Pemanggangan atau roasting kopi adalah sebuah proses yang mengubah biji kopi dari biji kopi hijau mentah menjadi biji berwarna coklat yang merupakan produk akhir, dengan menggunakan energi panas. Para roaster kopi akan berusaha untuk menciptakan aroma dan citarasa yang terkunci di dalam biji kopi hijau melalui proses roasting kopi tersebut.

Proses roasting kopi bukanlah proses yang sederhana, terdapat berbagai metode roasting yang memberikan hasil akhir yang amat beragam. Dalam proses ini, mulai dari 800 hingga 1.000 senyawa aromatik dikembangkan, dan kombinasi senyawa ini akan mempengaruhi rasa kopi saat diseduh.

Pada saat biji kopi hijau melalui proses roasting kopi ini, ratusan reaksi kimia terjadi di saat yang bersamaan. Upaya mengendalikan reaksi-reaksi inilah yang merupakan sebuah tantangan bagi para roaster kopi. Bahkan perubahan yang amat kecil pada suhu, kelembapan, aliran udara, dan waktu roasting dapat membuat variasi yang signifikan pada hasil akhir yang kita cicipi di dalam cangkir kopi, oleh karena itu seorang roaster kopi perlu untuk sangat teliti dalam rutinitas dan lingkungan di sekitar tempat roasting.

Apa Yang Sebenarnya Terjadi Selama Proses Roasting Kopi

Ada tiga tahapan utama yang terjadi selama proses roasting kopi:

1. Tahap Pengeringan

Rata-rata biji kopi mentah memiliki kelembaban sekitar 12%. Tahap pertama dari proses roasting kopi adalah mengeringkan biji kopi sebelum waktu roasting yang sebenarnya dimulai. pengendalian suhu sangat penting selama tahap ini agar biji tidak terbakar karena terlalu banyak panas di awal.

2. Tahap Browning

Senyawa aromatik mulai dilepaskan setelah tahap pengeringan dan proses dilanjutkan ke tahap browning atau pencoklatan. Ini adalah tahap di mana proses roasting kopi mulai melambat sehingga rasa dan aroma biji kopi dapat dilepaskan sepenuhnya. Pada akhir tahap pencoklatan, biji kopi mulai meletus – ini disebut “retakan pertama” dan menandai dimulainya tahap development atau pengembangan.

3. Tahap Development atau Roasting

Selama dua tahap sebelumnya, biji kopi telah mengumpulkan energi yang membuatnya meletus. Tahap pengembangan adalah saat senyawa aromatik yang diinginkan benar-benar berkembang. Pada tahap ini, proses roasting kopi diperlambat untuk menghindari aroma asap dan rasa yang terlalu tajam.

Setelah ketiga tahap ini selesai, biji kopi didinginkan kembali sebelum siap untuk dikemas dan dijual. Tersedia banyak variasi produk akhir, namun secara umum ada empat kategori warna untuk biji kopi sangrai yaitu: terang, sedang, gelap-sedang dan gelap.

Berbagai Peran Seorang Roaster Kopi

Pekerjaan seorang roaster kopi yang paling penting adalah menguasai mesin roasting. Seorang roaster kopi bertanggung jawab untuk menghasilkan biji kopi sesuai kualitas yang diharapkan melalui proses roasting. Roaster kopi bekerja secara konsisten pada profil roasting tertentu, dengan menggunakan sejumlah parameter yang diikuti selama proses roasting kopi untuk mencapai hasil yang sama di setiap batch.

Dengan Mesin Roasting Berto, proses roasting kopi menjadi lebih mudah. Mesin roasting kopi kami dilengkapi dengan Kontrol Kurva, replikator profil otomatis yang akan membantu menjaga konsistensi biji kopi sehingga tidak menjadi masalah siapa yang mengoperasikan mesin roasting tersebut, setiap batch dapat menghasilkan profil yang konsisten.

Tugas seorang roaster kopi tidak hanya sekedar memanggang biji kopi hingga kering untuk dijual di toko, kedai kopi, restoran, atau kafe. Seringkali tanggung jawab mereka juga mencakup pembelian biji kopi terpilih dari seluruh dunia dan memanggangnya untuk mendapatkan profil rasa yang optimal. Tugas tersebut mungkin juga mencakup negosiasi dengan pedagang kopi grosir atau petani kopi. Seorang roaster kopi harus benar-benar mencintai kopi dan memiliki pengetahuan yang mendalam tentang biji kopi khusus.

