First, we determine what roast we want to accomplish...say we want to roast up a batch of Peruvian Especial...well, we determine the right blending amounts of the differing green coffees to use...in this case we will only be using the quality Peruvian green.  We measure out the exact amount for the roast and set it aside until the roaster has reached the proper temp for roasting.

 

      Now we are ready to begin the sequence.  We pour the green beans into the roaster (the entrance point for the roaster is found on the top front of the roaster), and begin to monitor the roast process.  When the bean reaches a specific point, it begins to lose its outer shell or husk...this is actually the inner shell that remains when the "cherry" is taken off the bean.  We have to expel this material immediately so that it does not impact the quality of the taste of this or future roasts.  We do this by changing the airflow, sending it through the roasting drum, which in then blows the chaft out of the drum and into the bottom of the roaster. 

 

      Once this is done, we begin to look for differing colorations and smells...this takes us through several stages from "straw" (a stage that is high in anti-oxidants but extremely low in quality taste), "cinnamon", "first crack" (point in coffee roasting that signals the beginning of the "medium" roast period), and finally, the "second crack".  I say finally because we do not take most of our coffees beyond this point.  This is around the "full city" point of the roast...a point we here, at The Alpaca Bean Coffee Co, have determined (for our tastes) to be an ideal roast point for most coffee.  We do, on occasion, take our Peruvian bean to a french, or espresso, roast level so that we can use these beans to cover in chocolate. 

 

     Once we have roasted the beans to the planned level, we dump the beans into the cooling bin, rotate with cooling air blowing through, then bag the freshly roasted beans in large sealed bags to keep the freshness in until we can transfer to bags of appropriate size for shipment. 

 

      This also marks the point where the best time of the roast process has arrived...sampling to make sure we want to sell the coffee to you, our friends.  This is the time that also reminds Jude and I that we need to be roasting in the early morn, so that we will be able to sleep well after our work and all the sampling is done! :o)

 

      We roast around twenty pounds at a time and have begun roasting as little as ten pounds for special orders or to make sure we do not delay deliveries for too long.   

 

     Well, that is a very simplistic look at roastin'.  Did you really think we would go into great detail????  We have to save some of our secrets, you know?  :o) 

 

      Hopefully, we will be doing some roasting when you come out to see us...or at least be at the tastin' stage!  Give us a call, drop us an email, or simply order from our on line store, http://www.thealpacabean.com for a first hand taste of this process.  Think you will be glad you did...know you will actually! :o)

 

     Take care, have a great national birthday party, and be sure to celebrate with a brew that heightens your awareness...not one that dulls it!  If you decide to not follow this grand advice...then plan on sleeping over with your hosts so that you can enjoy a good mug of The Alpaca Bean Coffee before heading out!!  If your hosts do not carry a supply of The Alpaca Bean, then what a great house gift for you to give!!!  Really, do have a great 4th.  Do what you want to do...just remember the men and women that gave it all for our freedom.

 

Til Next time,

 

The Coffeeman