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Thursday, September 13, 2007
An array of roasters
Roasting is about scale. Simply put, bigger is more consistent, but it isn't finesse. How do you overcome that? An array of small batch roasters so you can finesse your roasts.
It's an idea worth borrowing.
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So how do four small roasters equal finesse? Couldn't you finesse on one roaster?
If they were all different, I could see their permutations having some significant impact on different greens, but they all look pretty similar.
What's the advantage of four over one?
If they were all different, I could see their permutations having some significant impact on different greens, but they all look pretty similar.
What's the advantage of four over one?
On the other hand, I'd imagine that watching five small roasters at the same time would be a lot more difficult than watching one roaster that was five times larger. Then let's not forget that you have five different roasters, each of which will have individual quirks to get used to.
I don't know enough about roasting to have much of an opinion either way, but I'd need more than what seems to be an extension of the theory that smaller is better to convince me. I mean, that's the sort of knee-jerk reaction as your average consumer oohing and aahing over your unscrupulous roaster's premium "Brazil Santos" offering, thinking that because it is narrowed down to one corner of the word it is somehow better than a blend.
I don't think that you'd disagree that the only way that you're really going to be able to say that having five roasters is better is if you actually taste better results. But even then, are the results better because having five small roasters are better, or are they better because you have found a person that is so freakishly good at roasting that they can control five roasters at once?
I'll take "better tasting" over "finessed" any day, whatever the size of the roaster.
Keeping you honest ;P,
Luca
I don't know enough about roasting to have much of an opinion either way, but I'd need more than what seems to be an extension of the theory that smaller is better to convince me. I mean, that's the sort of knee-jerk reaction as your average consumer oohing and aahing over your unscrupulous roaster's premium "Brazil Santos" offering, thinking that because it is narrowed down to one corner of the word it is somehow better than a blend.
I don't think that you'd disagree that the only way that you're really going to be able to say that having five roasters is better is if you actually taste better results. But even then, are the results better because having five small roasters are better, or are they better because you have found a person that is so freakishly good at roasting that they can control five roasters at once?
I'll take "better tasting" over "finessed" any day, whatever the size of the roaster.
Keeping you honest ;P,
Luca
The 5 roasters are identical. Finesse came from a well designed small roaster - the number of the units are just there to boost output capacity.
I believed once you get your profile(s) worked out, you can stagger the roast so all 5 are running at once. Takes a lot of concentration but not impossible. And my utmost admiration to the person who can do that.
Is small better than large? Not necessary. It depends on what your goal is. The larger you go, the more consistency you will have. For certain style of roast, this is very desirable. From a business standpoint, it is also efficient.
But if your goal is to squeeze the last 5% out of the coffee at the risk of botching the roasts, then smaller (to a point) is better.
These kind of setup prob don't make any sense to most ppl. The level of control will not make much a difference with the fairly "standard" roast profiles. But for those who roast on the edge where drum rpm, multiple air damper settings, and high resolution gas setting matters, it is definitely a advantage to have the precision.
Not for everyone and definitely not economically sound - but it sure impressed this "home roaster"...
Oh, I DID taste the coffee from such "finesse" and the roaster told me the smaller units ARE indeed superior in bringing out that last bit of nuances compared to its big brothers (which he has also used). But since I could not prove to you in the cup, I can only hope you kept this "crazy" idea in the back of your head. And should opportunity arises one day (either you started roasting or have access to roaster who are willing to play with you), please give this idea a test. Just like all other "crazy stuff" that has posted on this blog, it might or might not work for you, but we think you will learn a lot in the process...
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I believed once you get your profile(s) worked out, you can stagger the roast so all 5 are running at once. Takes a lot of concentration but not impossible. And my utmost admiration to the person who can do that.
Is small better than large? Not necessary. It depends on what your goal is. The larger you go, the more consistency you will have. For certain style of roast, this is very desirable. From a business standpoint, it is also efficient.
But if your goal is to squeeze the last 5% out of the coffee at the risk of botching the roasts, then smaller (to a point) is better.
These kind of setup prob don't make any sense to most ppl. The level of control will not make much a difference with the fairly "standard" roast profiles. But for those who roast on the edge where drum rpm, multiple air damper settings, and high resolution gas setting matters, it is definitely a advantage to have the precision.
Not for everyone and definitely not economically sound - but it sure impressed this "home roaster"...
Oh, I DID taste the coffee from such "finesse" and the roaster told me the smaller units ARE indeed superior in bringing out that last bit of nuances compared to its big brothers (which he has also used). But since I could not prove to you in the cup, I can only hope you kept this "crazy" idea in the back of your head. And should opportunity arises one day (either you started roasting or have access to roaster who are willing to play with you), please give this idea a test. Just like all other "crazy stuff" that has posted on this blog, it might or might not work for you, but we think you will learn a lot in the process...
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