7 Key Roasting Requirements for any Roaster

Coffee roasting and roast levels are becoming a more common topic among consumers, and roasting coffee is becoming a more common practice for many coffee professionals and nerds. Roasting coffee has many benefits: it can ensure you are drinking fresh coffee and make your coffee drinking experience more personable. If you are intrigued by roasting but don't know how to start, then keep reading the 7 key requirements I have shared below.

No.1 Purchase a suitable roaster   

You need to start by selecting a roaster that fits your goal. For example, if you are a coffee shop owner, you need to take into account your sales. You don't want to underproduce, but you also don't want to produce more than you need. You also need to think through whether you would use electricity or gas. If you are just a coffee nerd that wants to roast for fun, then you only need to buy a roaster with a smaller capacity. After purchasing the machine, familiarize yourself with your new metal friend; learn how to control temperature, air flow, learn where first and second cracks are, how much heat your machine retains, etc.

No.2 Understand your green beans

The next task is to understand your green beans. Have you ever paid attention to the density, size, moisture content or processing method before starting to roast? How does this information affect roasting? 

Bean density reflects the structure of beans; the higher the density, the tighter the structure of the bean is. If a bean has a high density, it will take longer to absorb heat, leading you to start at a higher temperature or to extend roast time. Therefore, when roasting, we try not to blend beans of different densities.

Similarly, different bean sizes and moisture contents have different heat requirements. If we blend beans of different sizes and moisture contents together, it will affect the consistency of roasting.

Also, different processing methods affect the roasting but this is more apparent in the flavor of the coffee.

No.3 Keep a roast log

In order to maintain consistency, it is necessary to record as much information as possible: green bean weight, bean temperature, flame, air flow, ROR, turning point, first crack, second crack, ending time, ending temperature, and final roasted bean weight. All of this information will help you to analyze your roast, allowing you to accurately adjust your roast plan.

No.4 ROR

ROR (the Rate of temperature Rise) is commonly calculated by the rate of temperature that increases per minute. The number reflects the heat supply in roasting and the speed of roasting. A high ROR means more heat is being applied, increasing roast speed. A low ROR means the heat is being slowly applied, leading to a slower roast speed.

No.5 Have a Plan

A roast plan should include the flavor expectations of this coffee, the time required to achieve this goal, the development time, bean temperature, the end temperature, the power and airflow used throughout the roast.

No.6 Cup your coffee



We can make a roast plan and complete the roasting log to match perfectly, but the taste is king. The goal is to have a delicious cup of coffee. Every roaster needs to evaluate their coffee from the quality of the cup. So a good roaster should have the ability to cup coffee, distinguish flavors, and describe their coffee to their customers.

No.7 Maintenance 

Whether you buy a machine that is expensive or cheap, you need to follow the manual to carry out routine maintenance. Routine maintenance will ensure that the machine is working properly, help extend the life span of your metal friend, as well as guarantee safety during production.

What other key steps are there in roasting? Anything you think I should spend more time explaining? Please share any advice or questions with me!

Promotions and raises? As a barista, what’s the next step to your career in coffee?

Waiting for your boss to give you a raise? Wake up, baristas!

First of all, congratulations!

If you’re into the coffee industry because of passion, congratulations! As the saying goes, interest is the best teacher – a man who is fond of what he learns is more likely to achieve greater heights than one who is not. It’s a lucky thing to have your work as your passion, and you have infinite possibilities for blossoming in this industry simply because you love what you do.

So, lucky one, we’d like to have a chat with you on how you can turn your passion into profit. Needless to say, you may have big dreams and great ambitions to achieve, perhaps even a list of goals to give it your all in the coffee industry:

Join competitions and be a champion barista;

Open a successful café;

Own your own coffee business and etc.

No matter how big or small your dreams are, what’s important is to take them one step at a time. Whether you’ve just started off as a barista, or you’ve been working at the bar counter for some time and you’re looking to take on the challenge of a higher role, we have a few suggestions for you to start planning your career in the coffee industry.

1.

Develop basic professionalism: you’re here to work, not play around!

Without a doubt, the job of a barista looks pretty cool at first glance! Stylish environments, relaxing music, fancy haircuts and tattoos, lighthearted conversations with customers… all of these sounds very appealing indeed.

As a barista, this is probably the basics of your daily routine. Putting aside what you see on the surface, let’s take a look at the core of what the job is actually about – an operator behind the coffee bar counter.

Forgive me for being blunt, but the truth is, this job is not as different from other jobs as you may think. As a barista, you are part of a team, and you are responsible towards your employer and colleagues. Thus, these are the essential professional qualities you should have:

1. Be punctual (It’s not a joke :) )

2. Communicate actively (This is the basis for all miracles)

3. Work as a team, don't be the black sheep (Make your presence known within the team and you shall feel belonged)

4. And most importantly – be humble! (" I did well today, but I'll do better tomorrow.")

Being a barista is not only the first step in your coffee career, it’s also a stepping stone towards being a true professional in the coffee industry.

2.

Skills are important, but they’re not everything!

Imagine this – you, keeping your nose to the grindstone behind the bar counter to practice latte art daily, going the extra mile to watch online tutorials on latte art during your free time, all for the sake of creating an outstanding piece of artwork that will impress your customers and make your colleagues envious.

This is a common example. Most baristas, especially newcomers to the industry, are often dedicated to learning a particular skill. There’s nothing wrong with focusing on improving your skills, but if you think that’s all your job concerns, you couldn’t be more wrong!

Don’t forget that you’re in the service industry. Aside from preparing beverages behind the bar counter, you’re also in charge of washing the cups, mopping the floors, cleaning the washrooms, and ensuring that every customer has a pleasant experience at the café.

So, please use the same level of attentiveness and enthusiasm you have when practicing your latte art skills, as well as an open mind and a positive attitude, to delve into every little task and responsibility of the job. Learn the little things that seem trivial, whether it’s being a master at cleaning or an expert in customer service.

Use the same degree of professionalism in perfecting every beverage, even if it’s a simple cup of Americano.

4.

Selling is the key. Promotions and raises are not a dream!

When you have achieved the above, start thinking how you can make more money for the company. We all tend to think the same way – “As a barista, my job is to make good coffee for customers. I’m not a salesperson, what has sales got to do with my position? That’s what the manager should worry about.” If you’re still thinking that way, maybe you should change the way you think, because in the social-oriented fast retailing industry today, everyone is a salesperson!

Don’t know how to sell?

I suggest you experience it personally at the first floor of any shopping mall departmental store, where the premium makeup and skincare brands are.

The sales people there have top-notch selling skills; do observe how they use their professional knowledge to provide services, how they treat every customer seriously, and how they take every recommendation to heart, resulting in you spending without knowing until you leave the counter.

The same methodology applies to the daily operations of a café. Gain basic financial knowledge from your head barista, procurement staff, and boss by looking into the cost of materials, rent, water, and electricity. Observe customers’ beverage preferences, habits, visiting hours, and even remember their names to increase sales and repeat sales.

Evaluate your sales at the end of each month and take the initiative to ask your supervisor or employer if there’s anything you can improve on. After a few months or a year, you might have the opportunity to negotiate with your boss.

Be sincere and let them know the efforts you have made and the results you have achieved so far. What employer would not want to retain staffs that help their business generate profits? It's a win-win situation.

China's coffee industry is prospering, especially this year. We’ve seen more and more capital being invested, large foreign brands rushing to first tier cities, and even in smaller towns, cafés are everywhere.

If you love coffee and are keen on developing yourself in this industry, now’s your chance to improve your qualifications and become a competitive coffee professional!

All the best!