Great Prices On Home Coffee Roasters May 16 2017, 0 Comments

Our Canadian dollar has put a real damper on travel as well as shopping outside of our country, but why look outside of our country for great deals when we have great deals right now.  Let's compare some of our roasters with prices from the United States using an exchange rate of $1.36 per US dollar( the actual exchange rate that you pay on your credit card is likely even higher than this).

Freshroast SR500      US price of $179 * 1.36 = $243 CND      our price = $229 CND

Freshroast SR700      US price of $259 * 1.36 = $352 CND      our price = $329 CND

Behmor 1600              US price of $369 * 1.36 = $502 CND      our price = $489 CND

Gene Café                  US price of $585 * 1.36 = $795 CND      our price = $749.50 CND

As you can see you just can't beat buying your home coffee roaster in Canada!  We also have roaster packages that bring you additional savings and when you add in the fact that we offer free shipping*(some places a fat rate) in Canada you better get your roaster now. 

If our dollar continues to trend the way that it is the manufacturers are going to change what we are allowed to sell these roasters at so that they will compare to our US counterparts, so don't hesitate, get your roaster now.

Behmor 1600 Plus Roaster - Price Increase March 16 2017, 3 Comments

Well the price increase has come into effect.  As of March 20, 2017 the manufacturer has told us that the MAP now is $489.00.  Do not be dismayed, with the current exchange rates it is still cheaper to buy these roasters in Canada and with our free shipping* over $75.00 we are still the best bang for your dollar.

We look forward to continuing to service all of your home coffee roasting needs.

With the way our Canadian dollar has been trending, American's are now looking to find deals from Canadian stores when they are buying their roasting equipment.  The manufacturer likes to keep the playing field level between countries and so sets a minimum advertised price for retailers who are selling his roasters.  This price is supposed to take into account the current exchange rate and bring the price comparable to what the American price currently is.

We are anticipating that this will mean a minimum of a $40 price increase in Canada.  So I would highly recommend that if you are looking to get a Behmor 1600 Plus roaster that you do this quickly before the manufacturer updates the MAP for Canada.

Happy Roasting!!!!

Behmor 1600 Plus Roaster In Stock!!! February 16 2017, 1 Comment

After a long and difficult wait (I was almost pulling my hair out) our Behmor 1600Plus roasters have finally arrived.  We are now ready to ship them out to all of you that have been waiting so patiently.

Thank you for your continued patronage.

Jonathan Yeo

Owner Pre-Umber

Still Time To Ship For Christmas!!! December 14 2016, 0 Comments

There is still time to ship for Christmas.  We do our utmost to ship all parcels within one business day and most parcels are actually shipped shortly after your order is placed.  After this point we are at the mercy of Canada Post.

Canada Post does have a web page that gives you their delivery standards.  Just follow this link: https://www.canadapost.ca/business/tools/ds/default.aspx?LOCALE=en&ecid=murl08002548

We are shipping from Postal Code T4J 1R1.  If you input your own postal code you will find out how many days Canada Post guarantees your parcel to be delivered in.

We look forward to your business and should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us through our Contact Us page.

May you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

Christmas for you - Extended warranty for free on all Fresh Roast Roasters November 24 2016, 0 Comments

Do we have a deal for you!!! Between now and Christmas, anyone who orders a Fresh Roast coffee roaster can get an extended warranty for free.  This means that you get two years of warranty on these wonderful roasters for absolutely no extra charge.  All that you need to do is follow these simple instructions.

GO to --  www.homeroastingsupplies.com 

Then you need to click on "Purchase Extended Warranty"

Fill in the following.

Date of Purchase---

Place of Purchase----

Serial Number ----  You can find the serial number on the bottom of the unit. It starts with a letter then 5 numerals. (A12345)

You then go to "Add to Cart" click in 1 

Click "View  Cart"

Next to "Apply Coupon" enter EXT16 

Click "Checkout"

This will take you to Billing. Fill in the appropriate information, NO CREDIT CARD IS NECESSARY 

Click on Place Order, the customer will receive an email within 24 hour that his roaster is registered for the second year warranty.

