| The beans. Warm and seemingly glowing in
| |
| | which make the theory of putting beans in
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| the palm of your hand. Ahhh...freshly
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| | green and pulling them out roasted easy.
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| roasted you say outloud. The product of an
| |
| | However most of the really decent quality
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| artist. You settle down into your tall
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| | roasters around the world still manually
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| stool and ask the barista to grind the
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| | roast coffee- probably always will.So,
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| freshly roasted coffee...cupping
| |
| | lets say you have ticked off all of the
|
| time...the romance of it all sweeps over
| |
| | required attributes listed above- what is
|
| you.OK. So most of the above is the image
| |
| | the next step?Learning to roast is perhaps
|
| that a newby or wanna-be roaster has of
| |
| | one of the last challenges for a new
|
| the industry. The lure for the guy sitting
| |
| | comer. Firstly resources on the internet
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| in his office and dreaming of another
| |
| | are scarce, secondly books on the subject
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| life- one he can do something he loves-
| |
| | are rare. Finally- and most importantly-
|
| coffee, or more specifically crafting
| |
| | learning by doing, and by the guidance of
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| green beans into roasted specialty
| |
| | a skilled roaster, is paramount to
|
| coffee.The reality checks for someone
| |
| | learning the skills of roasting. Most
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| looking at entering the coffee roasting
| |
| | master roasters will tell you that
|
| business are many. From the outside it
| |
| | roasting is an art that is never fully
|
| does indeed look glamourous. In truth-
| |
| | mastered- you are always learning
|
| reality carries a big stick and bites.For
| |
| | something new everyday. Whether it be a
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| an insight into coffee roasting one should
| |
| | new green you are roasting, or unexpected
|
| look at historical texts about coffee. In
| |
| | results with beans you have been roasting
|
| the late 1800's and early 1900's the big
| |
| | for years.Finding someone to teach
|
| roasters of the world were based in the
| |
| | roasting will perhaps always be the
|
| USA. Their factories were designed to
| |
| | greatest hurdle to overcome. There are
|
| pound out tonnes of coffee. It was hard,
| |
| | some roasting schools around the place,
|
| hot and sometimes dangerous work. Roasting
| |
| | but to learn successfully you need to
|
| machines were heated by coals and fires-
| |
| | spend perhaps a minimum of one year under
|
| making the work place unbearably hot.
| |
| | an accomplished roasters guidance. Many
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| There were often injuries from serious
| |
| | postings on websites such as are from new
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| burns and also from smoke inhalation.
| |
| | entrants wanting to learn the trade- most
|
| All-in-all the roasters, the men who
| |
| | complain that no-one will teach them. This
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| pysically roasted the coffee, had a hard
| |
| | has to be understood- a master roaster
|
| life.Fast forward to the pioneer days of
| |
| | teaching the art and tricks of roasting is
|
| Specialty Coffee in the USA. Suddenly big
| |
| | giving up not only his/her hard earned
|
| roasting machines were replaced by small
| |
| | knowledge, but also potentially helping
|
| drum roasters. Gs heating was the order of
| |
| | develop a future competitor.If a new
|
| the day. The roaster was not ofter bulk,
| |
| | roaster is lucky enough to be taken under
|
| but quality. The subtle change was that
| |
| | the wing of an established roaster, he/she
|
| the days of quantity over quality were
| |
| | will begin at the bottom. This means all
|
| over. The typical roaster(y) of today may
| |
| | the hard grunt work of lugging 60kg sacks,
|
| have as little s 4 employees and even the
| |
| | roaster maintainence, sorting (if it is
|
| bigger specialty roasters in the USA do
| |
| | done) and then watching, noting and
|
| good volume on 10-12 employees. Its this
| |
| | learning tempertaure ramping etc. The
|
| new breed that beckons more to join the
| |
| | first 3-6 months could be monotonous, but
|
| roasting crusade.So how does one become a
| |
| | are very important in learning the trade
|
| roaster? Presumably the first criteria to
| |
| | in the long-run.Here in Indonesia most
|
| be meet is the would-be roaster must love
| |
| | roasters are still traditional or semi
|
| coffee. That being a shoe-in, what are the
| |
| | traditional. This means the machinery and
|
| other very important traits a new roaster
| |
| | the methodology applied to the science of
|
| must have?I would list, in no particular
| |
| | coffee are not those found in the USA.
|
| order, the following- be physically
| |
| | Roasting is hot. It is hard. It is
|
| strong, be patient, be a good learner and
| |
| | strenuous... you do not see any fat
|
| willing to ask questions, be able to work
| |
| | roasters in this part of the world!Anyway
|
| long hours, be prepared to work in a hot
| |
| | for those who dream of roasting, do a
|
| and loud work environment, be analytical
| |
| | reality check first. If it all adds up
|
| and precise in work practices, be able to
| |
| | then try and follow your dreams. Coffee is
|
| work long hours (x2)! and be prepared for
| |
| | a fantastic field to be in.Alun Evans is a
|
| many, many hours of study and
| |
| | New Zealander who has been living and
|
| repetition.Some of the above can be
| |
| | working in Indonesia since 1998. His
|
| bypassed- but by doing this it is to the
| |
| | passions are Indonesian Coffee nd helping
|
| detriment of the roasters development and
| |
| | to develop the small hold growers- from
|
| also the end product. Many new drum
| |
| | the kampung of Java to the villages of
|
| roasters have computer control systems
| |
| | Flores and Sumatra.
|
