Tony Zentgraf
Part 2 – Roasting and Sourcing Coffee
In part 1 we discovered one of the most important steps in producing a premium cup of coffee – Cupping. In Exploring the Source with Northbound Coffee Roasters -part 2, Keith explains why Cupping along with Sourcing are the two most important steps in the coffee roasting process.
Jump to Video Interview
Culinary Seasons Recipes with Coffee from Northbound Coffee Roasters
Sample roasting is the first step that allows Northbound Coffee Roasters to determine the optimal roast for each individual type of bean no matter where it is from in the world. Their tabletop sample roaster doesn’t just look cute on the table; it is where they roast samples before purchasing beans from their coffee broker, Red Fox Merchants.
Red Fox Merchants, a sourcer and importer of coffee beans, strives to “Build a Stronger and More Resilient Supply Chain.”
Through their sourcing they build relationships in all aspects of the supply chain from the farmer to the supplier.
As they describe on their website –
“Behind every coffee we offer is a great deal of intention and investment — not just the work we do to find aligned partners in remote and underserved areas but to hone both the coffees and the relationships as close to perfection as we can get.”
“Through developing mutually beneficial relationships with the farmers, cooperatives, and communities we buy from, we are building a stronger, more resilient supply chain. Consistency and repeatability are critical for us. We aren’t in this for just one season.”
Selling organic-single origin coffees, Northbound Coffee Roasters takes pride in partnering with Red Fox Merchants to bring coffee that is ethically sourced to improve the quality of the farmers and their families.
Special Relationships
Seven years ago, Keith and Jen began purchasing coffee direct from farmers in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. This relationship has provided some of the best coffees over the years.
Back in March, Keith took a trip to Guatemala to partake in cupping labs. It was the peak of the crops and buyers from Australia, Germany and Japan were also there looking for the best they could source.
The farmers would harvest and process the beans then roast them. The next day they were ground and the buyers could cup them to determine the quality of each bean. During the cupping labs, the buyers cup between 30-50 coffees per day to see what type of beans and roasts their customers would enjoy.
After a few days of cupping coffees, Keith made purchases for the year for their Guatemalan beans. Some will end up in their single origin coffees, some in blends and some may even make it to their Headstash of premium coffees.
Roasting Coffee in Mt. Shasta
The climate of Mt. Shasta city changes through each season and roasting there comes with its challenges. Mt. Shasta, classified as a potentially active volcano, has a unique climate as compared to adjacent cities 40 miles north. The areas is described as a warm-summer Mediterranean climate but winter is a different story.
Standing at 14,179 ft, Mt Shasta forces moisture out of the air as it rises and cools. This produces a significant amount of snowfall as compared to the region to the north of the area. Mt Shasta can receive an average of 100 inches of snowfall where just 40 miles north only averages 11 inches per year.
Climate plays a factor in the process of roasting all the way to brewing you coffee or espresso. Northbound Coffee Roasters has to be aware of what the environment is doing as they roast the coffee. As they roast and cup coffee they discuss what adjustments need to be made to the roaster to account for additional humidity, temperature drops or increases or even the snowfall. As Jen explains in part 1 of the interview, “It is like trying to hit a moving target constantly.”
Craft Roasting in Vintage Roasters
Keith and Jen are proud to call themselves Roasters of Craft Coffee. Keith’s path of joining the Roasters Guild influenced him in the art of roasting and exposed him to vintage roasters that were unique. Their small batches of coffee are roasted in a vintage 1956 Probat bt15 roaster.
As Keith explains, this coffee roaster is special because of the amount of cast iron that it is made with. Because of the cast iron, the roaster is able to retain heat better to provide a consistent roast. This model is no longer made, Keith sourced this roaster from Switzerland and had it shipped to Mt. Shasta.
Prior to their Probat roaster, they used a 1936 German made roaster made by the company Barth. This roaster was shipped over from Hamburg, Germany and they quickly outgrew this roaster. The Probat roaster they replaced it with more than doubled the capacity of the roasts they were able to produce. Plus, the current one is more consistent with the repeatability of the roasts.
Retaining Quality
Their love of functional old machinery comes with some scheduled maintenance to ensure the roasts and cooling of the beans is consistent. Several days before the interview, they had regular maintenance of the roaster. They disassembled parts of the roaster, cleaned the vent and internal components.
Upon reassembling and testing, the roaster was having some issues with staying lit. Exploring the Source with Northbound Coffee Roasters – Part 2 almost didn’t happen. Keith almost called to cancel the interview when he remembered what a technician told him 10 years ago. There is a small tube that vents from the roaster that allows for the roaster to maintain the pilot. He shot air into the tube and out shot a poof of debris. This was all it took for the roaster to be back in operation.
Retaining Flavor
During the demonstration of cupping in the part 1, Keith explains how they could tell how the regular maintenance of the roaster and vent effects the coffee. The flavors were brighter and had more noticable notes in smelling and sipping the coffee. This is partly due to the downdraft table where the roasted beans cool. (shown in the video) This allows the coffee to cool quickly to retain the best quality after roasting.
Pickup coffee from Northbound Coffee Roasters at Northern California and Southern Oregon Locations and their online store.
A Big Thank You goes out to Keith, Jen and their crew for allowing me to visit their operations in Mt. Shasta, Ca. I hope you enjoy the interview Exploring the Source with Northbound Coffee Roasters – Part 2.