Take advantage of this wonderful offer as it won't be around for long.  Merry Christmas!!!

Now Back - Vacation November 06 2016, 1 Comment

Just to update you all and to let you know that we had a wonderful time on vacation as a family and we are now back and working on getting out all the orders that have accumulated.  We will be working very hard at ensuring that all orders will be sent out within one business day.  We appreciate your continued patronage and look forward to serving you in the future.

Original Post

 My children are excited, finally we are taking a vacation!!!  It has been close to three years since we started Pre-umber and it has been a lot of hard work.  It has meant a lot of sacrifice for my family to see this business get off the ground but they have stood behind me.  I made a promise to my children that someday I would take them to Disney Land and now that time has come. 

On November the 10th we will be driving from Alberta to California and then returning on November the 20th.  This means that any orders placed between the evening of November 9th to the 20th will be shipped on Monday November the 21st.  We have always sought to ship parcels the same day or at the latest the next business day but we hope that you will understand. 

So if you have some coffee or merchandise that you are needing quickly please place your orders at the latest by November the 9th and we will ensure that they are shipped before we leave.  If you place your order after that please know that we will ensure that they are in the mail and on the way to you as soon as we get back.

I will be checking my e-mail when I am away if there should be any questions that you might have.  Please feel free to contact me at Pre-Umber@xplornet.ca

With many thanks for your understanding.

Jonathan Yeo

Owner Pre-Umber

 

Fall is on it's way September 01 2016, 0 Comments

Fall is on it's way and things for many are starting to get back to normal. For us we are glad to be moved in to our new location and starting to get things organised again. We are running a little low on Fresh Roast SR500's but will hopefully be getting in another order soon as well as more replacement parts for those of you who have had some mishaps. 

Remember it is never too soon to begin thinking about Christmas and what better present could you give someone than a home coffee roasting package.  For the coffee lover there is no greater present than to give the gift that keeps on giving for years to come. Every morning as they wake up and drink that wonderful cup of freshly roasted coffee they will think of just how much you must really love them to give them such a wonderful gift.  For those of us who are a little more selfish in our giving we might be thinking that we too will be able to enjoy the coffee that is roasted from this gift and know that for years to come we won't have to rack our minds as to what to buy next but be assured that some wonderful green coffee will be greatly aappreciated.

We want to thank all of you who have shared our business with others and look forward to serving you all in the future.

Jonathan

Owner Pre-Umber

23 New Coffees!!!! May 28 2016, 0 Comments

Thank you for your patience.  We have just received 23 new coffees and it will take a little bit of time before we can get them all properly inputted into our store.  Over the next day things might appear a little confused but hopefully by early next week everything will be in order.  We look forward to your continued patronage.

Bad News with Canadian versus U.S.A. Dollar March 16 2015, 2 Comments

This really drives me crazy,  but it is just a fact of the world that we live in!  Our Canadian dollar has been plummeting in relation to the U.S. dollar and this affects one of the things that I love the most.  I am passionate about coffee and I want to see the coffee farmer receive a fair price for all of their hard work growing the drink that I love to enjoy.  The problem that we face in Canada is that coffee is traded in U.S. dollars so whenever our dollar drops in relation to the US dollar it brings about an increase in price of our beloved drink: coffee. 

I have done my best to trim costs where I can but the sad reality is I have had to adjust our prices to reflect the world that we live in.  All that we can do is hope and pray that our dollar will one day soon begin to rebound in relation to the US dollar and allow us to give you a break on the wonderful cup of coffee that we all love to enjoy.

Thank you for your understanding and I hope that you will all be able to sit down and enjoy a cup of your favourite coffee,  making this news maybe just a little more palatable.

