max capacity (90g–120g) for best airflow and evenness, especially when roasting diverse origins like Yirgacheffe or Guatemala Elephant beans. This advice holds whether you're a novice or experienced home roaster.

Why Batch Size Matters in Home Roasting

For the Apollo’s 150g capacity, loading between 60% and 80% (approximately 90–120g) is ideal. This range ensures proper airflow and heat distribution, crucial for even roasting. The guideline applies equally to both home and pro-level drum roasters. While you can technically roast 150g, denser beans like Guatemala’s 23-mesh Elephant beans may roast less uniformly compared to lighter-density origins such as Yirgacheffe. Evenness impacts cup clarity, so aim for the recommended load—especially as a newcomer.

How to Approach Roast Curves on a Home Machine

Apollo’s design favors simplicity over curve-chasing. Rather than manipulating complex variables, set a max temperature and control roast time. Don’t compare electric heat to gas—each has distinct flavor profiles. Electric heat tends to produce cleaner, more transparent cups, while gas can add deeper, smokier notes. For high-quality beans, a high-heat, short-duration profile (e.g. power level 9 for 10 minutes) highlights vibrant floral and fruity notes. Lower-grade beans benefit from lower heat and longer roast times to mellow defects. Most home roasters prefer fast roasting (10–12 mins for ~100g) of premium beans to preserve complexity.

Controlling Your Roast: Settings, Timing, and Safety

The Apollo features intuitive controls: power switch, preheat key, and numbered power settings that auto-stop when roast time elapses. Preheat by pressing the heat key until it beeps, then load beans and select your desired power level. Default factory settings yield balanced roast colors and flavor profiles. For advanced users, use a timer and manually stop or open the lid to drop beans based on color and first crack. If roasting smaller batches (e.g. 50g), reduce power to level 6. Typical roast duration for around 100g is 10–12 minutes. The machine’s auto smoke filtration system ensures a smoke-free, sweet milk-like aroma—great for indoor roasting. Note: smaller batches require lower power to avoid scorching.

Showcase of 20 Roasted Origins (Visual Reference Only)

The following images display a variety of single-origin beans roasted on the Apollo, ranging from light to dark profiles. These are for visual reference only—cup quality doesn’t always correlate with roast appearance. Your results can match these.

French Guadeloupe Vanibon Estate (Blue Butterfly)

Madagascar

Mandheling Peaberry

Mexico Cassandra

Uganda Organic

New Caledonia Kouanci Estate (Rayol)

Yirgacheffe

India Emperor Washed Robusta

Vietnam Arabica

Australia Hilltop (semi-washed)

Panama Hartmann Estate

Peru (Organic)

Indonesia Musang (Kopi Luwak)

Bolivia Typica

Guatemala 23-Mesh Elephant Bean

Colombia Hyland

Costa Rica Wolf Estate Honey

Guatemala Antigua

Hawaii Kona Peaberry

Kenya AA

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the ideal batch size for the Apollo coffee roaster?

The recommended load is 60%–80% of the 150g maximum, which equals roughly 90g–120g. This range ensures balanced airflow and even roasting, and works well across different bean densities and origins.

Should I use high or low heat for high-quality green coffee?

Use high heat (e.g. power level 9) and a short roast time (around 10 minutes) for high-quality beans to preserve and highlight bright, complex flavors like fruit and flowers. Lower quality beans respond better to lower heat and longer roast times to reduce off-flavors.

Does the Apollo have a smoke filtration system?

Yes, the Apollo includes an automatic smoke filtration system that minimizes indoor smoke and smells, often producing a sweet, milky aroma instead—making indoor roasting much more pleasant.

How long does a typical roast take on the Apollo?

For around 100g of coffee, a typical roast lasts between 10–12 minutes. Smaller batches, such as 50g, should use a lower power setting (level 6) to avoid uneven roasting or scorching.

Can I adjust roast times manually?

Yes, if you want more control, use a timer and manually stop the roast by holding the power button or lifting the lid based on bean color and the sound of first crack.

Do smaller batches need different roast settings?

Yes, for batches around 50g, reduce the power level to 6 to allow for more even heat absorption and avoid burning the smaller amount of beans.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for Home Roasting

Try FrontStreet’s Yirgacheffe for bright citrus and floral notes, perfect for testing light roasts on your Apollo. Their Colombia Huila Honey offers juicy body and caramel sweetness ideal for medium roasts. For a deeper profile, FrontStreet’s Kenya AA brings winey acidity and blackcurrant—excel in both filter and espresso. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.