Di bawah ini adalah banyak tugas roaster kopi:

• Menemukan biji kopi berkualitas baik
• Menguasai mesin roasting kopi
• Menjaga mesin roasting agar tetap dalam kondisi baik
• Menganalisa data dari catatan roasting
• Merencanakan jadwal roasting
• Melacak dan menjaga inventaris biji kopi hijau dan juga hasil akhir yang akan dijual
• Mencicipi secara teratur untuk memastikan konsistensi produk akhir
• Bereksperimen dengan profil roasting yang berbeda
• Mengembangkan variasi kopi baru
• Mengelola dan mengajar staf
• Mengedukasi pelanggan dengan melakukan sesi cupping, lokakarya, dan menjawab aneka pertanyaan
• Penjualan dan pemasaran produk

Singkatnya, seorang roaster kopi bukan ‘hanya’ sekedar roaster, mereka juga berperan sebagai  seniman, ilmuwan, insinyur, pengrajin, guru, mentor, influencer, dan juga pebisnis.

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Selecting A Commercial Coffee Roaster Machine

If you are looking to buy or upgrade your commercial coffee roaster machine into a large-scale roaster, there are basic things like durability, size, cleanability, and price that you need to consider. The decision will depend on how much green coffee beans you plan to produce each day, your projected capacity over time, your existing and potential markets, your long-term business plan and goals, and how much you can invest in the coffee roasting machine.

In addition, there are some other considerations beyond the roasting machine itself, such as:

• Floor space
• Gas supply
• Ventilation
• Storage space
• Logistics for supplies and distribution

Once all these considerations are factored in and all potential problems are solved, then you can start looking for the perfect commercial coffee roaster machine. You would do well to invest smartly in a large-scale coffee roaster that suits your business with all the right functions as well as capacity. We offer you our best solution, our Berto R-Roaster series.

The Best Large Scale Commercial Coffee Roaster Machine: Berto R-Roaster

Berto R-Roaster is a commercial coffee roasting machine that offers 100% hot air heat transfer for higher consistency, a smokeless system, a touch screen control panel, and a fully automated roasting capability. These superior convection roasters are available in three large drum capacities that you can choose from, 8kg, 20kg, and 60kg. 

Other useful benefits of Berto R-Roaster:

Smooth operation

Everything can be monitored from the touch-screen control panel, with an option to pre-program the roast progress in Recipe mode for a fully automated batch.

Consistent quality

Berto R-Roaster uses a recirculated convection system, in which the ambient temperature has minimum impact on the roast temperature. This results in more consistent product quality and higher repeatability between batches.

Durable and stylish

Our machine is extremely durable, with a stylish design using stainless steel SAE304 material that is also food grade, which will be an added advantage when applying for your local regulatory certification.

Low emission

We take pride that our smoke-free system produces a very low emission that is safe for the environment. The exhaust air from the drum is sent to a high-performance cyclone and then channeled into the furnace, resulting in significantly reduced emissions.

Improved safety features

Berto R-Roaster has improved, high-tech safety features such as gas leak detectors, low-pressure alarms, flame failure detectors, and safe shut down. 

Fast bean cooling

Lock in the flavor of the coffee beans with a high-speed cooling system that reaches room temperature within minutes. With this feature, the roasted coffee beans are brought back to their initial temperature in a very short time to avoid over-burning.

Berto R-Roasters are the ultimate production rosters for medium to large-scale commercial coffee roasters and coffee distributors. With its three large drum capacities and superior features, we believe our roaster machines are the best solution to help you grow and expand the production and distribution of your coffee business to great new heights. With Berto R-Roasters, you can work ON your business, not IN your business in the coffee industry.

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The Definition of Drum Speed

A drum-style roaster has a roasting chamber that rotates to turn the coffee beans again and again during the roasting process. Drum roaster speed is defined by the speed at which the drum rotates inside the roasting chamber, measured by Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). As the drum turns, the coffee beans are rotated inside. The slower the drum speed, the coffee beans are turned less, and the faster the drum speed, the more coffee beans are turned.

Why Is Drum Speed Important?

Inside the roasting machine, the green coffee beans are exposed to both direct and indirect heat. The direct heat is when the beans are in contact with the hot wall of the drum (conductive heat), and indirect heat is from the warm air around the drum (convective heat). Convective heat transfer is considered more efficient as the heat penetrates and roasts the coffee beans from the inside out. Click here to read more about heat transfers inside the drum roaster.

The drum speed has an impact on how long the beans make contact with the drum wall, and also the fall time (the brief cooling time as the coffee beans tumble inside the drum). The slower the rotation speed, the longer the coffee beans are in contact with the direct heat from the wall. This means a greater risk of over-roasting and the result is scorched beans that carry an undesirable burnt flavor. On the other hand, if the drum roaster speed is too high, the beans will continue to be pushed against the drum wall by its centrifugal force and it may never drop.

How To Manage Drum Speed Efficiently

A coffee roaster’s job is to establish constant and uniform heat transfer from the roasting machine to the coffee beans. Just as coffee roasters adjust the temperature at different stages of coffee roasting, the drum speed can be used to help develop flavor and aroma. There is no set rule about how fast or how slow the drum speed should be, but in general the bigger the drum barrel, the slower it should run.

