Coffee Roasting Q&A with Marcus Young & Valerian Hrala

After a healthy intro about natural wine Marcus and I will answer your questions about coffee roasting.

Wine provided for this episode was by Noel Diaz and his Purity Wine.

These were your questions we've answered on this episode:

1. ABOUT CAFFEINE

I’ve come to believe (but never actually tested) that darker roasted coffee has less caffeine, but I’ve also read that Starbucks is teaching its employees that this is a myth.  Can you settle this for me?

Darron Burke

www.cafedonpablo.com

https://youtu.be/_YVRDkPRB0

2. ABOUT PRE VS POST ROAST BLENDING COFFEE

"Hey guys! Haven't heard of your podcast until now, although we are familiar with Boot Coffee Campus. I look forward to tuning in.

I'm with Camellia Coffee Roasters out of Sacramento. We've been roasting for about 3 years as Camellia and have had our cafe for about a year and a half.

I would be interested in knowing your thoughts on pre-blending coffee before roast?"

Robert Watson, camelliacoffeeroasters.com

3. ABOUT LPG vs NATURAL GAS IN COFFEE ROASTING

Are there any significant differences in roasting on a LPG fired vs natural gas fired roaster, all else being equal?

Bill McCachren

4. ABOUT LPG vs NATURAL GAS IN COFFEE ROASTING

Are there any significant differences in roasting on a LPG fired vs natural gas fired roaster, all else being equal?

Bill McCachren

5. ABOUT UPGRADING A FLUID BED ROASTER

We’re about a year into the roasting business and have started having some small success at both a large, local upscale Farmer’s Market and, more recently, several stores within a grocery store chain located here in Birmingham, AL.  Lots of learning and we’re having to scale things up a bit, which can be both exciting and scary at the same time.

I’m currently using an Artisan 2.5 fluid bed roaster from Coffee Crafters.  I have roasted on drum roasters before, but started on the Artisan because it was inexpensive AND I honestly preferred drinking the coffee I roasted on it.  I find the flavors to be brighter and more distinct when roasted on the fluid bed roaster. When I had to recently scale up my volume, I paid a friend who’s using a San Fransiscan 25 to toll-roast a few hundred pounds for me and while I really valued and appreciated his help - I really didn’t like the coffee as much.  Now I need to invest in a larger roaster, and I can’t decide. I can stick with fluid bed roasters but the largest Coffee Crafters is only 10 pounds (Ashe makes one that’s 22 pounds) or go ahead and move over to the dark side with a 12-15kg drum. Should I make the transition now and “relearn” roasting on the drum, or ride it out with the fluid bed roasters as long as possible?  Your thoughts?

Kurtis W. Eaton, MD, MBA - Bean Creek Coffee, LLC

6. ABOUT AIRFLOW

Does adjusting airflow throughout a roast have a significant impact on the roast vs a constant airflow? I roast on a Huky.

Dan Gorman, Punto Fino