What would be good SO beans to "pratice" my roasting skills on? I'm fairly new to roasting (eleven roasts).
I understand it's best to roast with one bean for awhile until I get a bit of a grasp on technique and profiles, etc.
I'd like to get 5lb. of a couple different origins.
Any suggestions, and why?

Glenn K.

My guess(assuming for espresso) would be a Ethiopia dry processed and a Brazil. The Ethiopia being a harder and brighter bean that will work ok at a fairly wide range of roast levels and the Brazil being softer and using a little lower finish roaster temperature.

Though I haven't tried it, maybe this?
http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.southamr.colombia.php?coffee=ColombiaFincaBuenavistaCarlosImbachi2010.1#ColombiaFincaBuenavistaCarlosImbachi2010.1

(valid only for the next month, because then I may or may not suggest something else)

Hi Peter!, I liked that one too. Was glad to see Tom relist it as I was out of my first purchase.

If you are just starting out, I think it's best to roast easy coffees to easy roast levels; so that the result tastes good even with a beginner's technique. Once you have that as a base; you can start honing your skills by doing harder roasts on more finicky beans.

The most common advice is for brewing: Colombian Supremos roasted to the first pops of the second crack; for espresso: DP Ethiopian, Yemen, or Brasils, roasted a little darker, to the point where the second crack just becomes a steady roll.

For those following this thread, please note Glenn's question is cross-posted to CoffeeGeek.

I should have specified, this is Not for espresso, I brew with a TV. Haven't explored that other universe just yet.
Sorry if it's a no no to cross post on CG, I'm new to this whole forum thing. I've found that I respect the opinions of several people on both sites, although I'm aware that there's a lot of cross over.

Glenn K.