Trapped inside every green coffee bean is the flavor and character of the region that produced it. How do we set the magic free? Through the art of roasting, a delicate dance of temperature and time that determines coffee's flavor, aroma, body, color and acidity.
We begin by charging the roaster, which means allowing coffee beans to fall into a large rotating drum (imagine a cross between a popcorn popper and a clothes dryer). Heat evaporates the moisture inside the beans – and they smell like buttery vegetables.
The beans then start to crackle and pop, expanding in size and changing from yellow to brown. When they pop a second time, it means the coffee’s almost done, ready to be released into the cooling tray and packaged for fresh taste.
Although we can roast up to 900 pounds of beans at a time, we never compromise artistry or attention. After all, as our master roasters know all too well, a matter of seconds can mean the difference between a perfect roast and an imperfect one.