Willy’s First Roasting Experience | Meet the Roaster (Part 2)
Part 2: My First Roasting Experience
Coffee Beans Are Green?
When I first attended a roasting course, I was surprised to discover that coffee beans do not start brown. They are actually green! We were introduced to green beans from different regions and processing methods, and I was fascinated by how diverse they were. Each origin carried its own aroma and potential tasting notes, shaped by the way it was grown and processed.
That is when I realised why coffee tastes different from café to café. The beans’ origins and processing methods are not just details on a label. They define the flavour experience. This discovery was the spark that began my journey into exploring coffee flavours in a deeper way.
Coffee Roasting Terminology
As I dove into the roasting process, I was introduced to a whole new language. Words I had never heard before suddenly became central to understanding coffee:
Maillard Reaction: The stage where beans start to brown and develop flavour, similar to how bread toasts and turns golden.
Strecker Degradation: Part of Maillard process that produces those sweet, nutty aromas we love in coffee.
First Crack: When beans expand and pop like popcorn, signaling they have reached a drinkable roast.
Second Crack: A louder, sharper pop that means the beans are going darker and oilier.
Caramelisation: When natural sugars inside the beans break down, creating sweetness and body in the cup.
At first, these terms felt technical and overwhelming. But the more I understood them, the more I appreciated how science and craft come together in roasting.
Hot, Hot, Hot and then a Spark!
The roasting itself was unforgettable. Using a 1-kilo roaster, I got hands-on with heating the drum, pulling the trier, watching beans transform from green to brown, and finally releasing them into the cooling tray. The heat, the smoke, and the aroma made it an intense experience. Hot, hot, hot, and thrilling all at once.
On the second day, something unexpected happen. After asking countless questions about the process, my trainer looked at me and said: “ I see that you can be a very good coffee roaster.”
That single comment lit a spark inside me. For the first time, I began to imagine myself not just a coffee enthusiast, but as someone who could make roasting a career.
Pharmacist Turned Coffee Roaster?!
What many do not know is that I was originally a pharmacist. Taking the leap into coffee was not an easy decision. One month after the roasting course, I visited my trainer’s café again, and he offered me a full-time job as a coffee roaster.
At first, I hesitated. Becoming a roaster meant a huge pay cut compared to pharmacy. I still remember showing up to the interview in a full suit and tie, weighing the risks. My trainer gave me a week to think it through.
After much reflection, I realised pharmacy would always be there as backup. But the chance to pursue coffee roasting, a path I had unexpectedly fallen in love with, mighty never come again. So, I said yes.
And that was the beginning of it all. The moment when passion won over certainty, and where my journey as a professional roaster truly began.
Read Part 1 of Meet the Roaster: Willy’s Journey in Coffee.
