So a shout out today to a couple of people who have helped me get things underway in my home roasting endeavours.
Firstly, Yung from the Royal Rubber Stamp Company. I came across RRSC by accident a couple of weeks ago on my way back from a camera shop. Yung greeted me with a smile and when I asked him whether he could make me a rubber stamp, he said, sure thing, just email me the details and we will get it underway for you.
He gives me his card, and I’m glad to know that their company mantra is true: “Clients are not an interruption to our work, but the sole purpose of it”. Strange way to make a positive statement, but I find it to be true. Royal service for sure.
100 metres up the road I stop for coffee. This is not my ‘hood, so everything is new, and I’ve not supped here before. I head on in and say hi to the nice young chap pounding on his laptop. It’s COVID-season and the place is empty. To my surprise there are three different coffee beans to chose from for my flat white.
That’s a first for me in this town, so I make my choice and hand over a fiver. I realize after a few exchanges that they roast their own coffee out back.
After choosing my roast, I declare: ’I’ve just bought a roaster’.
‘Cool’, he responds.
After a bit of chat about roasting, I whip out a photo of my latest batch, which I just happen to have on my phone, because like a dad with a new bairn, Ive got pictures, lots of pictures.
‘Wow that’s really dark’ he says. ‘We never roast that dark’.
‘Mmm, interesting’, I’m thinking to myself. ‘I roasted these into second crack’, I state, like a pro.
‘Na, we don’t do that here’.
More interesting.
[Ed note: second crack as the name would imply comes after first crack so the roast time is longer, hence a darker result].
I’m mulling this over as I make my way home: ‘Am I doing this roasting thing right after all?’
More research needed.
A few days later, I come across an article by one Adam Spindler, who sets out very clearly his process for roasting on the Hot Top (last week’s blog Getting Roasted goes into detail on the process).
So I give his ‘profile’ a whirl, and lo and behold, I get a lighter roast that looks good, smells divine, and tastes even better. Mmm, I could be on to something here.
Fast forward two weeks. I’m back to pick up my rubber stamp from Yung, and as I head out of the store, I remember the coffee shop up the road. Time to pay them another visit. I just happen to have a photo taken this morning of my latest (lighter) roast, just in case.
I’m greeted, not by young laptop chap, but by taller, older, bearded Drew - owner and chief roaster. We get talking. I order a flat white - Guatamalan ‘just roasted’ he says - and he gives me a bit of a run down on what he does, and why.
I pick my moment, not wanting to seem too enthusiastic, pull out my phone and show him a pic of my own ‘just roasted’.
‘That looks pretty good’ he says.
Really?
Drew, you beauty.
We chitter chat a bit more about roasting, I say goodbye, and head out the door with my new AeroPress under my arm, and $75 less in my bank account. Of course I had to get the improved metal filter didn’t I?
Here’s to Yung and Drew - my new roasting friends. You made an impression.
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