| He began to measure exactly 24 pounds of the beans. He noted that the process he was about to begin vary depending on what type of batch he wanted to make. The timeframe for roasting beans varies from 13 to 18 minutes per batch. The length of the roast contributes to the body of the coffee. In the beginning of this time span, there are a series of “cracks” said Dave. He also noted that he is able to mix different beans and come up with a “blended roast.” After the beans were measured, Dave added them to his Primo Roaster, the large device that roasts the beans. | |
Once the beans were emptied into the Primo, Dave adjusted it to the appropriate temperature. On the control console, the Primo proudly wore flame stickers. I found it humorous the character these stickers added to the machine. Shortly after he began roasting the beans, he told me to expect crackling sounds. These sounds are due to the escaping pressure from the moisture in the beans. And the intense heat also causes the hulls to fall off the beans. The “first crack” signifies the early roast stage, where the beans can be quite sour if they were to be brewed. Each consecutive “crack” stage following, we could see how the acceptable stages matured. The cracks the follow the second contribute to darker roasts of coffee. After each of these stages, Dave removed some beans and let me smell their progress. But to be honest, the coffee had me as its prisoner after the second “crack.”
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