Red Gene Cafe Roaster February 03 2015, 2 Comments

We are excited to announce that we now are adding a new roaster to our line up of the popular Gene Café Roasters.  The Gene Café roaster has been the go to roaster for those who have wanted to go farther with their roasting experience and now they will be able to add a little bit of colour and flair with this beautiful red colour that is sure to make your roaster not just another appliance but a piece of beauty.

Attention:  Do not run this machine without the roast chamber in place.  Parts will melt if you do this.  Always ensure that the roast chamber is in place before beginning to run the machine.

Why roast coffee at home with the FreshRoast SR500 or SR700? August 06 2014, 1 Comment

The answer to this question is adapted from the FreshRoast SR500 box.  I felt that it was very applicable and something that many of you might find interesting.

So why roast coffee at home?

• Fresh and flavourful coffee, guaranteed - Commercially roasted whole bean coffee starts to lose flavour in just three days but green(unroasted) beans stay fresh for about two years.
• Home roasting is fast and easy- The FreshRoast SR500 automatically roasts enough coffee to brew about 20 cups and does it in under ten minutes.
• Beans are roasted to your liking - Whatever your favourite roasting style, from light cinnamon to rich Italian, the FreshRoast SR 500 lets you have complete control.
• You will discover your creative side - Combine different bean varieties and roasting styles to create special blends for yourself, family and friends.  Custom coffee blends make thoughtful gifts.
• More coffee choices - At Pre-Umber.ca we offer popular and exotic green coffee beans, including decaffeinated, organic, sustainable and fair trade varieties from around the world.

Now Offering Real-Time Carrier Shipping June 12 2014, 0 Comments

Pre-Umber is excited to announce that we are now offering real-time carrier shipping through Canada Post!  This opens up a whole new variety of options for you, our customers.  We still offer free shipping for orders over $75.00.  These will be sent via Canada Post Expedited Parcel service.  But now, if you need your coffee (or roaster or brewer...) sooner, we can ship your order faster via Priority or Xpresspost!

If you just can't see yourself ordering over $75.00 of green coffee or merchandise, real-time Canada Post shipping allows us to charge you only what Canada Post charges us.  Pre-Umber doesn't add extra charges for handling your order, either.  You pay what we pay. 

Pre-Umber wants you to enjoy your coffee or merchandise as soon as we can get it to you, so we always strive to send your order out the same business day that we receive it.

 

 

Introducing the Fresh Roast SR700 May 29 2014, 4 Comments

We want to introduce you to the Freshroast SR700. We are Canada's only retailer of the Freshroast SR700 and are pleased to offer these roasters to those of you that would like to go a little bit more hi-tech.

The SR 700 is an improved design over the SR 500.  The SR 700 still roasts the same quantity as the SR 500 and SR 300. With the fully programmable computer software, you will now be able to save and duplicate roast profiles for all preferences of coffee. It’s an easy plug and play system, use the provided sync cord and program. You will now be able to adjust time, temperature, and fan speed at any point during the roast and save your changes, to be used again.  The software allows you to make changes to the roast profile, even after the roast has completed for a later roast.

***Update***

Our Fresh Roast SR 700 are now in stock.  Be one of the first to own this machine in Canada.  Order yours today.

Tips for roasting with the Gene Cafe Drum Roaster May 26 2014, 0 Comments

 

Attention:  Do not run this machine without the roast chamber in place.  Parts will melt if you do this.  Always ensure that the roast chamber is in place before beginning to run the machine. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attention:  Do not run this machine without the roast chamber in place.  Parts will melt if you do this.  Always ensure that the roast chamber is in place before beginning to run the machine.

Able Brewing Company Permanent Filters for Aerobie AeroPress May 01 2014, 0 Comments

There have been a number of people asking about the possibility of getting a permanent filter for the Aerobie AeroPress and so we have listened and now added two  types of permanent filters, fine and standard, to our inventory made by the Able Brewing Company.  These filters are listed at $15.00 and include free shipping to anywhere in Canada.  We hope you enjoy them and continue to look for new items to be listed in the future.

