Slow and Low
When we first were learning to roast, we heard people say things like "Coffee must be roasted in 11 to 14 minutes or it'll be baked" or "You need to bring the oils to the surface of the bean." Well, at first we were discouraged because our roast times were in the 20 to 25 minute range and our beans were dry, not oily. But as we continued, we started to realize that this was why our coffee had such a mellow sweetness. Our customers verified our findings. We continue to roast as "slow and low" as we can get away with!
Baking versus Roasting
Coffee beans need a certain amount of heat to initiate the necessary chemical reactions. Without enough heat the coffee will bake, which means flavors won't be developed and the coffee will taste grassy, flat, or gamey. However, too much heat too soon can not only cause scorching and tipping, but also cause the coffee to taste overly acidic and metallic. That's why we try to gently draw out flavors by roasting with the minimum amount of heat necessary.
True Micro roasting
Almost every coffee company claims to "roast in small batches" but their definition is not the same as ours. We roast every day in our five kilogram American-made drum roaster, not once or twice weekly. Again, going back to our philosophy, this is not the most efficient or cost effective method, but how can you call Monday's roasts fresh on Friday? This means more labor and energy costs, but for us, it truly is all about the quality.
Coffee Dictates Roast Degree
Some companies roast themselves into a corner with their dogma; roasts such as "Berkeley style" (dark and oily), "East Coast" (super light and acidic), and "Seattle style" dictate the type of coffee served. At the Conservatory, we let the coffee dictate the roast, not the other way around! That sometimes means roasting a Mexican or Ethiopian coffee very light, or a Sumatran or Kenyan a little darker. The coffee needs to be balanced, with lots of origin flavor, a touch of sparkle, and always as much body as possible.