Lauren was so helpful getting our used Roaster listed and SOLD in record time, very communicative and proactive with every issue that arose. I’d highly recommend them to sell your used Roaster.
Mill City Roasters’ three-day Roasting 101 class was an outstanding and highly informative experience. The course was structured in a way that made the material approachable for someone who had never roasted coffee before, while still providing valuable information for those with more experience.
Lauren and Bryant did an excellent job leading the class. They were knowledgeable, patient, hardworking, and consistently went above and beyond to make sure everyone understood the material. They took the time to answer every question thoroughly and created a welcoming environment where everyone felt comfortable participating and learning.
Before attending the class, I had never roasted coffee. By the end of the three days, I felt that I had gained a strong foundation of knowledge and the confidence to begin my own roasting journey. I also left knowing that if I have questions or concerns in the future, the team at Mill City Roasters will be available and willing to help in any way they can.
I would also like to recognize Angie, Mill City’s vice president, for her kindness and assistance with my roaster’s venting requirements. She took the time to help me during my visit and continued assisting me even after I returned home. I sincerely appreciate her ongoing efforts.
Steve, Mill City’s founder, president, and storyteller, is clearly passionate about coffee roasting and deeply committed to manufacturing exceptional roasting equipment. His pride in the company, its products, and the coffee-roasting community is evident.
Overall, Roasting 101 exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who is interested in learning how to roast coffee, whether they are a complete beginner or already have some experience. Thank you to the entire Mill City Roasters team for a memorable and valuable experience.
Super fun, inviting, and informative. Great instructors and awesome experience!
I found this course to be super valuable. It's broken down to be about 1/3 roasting, 1/3 cupping and 1/3 round table discussions. The roasting part wasn't anything new (besides getting to see the new M series roasters!) but the team cupping and conversations were valuable and led to some great takeaways for our team! Would definitely recommend this class!
It's a ton of valuable information, they give you leeway to learn and screw up on the roasters, but I never felt like there were any dumb questions. If you're interested in starting a roastery this is likely as good as it gets for a 101 course.
Also there's a great dog 10/10
When I took this course I had already been roasting professionally for 5+ years, and I learned tons! I felt that Bryant, Lauren, and Steve did an excellent job at catching newcomers up to speed, and then continuing to provide a very thorough (and broad) education on coffee roasting and coffee business.
I particularly enjoyed Angie's lecture on designing a coffee roastery. She had several points that were very illuminating on roastery layout and important safety specifications that I had not thought about.
I wish we had time to dive deeper into tasting, roasting, and blending skills, however there were only three days and in that time the MCR does a great job at covering every skill a new entrepreneur will need when starting a coffee business.
Thank you Steve, Angie, Lauren, and Bryant!
The price of the Mil City Weigh and Fill is definitely an investment, and the shipping cost is not insignificant either. But once the machine is sitting in your roastery and you see how much time and effort it saves, those costs quickly become an afterthought.
The instructions could be a little better. They aren’t overly complicated, but they could be more descriptive and easier to follow, especially when getting everything set up for the first time.
That said, the additional setup and support from the Mil City team is awesome and absolutely worth it. Having their help getting the machine dialed in makes a big difference.
Once you have the machine up and running, filling bags becomes one of those jobs you no longer dread. It saves time, makes the process much easier, and is a huge improvement to the day-to-day workflow in the roastery. Overall, I’m very happy with the machine and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to improve their packaging process.
My wife and I loved our education from the most qualified staff and industry leaders, as well as our fellow leaders in the classroom all with the great passion for coffee roasting, and sensory analysis to so much to be a success in this industry. Thanks to Steve, Nick, Bryant, Lauren, Angie, Sam, and all of the team there made us feel like adopted family with much love! John and Gabriela
Hello to anyone who has any reserve about this class. Have no fear Bryant is here.. and also Mr. Steve …. But mostly Bryant!!! This class was so informative and educational. I went from being the equivalent of a blind man to being able to roast in 3 days. I would recommend this class to anyone and everyone. Whether you are wanting to start roasting or just wanting to learn. Jet coffee is eternally greatfull to Mill City for all the care and attention you put into everyday. I can’t wait to do the next class.
My wife and I just attended the roasting 101 class. We own other businesses but starting a new venture in the coffee roasting market. If you are thinking about signing up I would highly recommend this class for someone new, or if you have been in the coffee roasting business for any period of time. I don't think you'll find anyone sharper than Bryant when it comes to specialty coffee and how to make a premium product. Steve's knowledge and advice about making your brand and business successful (or what will make it not successful) was nothing short of priceless. After going through the 3 day training, I would honestly say the training is the best investment we have made this far and it should way more expensive. Mill City definitely has it together.
Amazing experience being taught the industry skills to have understanding from the top of the line of roasters and wonderful people too!
Es un equipo de mesa, no está a la alcance para emprendedores, demasiado alto su valor,
This course exceeded my expectations! It was recommended to my husband and me by another person in the coffee roasting industry. He gave it high praise and he was not wrong. We are new to roasting and currently have the Aillio Bullet R2 1kg roaster (electric). We weren't sure how the knowledge would translate from their larger scale, gas roasters. We learned the science is the same regardless of what you're roasting on. And, you really have to get to know YOUR roaster. Every roaster is going to roast a little bit different.
Bryant and Lauren are incredible educators! They are so dynamic in their teaching styles. They're able to communicate and educated to whatever level you are at. They patiently answered all of our questions and we truly learned so much. We are incredibly thankful for the opportunity and for everything we learned. I can't recommend this course enough! If you're new to roasting or if you've been thinking about getting into roasting/starting a business, this class is definitely for you.