Free Shipping over $75.00* March 17 2014, 0 Comments

In this day of the internet and internet shopping one of the greatest concerns of many people have is how much will the shipping be.  I will try to address this issue without complicating things too much.  We are trying to focus our business on the home coffee roaster in Canada.  Thus we wanted to use a shipper that would be able to reach every home within Canada at a fair price.  For this reason we have chosen to use Canada Post and are using a flat rate shipping price.

We have now added Free Shipping on orders over $75.00 (Sorry NWT, Nunavut, and the Yukon do not receive free shipping but do get discounted shipping).  If you do not want to order $75.00 worth of merchandise you will need to use our flat rate shipping option.

So what does flat rate shipping mean?  Well let me give you an example.  Say perhaps you are from Alberta and have chosen to order 2 pounds of coffee.  In this instance you would pay $12 for shipping.  Thus you would be paying $6.00 a pound for shipping.  But let's say instead of two pounds of coffee you ordered 12 pounds of coffee.  In this instance your shipping would still be $16.00 and so you would be paying approximately $1.33 per pound for shipping.  Quite a savings.

Now maybe you are really a coffee enthusiast and like to roast coffee not only for yourself but for some friends and family.  In this instance you have decided that you want to order 20 pounds of coffee.  This bumps you up to the next shipping rate at $22 but your cost per pound for shipping would drop to $1.10 per pound.  If you are wanting to order more than that you can message us through the contact page and we will be more than willing to figure out the best shipping rates that we possibly can.

Therefore you can see from these examples that your cost for shipping is based off of the province that you live in as well as the weight of the merchandise that you are ordering as well as if you spend $75.00 or more.  If you haven't already taken the time to read our shipping information in the footer area of our webpage I would encourage you to do so.  We look forward to filling your order and shipping it within one business day.

Oh yes!  If you are in Alberta and will be driving by Ponoka, please feel free to send us a quick message via our contact page to make arrangements for pick up and save yourself the cost of shipping. 

Hope you can enjoy a cup of freshly roasted coffee.

Aerobie AeroPress February 27 2014, 0 Comments

Have you ever had to spend a week-end away from home?  This last fall my wife and I spent a week-end in Vancouver.  It was nice to have some time away by ourselves.  Our five kids were spending the week-end with Grammie and Grampie and we were getting some alone time but disappointment struck us when we woke in the morning and put on the hotel coffee pot.  The coffee was a bitter disappointment and we looked at each other and said that we wished we had brought our own home roasted coffee with us.

At home we enjoy coffee using our Clever Dripper ( which we hope to have in stock by next week).  The problem with the Clever Dripper is that it doesn't pack so well in a suitcase.  We certainly didn't want to chance breaking it while travelling so our search was on for a portable coffee maker that we could take with us when we were away from home.

After talking to many people and spending a lot of time researching we discoveered the Aerobie AeroPress. This coffee/espresso maker not only produces a delicious cup of coffee  but it does it all in 30-45 seconds.  All we need is a kettle to heat our water and some freshly roasted coffee beans.  It is compact and packs well into a suitcase and a Porlex Hand Grinder (in stock next week) will fit in the middle allowing us to grind our home roasted beans and enjoy a great cup of coffee at home or while on vacation.  Never will we have to drink bad hotel coffee again.

Vacations will never be the same.  We can now wake up to a delicious cup of coffee whether we are at home or on vacation.  It will make being on vacation that little bit more enjoyable.

Roasting Coffee At Home February 14 2014, 1 Comment

Since we have launched the store we have had many inquiries: how to roast coffee at home?  The answer to this question can be almost as varied as the number of people asking the question.  There is not just one way to roast coffee and many people have their own preferences as to which way is the best.  In this blog entry, I will not take the time to go into great detail as to any one home roasting method for green coffee beans but will try to give a brief overview to wet your interest.  Perhaps in future blog posts I will take the time to go into greater detail of the different methods and how to gain the best success with each method.

