Small Batch • Profile-Driven • Consistent

Our Roast Process

From green to great — this is how we turn thoughtfully sourced coffee into the cups you love: controlled profiles, repeatable QC, and roast levels built for real-world brewing. For how to brew it at home, head to Bert’s Coffee Brew Guide.

Roasting at a Glance

Every coffee is different. We build profiles that balance sweetness, clarity, and body while preserving the character of each origin and process — not forcing everything into one “house” flavor.

Green coffee being received and logged
Receiving & Sorting
Roast profile planning at the control panel
Profile Planning
Freshly roasted coffee cooling in the tray
Cooling & Resting

Roast Steps

  1. Inspecting green coffee
    01

    Green Coffee Intake

    Lots are logged and checked for moisture, density, and screen size. This data guides charge temperature and overall roast approach.

  2. Roast curve planning
    02

    Profile Planning

    We design profiles around the coffee’s origin, process, and role (single origin, blend base, component) — dialing gas and airflow to hit our target flavor.

  3. Charging the roaster with green coffee
    03

    Charge & Turning Point

    Beans hit the drum (“charge”), temperature dips, then climbs in a controlled curve. This sets the stage for even development.

  4. Coffee roasting through Maillard phase
    04

    Maillard & Caramelization

    Sugars brown and aromatics build. We steer rate-of-rise to balance sweetness, structure, and solubility.

  5. Coffee at first crack
    05

    First Crack

    Beans expand and crack as internal pressure releases. We mark this moment to define development time and final roast level.

  6. Checking roast development
    06

    Development

    From first crack to drop, we fine-tune flavor — shorter for clarity and brightness, longer for deeper caramel and body, never into ashy.

  7. Coffee cooling after roast
    07

    Drop & Cool

    We end the roast at the target color and temp, then cool quickly to lock in flavor and avoid baked notes.

  8. Cupping roasted coffee for QC
    08

    Rest & QC

    Beans rest, then we cup and test across brew methods. Only profiles that perform consistently move to full production.

Roast Levels & General Traits

Light

  • High clarity & origin character.
  • Livelier acidity, juicy sweetness.
  • Best for pour over, filter, curious palates.

Medium

  • Balanced sweetness, body & structure.
  • Versatile across drip, espresso & immersion.
  • Our default “sweet spot” for many coffees.

Medium-Dark

  • Deeper caramel & cocoa.
  • Softer acidity, heavier body.
  • Built for comfort and milk drinks, not smoke.

Quality Control & Cupping

Consistency

We track roast curves, color, and extraction behavior so each batch lands where the profile says it should.

Blind Cupping

Multiple tasters evaluate sweetness, acidity, body, and finish — checking for clarity and absence of defects.

Dial-In

We test on real brewing setups to be sure our coffees behave beautifully for guests and wholesale partners.

Shop Our Coffees Explore Coffee Origins Read Bert’s Brew Guide

Roast Process FAQ

What is “first crack”?

As internal pressure builds, beans expand and audibly crack. It’s a key marker that signals the start of development and helps define roast level.

What does “development time” mean?

The time from first crack to drop. Longer development deepens caramelization and body; shorter emphasizes brightness and nuance.

Why do beans need to rest?

Freshly roasted beans release CO₂ that can interfere with extraction. Resting lets flavors settle into a sweeter, more stable cup.

How should I store coffee?

In a sealed container at room temperature, away from light, heat, and moisture. Grind just before brewing for the best results.