Roasting and Blending

A good roaster must be part artist, and part scientist, to maintain quality and consistency. It is during the roasting process that the sugars and other carbohydrates within the bean become caramelized, creating a substance which is known as the coffee oil. Technically, this fragile chemical is not actually an oil (since it is water soluble), but it is what gives the coffee its flavor and aroma.

Specialty coffees are generally roasted in small batches. The two most common roasting methods are: drum-roasting and hot-air roasting.

Drum-type roasting machines roast the coffee beans as they tumble in a rotating drum that is typically heated by gas or wood.

When the desired roast is achieved, the beans are poured into a cooling hopper to keep them from overcooking.

The hot-air roaster, also known as a fluid-bed roaster, roasts the coffee beans as they tumble on a current of hot air.

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