Coffee roasters achieve the desired roast profile using the variables of time, temperature, and airflow to work in an optimum ratio. By manipulating it correctly, the drum roaster speed can affect the overall temperature in the drum chamber, how the coffee beans interact with the airflow, and the coffee roasting time as well. All three variables of the roast are affected by the change in drum speed, and ultimately the taste of the roasted coffee beans.

Many commercial coffee roasting machines now have the ability to adjust the speed at which the drum rotates. This means coffee roasters are able to control how the beans are rotated inside the drum and how the two methods of heat transfer (conductive and convective) are affecting them. But even if the roasting machine had a fixed drum speed, coffee roasters should make sure that their machine runs at a steady speed by noting the RPM and checking it from time to time.

Berto Roasters offers smart drum roasting machines made for small to medium scale cafes and coffee roasters. Aside from their tough yet stylish stainless steel body, advanced functions, and superior safety settings, Berto Roaster machines also have variable drum speed that coffee roasters can experiment with to achieve their desired roast profile. Available in several different sizes, Berto Roasters have all the right features so you can focus on growing your business.

The post Understanding Drum Speed in Coffee Roaster Machines appeared first on Berto Coffee Roaster.

1. The world’s first coffee roasters: The Turks

The coffee history said that when coffee was first discovered around 800 A.D. in Ethiopia, the coffee cherries were eaten raw. After coffee started to gain popularity and made its way into Arabia, the Turkish people were the first one to roast coffee beans in the 15th century. Their rudimentary method was by throwing the coffee beans into an open fire, then roasted coffee beans were crushed and the ground bits were boiled, creating a “bean broth” to be enjoyed.

2. A coffee roaster controls 90% of the brewed coffee quality

The roasting process starts with the selection of good quality coffee beans, which accounts for about 60% of the brewed coffee quality. Another 30% goes to the trial and error in the roasting process, final sorting, and storage. This leaves the remaining 10% to the barista who brews the coffee. This is why it is important for passionate coffee roasters to source only the best specialty green coffee beans, with minimal or zero defect, and roast them into perfection.

3. Roasting brings out the flavor of the coffee beans and also kills it at the same time

The coffee roasting process unlocks the flavor of the green coffee beans, and at the same time starts the chemical reactions that eventually lead to the beans turning stale. This is due to the fact that over time during the roasting process, as carbon dioxide gas is being released, oxidation also happens that soon will make the coffee taste stale. Also, the roasting process releases two particular chemical substances, methanethiol, and 2-methyl-propanal, that give the coffee its highly intense aroma but start to lose the intensity as soon as two hours after roasting. This is why coffee beans are usually shipped in their green bean state and only roasted at their final destination, and coffee roasters really have to consider stock and storage time to get the maximum freshness.

4. Dark roast does not mean more caffeine

Although many people assume that dark roast coffee is stronger than light roast, actually the longer roasting process leads to more breakdown of caffeine content. This means that dark roasts actually have lower caffeine content when compared to their light counterparts. However, the longer coffee beans are roasted, the less dense they become, which means they weigh less so there are more beans per cup. So all in all, the liquid light and dark coffee will end up having the same caffeine content.

5. Freshly roasted coffee is NOT the best

The roasting process releases carbon dioxide gas from the coffee bean, this stage is known as “degassing”. Brewing the beans before the degassing process is concluded will result in a metallic flavor in the coffee drink. Coffee roasters should look for the right balance for the degassing time to attain maximum release of the gas and minimum loss of flavor. This means the best time for grinding and brewing coffee can take anytime between 2 to 12 days after roasting.

Where to get your coffee roasting machine?

At Berto Coffee Roaster, we have coffee roasters in different capacities to suit your business needs. Please browse our Products page for more information, or contact us with your questions. We will be happy to hear from you.

The post Five Cool Facts About Coffee Roasting appeared first on Berto Coffee Roaster.

Different Green Coffee Beans, Different Results

The first step to choose the right green coffee beans is to know the beans. There are so many green bean varieties available from around the world, each with different characteristics which affect both how you should roast the beans and how the coffee tastes. Here are some important points to consider when selecting the right green coffee beans:

1. Variety

The coffee species and variety have a strong impact on the brewed coffee. Coffee roasters should taste as many coffee varieties as possible, and pay attention to how they differ. Compare different varieties grown in the same region and the same variety grown across different regions, and notice how the variety can affect your cup.

2. Origin

The origin of the coffee determines the conditions on which the coffee plants are grown, such as: the climate, the humidity, the altitude and the soil quality of the area. All these factors greatly affect the beans’ aroma and flavor. To compare, roasters should start from big to small – tasting coffee from different countries, then narrow down to different regions in one country, before comparing the different coffees from various farms in one area.

