Thought we would do a quick blog based on what we experience with new and novice roasters.
1. Safety. Where are your fire extinguishers? Always, be safe, have them available and in the same place, between you and the exit.
2. Give yourself time to learn. Before I roasted on the gas drum roaster in the shop, I had 10 years of roasting experience. It took me a good 15-20 roasts before I could begin to synchronize the application of heat, with air flow, with RPMs. Take the time needed to learn.
3. Learn by roasting with the roaster’s capacity. I can’t tell you the number of internet posts I read and the calls I receive where folks are trying to learn on under-capacity roasts. “I didn’t want to roast too much as I already have XX pounds roasted.” Learn by using the roaster’s stated capacity. Smaller roasts have less mass and are tricky. Master capacity and go down in charge size by increments, mastering each increment.
4. See number 3 above. Need I say more?
5. Learn with throw-away beans.. We sell past crop for this purpose. If you have old beans, burn through them. For a 1K, 20 roasts of learning will cost you $100. It is the best money you can spend if you want to launch your roasting career on a North.
6. Need more resources during your learning?
Seasoning the Drum
Roasting 101 – An Introduction
Roasting 102 – Rate of Rise
