Roasting
I started roasting Coffee in 1992 using a Moulinex Hot Air Corn Popper. Several years later I received a FreshRoast Roaster as a gift. I used several different air bed roasters before purchasing a HotTop drum roaster in 2006. I have also worked for several years on a commercial roaster while helping my friends who ran Cameron’s Coffee. In the early years working with my friend, Phil Ruthig, using corn poppers we noticed that as the beans roast they transition through different stages, and that the roast could be manipulated by extending some of these stages. For example removing the beans from the heat for a few minutes around the time they stared cracking and then retuning them to finish roasting produced a more even and far superior roast. We had limited access to information at that time, but have since learned that this is a common practice called Roast Profile and is now accomplished using software.
While roasting over a wood fire I create a profile by moving the beans on and off the heat throughout the roast. Keeping the beans in constant motion at all times, I use Appearance aroma, and sound of the beans to judge when I should remove and return the beans to the fire. Adding chunks of mesquite to the fire creates small areas of high heat that I can move the roaster over when necessary. I do not know the physics or chemistry involved, but this process creates a very smooth and flavourful coffee.