There are many different methods to roast green coffee beans in your home.  One of the most basic methods is by roasting coffee beans in a fry pan.  With this method it is best to use a fry pan(perferably a heavy cast iron one) that will be dedicated to roasting coffee beans.  The reason for this is that you don't want your bacon or sausage contaminating your coffee beans.  You will need to continuously stir your coffeee beans to try and ensure the most even roast that you possibly can.  This can be very challenging and can also result in quite a lot of smoke so remember to keep your hood fan on.

Another way that many people have tried is by baking their beans in the oven.  Again this is a very difficult way to evenly roast your beans although their are many people that feel that this is their roasting method of choice.

A great entry level roaster would be a whirley bird popcorn maker.  This method works pretty good as long as you do not overload the machine and you remember that you need to continuously turn the crank until your coffee is finished.  At that point you should get the beans into a colander as quickly as possible to stop the roasting process.  This method of roasting works very well and I have had many cups of coffee roasted this way that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

Many home coffee roasters have found that using a air popcorn maker works quite well. This is much less labour intensive and can provide for a pretty good roast if your popcorn popper can provide the necessary heat  to bring the beans from start to finish (not all popcorn poppers are created equal).

The next method that I would like to mention is using the Fresh Roast coffee roaster. This is an air roast coffee roaster and within five to nine minutes will provide you with a nicely roasted batch of coffee beans.  It is a very user friendly machine and in many ways is idiot proof.  You will have a great batch of beans that will result in a lively cup that is easy to reproduce should you want to roast some more beans the same way.

The final way that I would like to mention in today's post is using the Gene Cafe coffee roaster.  This is a drum roaster that will roast a larger batch of coffee than the Fresh Roast.   It will take you approximately fifteen minutes to roast and then another 10 minutes to cool the beans.  This machine will empasize the body of your coffeee and allows for much more user input should you want to tweek your roast.  This is my perfered method for home roasting.

There are many other methods that have been used from hot air guns to barbeques, to other home made contraptioons.  As I always say to my wife, "even a bad home roast is better than store bought coffee."

So why not try starting to home roast today?  You might be in for the best cup of coffee that you have ever had.

Launch! January 28 2014, 1 Comment

I love coffee.  I love that freshly roasted coffee smell.  I love picking out different varietals of green beans and roasting them and finding new flavours and new experiences.  I love that green beans are grown in places that I want to visit, by people whom I wish I could meet. I love talking about coffee, drinking coffee, sharing coffee...I just really like coffee!

It was a cold Christmas morning many years ago that I first experienced home roasted coffee.  It was the beginning of a journey that I hope continues for many many more years to come.  I lived in a tiny community in the Northwest Territories and good coffee was hard to find.  So my wife bought me a roaster and a few pounds of green beans.  She teases me that a monster was born that day.  

In the hamlet where we lived there were no movie theaters, no restaurants and no coffee shops.  So I started to "take my wife out for coffee" in the living room of our log cabin.  It was nice.  But then we rediscovered something that we knew already- shipping to small northern communities is expensive!  But I consoled my Scottish heart with the realization that even with the pricey shipping, home roasting coffee was cheaper (and way better) than any coffee shop "down south".

Fast forward a few years.  Now we live in rural Alberta and news flash!  Shipping coffee is still expensive!  I did a lot of thinking and decided to start selling green coffee beans in Western Canada.  And because I'm selling green beans I found some roasters that I really like and am carrying them, too.  And I've found a new coffee maker designed to brew freshly roasted coffee that I'm excited to try, as soon as it arrives.  And if it works as well as I think it's going to, guess what? it will become available in Canada!!  

So here it is: Pre-Umber.

-D (written for J)