introduction:
We all buy bags of coffee from roasters.
But what does a toaster actually do?
Do they just roast it? Or does the coffee go through a long journey to reach this quality?
Let's go behind the scenes and see how the story begins... from a green seed, to a flavor that distinguishes your morning.
1. Choosing green coffee (Green Coffee Sourcing)
☕ It all starts with the farmer and the source.
Specialty coffee roasters:
- Deal directly with suppliers or farms
- Select coffee by breed, processing, height, quality.
- Looking for coffee that has "character," not just an ordinary taste?
🎯 Coffee is often "microlot" or "seasonal crop" with precise specifications.
2. Green Coffee Evaluation (Sample Roasting + Cupping)
🚨 Coffee is not roasted all the time!
First step: roasting very small samples for tasting (cupping).
✔️ Evaluated:
- cleanliness
- balance
- Flavors
- Roasting capability
📌 If the test passes? A larger batch is purchased.
3. Roast Profile Design
🔥 This is where "science and art" begin.
Each type of coffee requires a different roasting profile depending on:
- Type of processing (washed? dried? lactic?)
- Density and humidity
- Target taste (clear? heavy? sweet? floral?)
💡 Some roasters conduct multiple roasting tests before approving the final file.
4. Production Roasting
🌀 Roasting is done using professional machines such as Giesen or Probat.
📋 Each batch is accurately recorded (temperature, time, time of first pop…)
🎯 Goal: Consistent flavor and consistent results.
5. Packaging
After cooling, it is done:
- Sifting coffee from any impurities
- Packaged in custom bags with a ventilation valve.
- Provide accurate information : country, strain, processing, flavors, roasting date.
🎯 This distinguishes specialty roasters from regular coffee.
6. Delivery or sale
📦 Some roasters ship nationwide or internationally.
🏪 Some of them sell through online stores or branches.
🎁 Some of them offer them in packages or monthly subscriptions.
✅ Conclusion:
Behind every bag of specialty coffee is a complete experience…
Careful selection, tasting, calculated roasting, professional packaging.
A roaster doesn't just "roast" beans — they translate the farmer's taste into your cup.
If someone asks you, "What makes a specialty coffee different?", tell them, "The roaster makes a difference."