How to Become a Coffee Roaster

Every coffee lover knows that roasting is an art of its own. The science of roasting coffee beans is appealing to many intuitive and creative people. If you are one of those and want to start a career as a coffee roaster, here are some tips on how to get there.

Even though coffee roasting is just one part of the process, a real coffee roaster is an expert on all aspects of coffee production. You need to be prepared to learn everything from buying green coffee to blending and packaging. In the end, there is a title of Master Roaster waiting somewhere in the future. There are three ways to become a coffee roaster, all of which are listed below.

If you do decide to become a coffee roaster, you will probably start as a roasting assistant. But if later on, you want to start your own coffee company, there are many great places to get help starting your own business. For example, you can find the best business software at SaasGenius.

Roasting program

If you are serious about becoming a coffee roaster, you should consider investing in a roasting program. This will teach you everything there is to know about the production of coffee. Make sure you choose a program that also teaches you about the technical aspects of coffee roasting. You need to learn how to operate and maintain the machines. At the roasting program, you will most likely learn some things you probably didn't know about coffee.

Apprenticeships

Another thing you can do is look for an apprenticeship. This is a great learning-by-doing method, where you work with a professional coffee roaster. There are a lot of coffee roasting companies that will make a training program for you where you learn everything you need to know. There is no doubt that this way you will quickly learn all the complicated terms in the coffee industry.

Self-taught

The last way to become a coffee roaster is to go the self-taught way. This will take a lot of discipline and hard work, but some of the best coffee roasters are self-taught. You will probably want to begin with a small coffee roasting machine and then later on you can upsize. You need to make sure you learn everything thoroughly as you would if you were taking a roasting program.

Get a job

When you’ve learned everything you need to know, then you’re ready to apply for some jobs as a coffee roaster and start your new dream career. Most places will have the same expectations of a new coffee roaster. You need to know your way around the coffee roasting machine, including knowing how to weigh and dry the beans. Furthermore, you need to know how to maintain a proper temperature and how to estimate the roasting time just by looking at the beans. Lastly, you need to know all the different types, amounts, and blends of roasted coffee beans.