With the growing demand for organic coffee, the number of Organic Coffee Roasters is increasing steadily. They are the people who roast organic coffee to your taste, organically. Yes! You get organic coffee only when the coffee is grown organically and it is roasted organically. It may seem that roasting is as simple as heating on fire, but it is not so. Rather, it is about bringing out the right desired taste, flavour and texture out of the green coffee beans. Green coffee beans, when brewed and consumed as coffee, do not at all taste or smell as the coffee we know about. The term roasting is a combination of processes like sorting, roasting, cooling, stabilizing and sometimes, packaging. But then, is organic coffee roasting anything different from that? What do the Organic Coffee Roasters do? Let us take a look.
- Organic Coffee Roasters: What Organic Coffee Roasters do is basically the same as any other roaster does, i.e. sorting, roasting, cooling, stabilizing and packing; but in an organic way and on organic beans. The first and foremost requisite for organic coffee roasting is organic beans. Some roasters get these organic beans (of desired variety) from other vendors while some are vendors themselves. Thereafter, these beans are sorted on their size, colour, texture etc. These three factors decide the quality of coffee. The sorted beans are then stored in containers called Storage Hoppers from where they are transferred to roasters. The temperature at which the roasters operate and the time it takes vary according to the desired degree of roasting, i.e. shorter time with lower temperature for light roast and longer time at higher temperature for dark roast. Now, roasting can be done by any of the following methods.
- Drum Roasting: This is the most common method used wherein the organic green coffee beans are put in a horizontal rotating drum which is heated from below. The coffee beans inside keep rolling which gives a uniform roast. Organic Coffee Roasters take care that no chemical salts, gases, flavours or additives are added in this stage to influence taste and flavour.
- Hot Air Roasting: In this method, the beans are roasted using jet of hot air. This method has almost no scope of addition of anything inorganic during roasting. Although not used widely, some Organic Coffee Roasters prefer this method.
The roasters used for roasting are again classified as Direct Fire Roasters (in which the beans come in direct contact of fire) and Indirect or Alternate Fire Roasters (in which the flames do not touch the beans). Thereafter, the beans are cooled using Vacuum Cooling (also called Air Cooling) or Quenching (Water Cooling). Finally, the beans are stabilized and packed. In every step, the Organic Coffee Roasters ensure that no chemicals or synthetic gases are being used or no metallic salts can seep in even accidentally.
- Reputed Roasters: Here are some reputed & trusted names who roast organic coffee;
- Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
- Dean’s Beans Coffee Roasters
- Impact on Price: Since Organic Coffee Roasters hardly have to arrange for any special set up or mechanism for organic roasting, therefore the roasting itself is no costlier than regular roasting (they are the same) and it does not affect the price as such. But still, the roasted organic coffee may cost more due to the fact that production of organic coffee is lesser and costlier due to its dependency on organic fertilizers and pesticides.
- Impact on Environment: The Organic Coffee Roasters do not use any synthetic chemicals during the whole process of roasting, stabilizing and packing. Further, the emissions (including particulate matter, organic acids, gases and ashes) from the Organic Coffee Roasters are treated organically (not with chemical reagents) before they are released into atmosphere. The coffee beans used by these roasters are also grown organically. So, all the way, Organic Coffee Roasters are environment friendly.
- Finally: Whenever you want some fresh roasted organic coffee, visit any of the reputed Organic Coffee Roasters in your locality and get a bag. Make sure that it was not roasted long ago and bears a certificate from a recognized agency that certifies organic products. Grind a few minutes before you want a cup to get the best taste and flavour. While you enjoy your cup of organic coffee, say thanks to those Organic Coffee Roasters who helped you enjoy it, and the nature will thank you. Bye!
This article was contributed by Aparup Mukherjee
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