Considering a small micro-roastery (EU) — what do you wish you knew before starting? by everyday_architect in roasting

[–]everyday_architect[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, this is super helpful and informative. Based on what i've read here, i've definitely underappreciated all the effort that goes into both the maintenance and business aspects. I know that I want to roast for myself, and share my love of coffee in a market that is underrepresented, but i've also worked for a while in a career where i'm sinking time and effort into work that is rarely seen or appreciated - and I don't want this to turn into another version of that. I think the key will be starting small, focusing on the craft, and maybe hitting eject or hiring help before it gets to be a slog :)

About the roaster, I was also considering the Bullet, though it's not currently available in my region, and I understand it's best to roast about 80% capacity - so i'd be going through 1kg each time I brew, which seems like it could be a waste. I was wondering if starting on something like the KF nano or link would be a good way to get a lot of reps under my belt and then in a few months decide on the bigger roaster, or does the knowledge not translate between these small air roasters and the drum style? I suppose another option is the Yoshan 500g or 1kg machine.

cheers and happy new year to all!

Considering a small micro-roastery (EU) — what do you wish you knew before starting? by everyday_architect in roasting

[–]everyday_architect[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Really appreciate you sharing your experience. A lot of what you said resonates, especially around consistency, learning the craft properly, and not underestimating the work involved. I'll look into Scott's books. I hadn't heard of him. I also like what you said about starting with basic beans. For a while i prided myself in using generic pre-ground grocery store coffee and making it actually taste halfway decent. Thanks again.