A coffee roaster is effectively a large rotating oven that heats coffee beans through convection and conduction. The beans are normally dropped into the roaster from the top, a typical gas operating drum roaster has a large funnel which the beans are tipped into prior to the start of the roast.

When the coffee is ready to start roasting and the machine is at the right temperature the chamber that joins the drum to the funnel is open and the raw coffee beans drop into the roaster.

Levels of gas are controlled, as is normally the drum speed and the airflow. All of which are important variables which need constant attention throughout the roast.

When the raw coffee is dropped into the roaster the temperature gauges will detect an overall loss in temperature as the green beans cool down the preheated drum. Each step of the roast is recorded either manually or automatically uploaded into roasting software.

This gives the roaster an idea of what is happening inside the drum and therefore is able to adjust variables accordingly.

When a desired roast profile has been achieved the roasted coffee beans are dropped onto the cooling tray and the coffee is quickly brought to room temperature to avoid the coffee becoming over roasted.

Who is the best coffee roaster?

The SCA (Speciality coffee association) hosts the annual Coffee roasting championship. Debuting it 2013 the three day event evaluates competitors on their ability to grade green coffee, produce a roast profile which accentuates the desired characteristics and the overall cup quality.

Having said that, coffee like any food and beverage is all about preference and taste. So if you think your local roaster is the best in the world - why the hell not!

Is there a coffee roaster near me?

Find your local coffee roaster on the above map.

How to become coffee roaster?

There are many coffee roasting courses available today, some of which are official SCA approved courses while others are put together by established coffee roasters.

If it is something you are looking to pursue as a career and you’re new to the coffee industry I would recommend approaching an independent coffee roaster for cafe or production jobs first to gain some coffee experience.

If you have worked in the industry before I would firstly before taking a course, look at gaining some experience on a coffee roaster even if it’s for a few hours at a weekend. Most coffee people are decent folk and given there is a passion you should be able to at least shadow the roaster.

How long does it take to roast coffee?

A commercial coffee roaster will usually take anywhere from 9 minutes to 15 minutes depending on the size of the coffee roaster and the size of the batch.

This is very similar to a home roaster, some of the larger machines may take up to 25 minutes to roast a batch of coffee at full capacity while a more technologically and mechanically advanced home coffee roaster may only tale 7 minutes to roast a batch of coffee.

Before brewing coffee it is important to rest the roasted coffee for around 5 - 7 days.

What’s the difference between Drum and Fluid Bed roasting?

The main difference between a drum and fluid bed roaster is how the coffee is roasted.

A drum roaster rotates the coffee while the bottom of the machine is heated resulting in the coffee beans roasting mainly through conduction as the beans touch the sides of the roasting drum while a small amount of convection heating when the beans are airborne in rotation. Drum roasters are usually gas-powered, especially at a commercial level.

Fluid bed coffee roasters that are also known as convection coffee roasters or air roasters use super-hot air that is forced through the coffee beans elevating and suspending them in the air while at the same time mixing the beans resulting in an even and uniform roast. Fluid bed coffee roasters are usually electric and generally seen as a little environmentally cleaner than gas-powered drum roasters.

Coffee Roaster Map

COFFEE ROASTERS NEAR ME

Coffee Roaster Map UK and Ireland

Discover The UK’s Best Coffee Roasters

Coffee Roasters - London

Coffee Roasters in East London

Coffee Roasters in South London

Coffee Roasters in West London

Coffee Roasters in North London

Coffee Roasters - South East

Coffee Roasters in Brighton

Coffee Roasters in Cambridge

Coffee Roasters in Essex

Coffee Roasters in Guildford

Coffee Roasters in Hampshire

Coffee Roasters in Hertfordshire

Coffee Roasters in Ipswich

Coffee Roasters in Kent

Coffee Roasters in Margate

Coffee Roasters in Norwich

Coffee Roasters in Reading

Coffee Roasters in Portsmouth

Coffee Roasters in Southampton

Coffee Roasters in Sussex

Coffee Roasters - South West

Coffee Roasters in Axminster

Coffee Roasters in Bournemouth

Coffee Roasters in Bath

Coffee Roasters in Bristol

Coffee Roasters in Cheltenham

Coffee Roasters in Cirencester

Coffee Roasters in Cornwall

Coffee Roasters in Dorset

Coffee Roasters in Exeter

Coffee Roasters in Gloucester

Coffee Roasters - Midlands

Coffee Roasters in Birmingham

Coffee Roasters in Derby

Coffee Roasters in Leicester

Coffee Roasters in Nottingham

Coffee Roasters in Oakham

Coffee Roasters in Oxford

Coffee Roasters in Staffordshire

Coffee Roasters in Shrewsbury

Coffee Roasters - Wales

Coffee Roasters in Cardiff

Coffee Roasters - North West

Coffee Roasters in Chester

Coffee Roasters in Bradford

Coffee Roasters in Halifax

Coffee Roasters in Huddersfield

Coffee Roasters in The Lake District

Coffee Roasters in Lancaster

Coffee Roasters in Liverpool

Coffee Roasters in Manchester

Coffee Roasters in Sheffield

Coffee Roasters - North East

Coffee Roasters in Durham

Coffee Roasters in Huddersfield

Coffee Roasters in Hull

Coffee Roasters in Leeds

Coffee Roasters in Newcastle

Coffee Roasters in Northumberland

Coffee Roasters in York

Coffee Roasters - Scotland

Coffee Roasters in Aberdeen

Coffee Roasters in Dundee

Coffee Roasters in Edinburgh

Coffee Roasters in Fife

Coffee Roasters in Glasgow

Coffee Roasters in The Highlands

Coffee Roasters in Loch Lomond

Coffee Roasters in North Berwick

Coffee Roasters in Outer Hebrides

Coffee Roasters - Northern Ireland

Coffee Roasters in Belfast

Coffee Roasters - Ireland

Coffee Roasters in Dublin

Coffee Roasters in Galway

How a coffee roaster works?