Sunday, September 7, 2014

Specialty Coffee Roasters For Efficiency And Consistency

By Kerri Stout


Many factors affect the quality of coffee. Everything from the soil and altitude of the region in which the beans are grown, to the way they are stored and roasted has an impact on the final product. Specialty coffee roasters are available on the market that help with monitoring and controlling of the process of roasting. However, selecting the very best varieties and releasing their unique potential through the roasting process requires a certain amount of scientific knowledge and technical expertise.

Commercially, drums and hot-air machines are generally used for roasting. A drum machine has a rotating drum in which beans are placed. They are heated by a heat source like gas or electricity and tumble about in the drum. The hot-air machine works by roasting the beans on a currant of hot air. Modern machines are computerized and although they are far superior to crude ones used in the past, the basic principle is the same. The green bean is heated in order for its flavor to be released. Various methods are used to control and monitor roasting.

The modern machines vary in the level of control that can be exercised. It is possible to operate them manually or use semi-automatic and automatic control. They also vary in capacity with some designed to handle high volumes and others to handle medium sized or small volumes. They have various ways of monitoring times, temperatures and color development.

A green bean is spongy and soft while a roasted bean is crunchy. The color, smell and density is changed by the roasting process. Chemical changes take place as beans are quickly brought to high temperatures. As soon as they reach a certain point, they are cooled down to stop the process. It is a matter of seconds between perfection and a ruined batch.

All the variables involved in the process have to be carefully managed to create a successful roast. Some of these variables are the size of a batch and the moisture content of a particular variety. Times and temperatures are carefully measured, such as when the process begins, when a certain temperature is reached and when cooling begins.

Color changes occur as the beans are heated. They first turn yellow and then begin browning. Some roasts are light brown, others are medium or medium-dark and others are dark. The beans also start producing a cracking sound when roasted. The times at which the cracks occur and for how long is measured. A bean swells and increases in size when heated but it loses moisture. The amount of moisture lost can be established by taking weight measurements before and after roasting.

Various measurements are taken and adjustments are made to balance flavors and bring out the subtleties of each variety. Once a roast profile is established for a particular variety, it is used to promote consistency between batches. Specialized names are selected for various roasts.

More and more people are becoming aware of fine coffees and many specialist companies, both large and small, are springing up worldwide. Some stores specialize in providing equipment for roasting and others supply fine roasts. One can shop for equipment according to type, size and price. A perfect roast is often subjective and there are many varieties at online stores from which to choose.




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