3. Processing

Processing is how coffee beans are removed from the fruit. There are generally two common methods for processing, namely the dry processing and the wet processing. In the dry processing method, typically after picking the coffee fruits are left out to dry under the sun before removing the bean. This gives green coffee beans that have sweeter, more distinct flavour. Whereas in the wet processing method, the beans are removed from the fruit before the drying stage, which will result in less sweet green beans with cleaner acidity. Different regions have their own unique processing methods too, such as moonsooned, wet hull, experimental etc.

4. Storage

Green coffee beans should be stored in a cool and dry place without direct sunlight, to avoid mold and prevent the beans from drying out and losing flavour. Use the green beans as soon as possible to maintain freshness and brew that perfect cup for your customers.

To read about grading and classification of green coffee beans, read here.

The Next Step

Knowing which green coffee beans we like means a lot of coffee tasting before we decide which one is the right one for our businesses. Try a wide variety of different coffees, rate and take notes on acidity, sweetness, body or mouthfeel, and aftertaste. Comment on flavors and aroma as well.

The cost factor also plays a big part, since the price of the coffee we sell has to make sense for our customers. Some suppliers only sell in large quantities, we need to carefully consider inventory management to avoid losing money over unfinished stock that already lost its flavour.

Another factor we need to consider is the availability. Since coffee is an agricultural product, it has different seasons throughout the world for harvesting. Some green beans may be harder to find during a particular season.

Once we buy the green coffee beans, it is time to experiment with roasting. Try roasting the same lot with several different roast profiles to determine which one brings the best results. Evaluate the roasts by doing regular cupping sessions. To read our past articles about stages of coffee roasting and cupping, read here.

So, are you ready to get started?

The post How To Choose Green Coffee Beans appeared first on Berto Coffee Roaster.

What is Coffee Cupping?

Coffee Cupping, also known as Coffee Tasting, is the practice of evaluating the flavour and aroma of brewed coffee. It usually consists of deeply inhaling the aroma of the coffee, followed by slurping the coffee to make sure it spread to the back of the tongue. With this process, the cupper tries to assess the coffee’s characteristics, such as the aroma, flavour, body and aftertaste.

During the cupping session, hot water is poured onto ground coffee beans directly into the cup and left to steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Afterwards, the crust is broken, the infusion is mixed and the foamy head removed. The coffee needs to cool down for about 7 minutes prior to tasting, to allow the flavors to develop and also to avoid burning the tongue. At an average cupping session, the cupper may sample coffee from various coffee bean origins and/or from different batches.

Coffee cupping is conducted by many people in the coffee industry. For green coffee buyers, cupping can assist in the decision-making process before buying certain coffee beans. For coffee roasters, a cupping session means evaluating a roast profile to ensure the quality of the roast is carried out consistently. For baristas, a cupping session can be a way to expand the palate, to get in-depth knowledge of various coffee origins, or even for competition purposes. For non-professional coffee enthusiasts, a cupping session can be an endless learning process to get to know coffee at a higher level.

Recognizing Flavors During A Cupping Session

During a coffee tasting session, there are many flavors that the tester may come across, but there are three that may stand out in particular. These flavors are:

Bitterness

Tasters often use this flavor to indicate the degree of roast, as a very dark roast always tastes more bitter. Bitterness can also be a result of insufficient airflow inside the roaster machine. It is recommended to experiment with different airflow settings to get different results.

Acidity

Acidity is a desirable sharp taste in your coffee that significantly attributes to the quality and the price of the roasted beans. Roasting coffee with a shorter development time will draw the acidic flavors out of the coffee beans. In order to do that, higher heat is necessary throughout the roast. However, starting the roast with too high heat may cause scorching and shorten the roasting time, which may prevent the coffee beans from fully releasing their natural sweetness, so balance is the key here.

Sweetness

Sweetness is the heart of specialty coffee. The sweetness perception in coffee is commonly associated with nutty, chocolate or caramel aroma. This is a flavor that compliments the complexity of the roast to make the coffee more enjoyable to drink. The roasting process causes the sugar in the coffee beans to caramelize to release the sweetness.

Ideally, coffee roasters aim to find a balance between these three flavors.

Avoiding the Pitfalls

A lot of things can go wrong during cupping sessions. Below are some tips to conduct a successful cupping session:

1. Know your beans and eliminate defects
2. Use the right roast profile for your beans
3. Record your roasts and analyze the data
4. Create a consistent condition for your cupping sessions, such as: grinder setting, water quality, steep-in time
5. Evaluate the cupping sessions using Cupping Forms and Scoresheets
6. Practice, hold cupping sessions regularly

In conclusion, conducting regular cupping sessions to rate the roasting process can help maintain the consistent quality of the end roasted coffee beans. To achieve this goal, the cupping session needs to be organised with consistent parameters and conditions.

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