What is green weight in coffee roasting?

Green weight is the weight of a batch of green coffee before roasting begins - measured in grams or kilograms and logged as the starting point for every roast. It's one of the two weights used to calculate roast loss, the other being roasted weight.

Logging green weight consistently is a basic but important part of roast record-keeping. It allows you to calculate what percentage of the original batch was lost during roasting (typically 12-20% depending on roast level and starting moisture content), compare batch sizes across different roasts, and reconcile your green coffee inventory accurately.

For home roasters, weighing green coffee precisely before each roast also ensures consistency in batch size - which affects how the roast progresses in the drum. A batch that's 50g lighter than usual will heat faster and may hit milestones earlier than expected. Keeping green weight consistent, or logging it when it varies, is a straightforward way to remove one variable from the process.