How We Roast

It's not just the destination - it's the journey!

Like most coffee roasters, we take pride in the raw beans we select, the profiles we develop for the best flavors and aromas, and the roasting technology we use.

We roast in a fundamentally different way from most roasters in the world, leading to some key improvements in what you taste in the cup.

We use a technology called Fluid Bed Roasting. Most coffee roasters - particularly those focused on high volume or less developed flavor profiles - use Drum Roasting.

How are they different?

• A drum roaster acts essentially like a concrete mixer, in which the metal drum is heated and rotated. The beans roast as they come into contact with the hot metal surface, relying on constant tumbling to achieve an even roast.
• In a fluid bed roaster, heat and high-pressure airflow is brought into a closed chamber beneath the beans. This pressures cause the beans to float in mid-air within the roasting chamber, resting not on hot metal but on a constant flow of hot air.  This “bed” of super-heated air ensures each bean is roasted from all sides simultaneously.

How does it impact flavor and aroma?
Certain origins and processing methods really shine on a fluid bed roaster. The naturally processed raw coffees we select really pop with the direct convection that warm air provides. The result is that our roasts taste a little bit cleaner and elevate the natural sweetness of coffee.

And because we use only hot air to roast the beans, we are better able to avoid the scorching that happens so easily in a drum roaster. One single scorched bean can ruin a whole pot of coffee!

What is the environmental impact?
Energy efficiency is a key focus for us. Since our fluid bed roasters are fully electric, we have the option to choose where our electricity comes from. We source electricity entirely from renewable energy sources. Even the lights in the building are "green!"

What are the downsides?

Fluid bed roasting can be challenging when volume is the main priority. However it's a perfect fit for our small batch, roasted-to-order philosophy!