Love it! Great quality :)
Lauren and Bryant are as kind as they are knowledgeable. We have been operating for a while and still learned a ton at this class while having a great time. I'd recommend it to anyone.
As a small business owner, I always weigh the true cost of professional development—not just the tuition, but the lost time and operational stress of being away from my shop. I can confidently assure you that Roasting 201 is worth every penny and minute.
If you took Roasting 101, you already know how knowledgeable and approachable Lauren and Bryant are. Roasting 201 builds on that foundation. The class was smaller, highly collaborative, and packed with hands-on practice. The deep dive into sensory skill building was exceptionally valuable. Thank you!
The Roasting 101 class was an amazing deep dive into building out your foundation as a coffee roaster. Weather new to the industry as a whole or a long time professional building up your knowledge pool. There is information here for everyone. Both Lauren and Bryant are amazing instructors and really know how to meet people where they are at in the journey.
I cannot think of enough words to describe how incredible Mill City Roasters was as an educational resource. My business partner and I are beginning to plan our roasting business and after taking their roasting 101 class we both feel both more prepared and more excited than ever to begin roasting.
Our instructors, Lauren and Bryant, were excellent teachers who explained the foundations in ways that were accessible and digestible. They took time to answer the questions we had thoughtfully and they really made us feel like part of their team.
I am very new to coffee and my business partner has been working in coffee for roughly 20 years and even has solid roasting experience but both of us got so much out of this class.
Even more wonderful than the knowledge itself was just how fun it was. Lauren and Bryant helped to foster an environment where everyone in the class (all 15 of us who came from all across the country with different levels of experience and ambitions) was laughing together while learning together. It was a really remarkable few days that I won't soon forget and will remember fondly and vividly.
Thank you to Lauren and Bryant and everyone else at Mill City Roasters.
I can't recommend this class enough! Bryant, Lauren, Steve and Angie have a wealth of information from years and years in the industry. I've owned cafes for a little over 4 years and I'm planning to start roasting this year. In this class I learned a lot not just about roasting coffee, but a lot about starting a roasting business and I had a great time networking with other coffee professionals. I feel 100x more confident in my ability to operate a coffee roasting program and I've made connections that I know will be valuable throughout my career. If you are considering signing up for this class, do yourself a favor and go for it. This is truly one of the best investments I've made in myself and my business.
The coffee roasting workshop at Millcity was easily one of the best experiences I’ve had as a coffee enthusiast! Whether you are a total beginner or an aspiring roaster, this workshop is an absolute must.
The instructors were incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, and patient, breaking down the art and science of roasting into manageable, engaging, and hands-on steps. I learned so much about the journey of the bean, from green to cup, and came away with a clear understanding of complex concepts like heat management and the "first crack."
Lauren, Bryan and everyone at mill city is professional, creative, enthusiastic and passionate about coffee. They are a joy to be around and i learned a lot from the class. Will be looking forward to seeing them again:)
If you are considering whether this service is worth it, the answer is without hesitation YES!!! Even with our own design experience in building out our entire coffee shop ourselves, when it came to building out the roast room and green staging room, we are so incredibly grateful we used this service. We didn't know what we didn't know, and had we moved forward with our original plans, we would have ended up with major regrets and annoyances that were completely avoided by working with Angie. She has an unmatched wealth of experience in both the design world and roasting world, so in combination she truly provides the perfect perspective needed in the decision making process. Her schematics made planning the space so much easier, she asked questions and provided insights and options based on what she gathered and learned about us and our business, and she is simply a gem to work with.
Moving forward, if we have any additional expansion or new building plans, there is no doubt in my mind we’ll be using this service again. It is BEYOND worth the financial expense, I can promise you that!
All three of our management team members came to take the roasting 101 class and each of us left incredibly thankful that we did! It is a significant financial and time investment but it is absolutely worth it! Lauren and Bryant are wonderful teachers! Every part of the class is intentionally thought through and overseen by them. They walk you through everything from coffee origin to processing to importing to cupping then of course roasting. Lauren is a wealth of knowledge and she will instill great confidence in your professional development throughout the class. If you're concerned about the one on one time while roasting, don't be! Bryant is incredibly hands on and coaches you on each machine each day. By the end of class you will be confident that you are able to drive a roast profile. The class also covers various business topics from marketing to building design to state regulations. The CEO Steve and VP Angie take time to teach and answer questions for all students as well!
We also were truly grateful for all of Mill City Roasting's wonderful hospitality throughout the entire experience! Plus who doesn't love a shop dog to greet you everyday?!
I walked into the Roasting 101 workshop having never roasted a day in my life, while some of my classmates already ran their own businesses. Yet, the experience was exceptional for everyone. Despite only knowing what I’d seen on YouTube, I never felt out of place.
The instructors, Lauren and Bryant, were incredible—they taught the art of roasting, cupping, and sensory training with hands-on guidance that left me feeling both challenged and empowered. Angie provided straightforward, invaluable advice on roastery business design and regulations, and Steve’s passion and wisdom were truly magnetic.
I left class after every day reflecting on how everyone was so genuinely kind. It was honestly one of the best workshops I’ve ever taken. Whether you've been roasting for a while, or a total beginner, take this workshop!
This was one of the best classes I've been able to take part in over my professional career. Lauren and Bryant do a fantastic job on delivering the course and helping students truly understand the basics of roasting coffee. Every part of the day is strategically planned out and you are learning from the best in the business. This class is well worth the money and I would do it all over again.