Whether you are an experienced roaster or a complete beginner, there are always new things to learn in the art of coffee roasting. The more you know about green beans, charging temperatures, rise rate, and carbonic maceration, the better you can control the roasting process and the better your coffee will be.
One of the easiest and most accessible ways to learn how to roast is by reading books. Reading allows you to learn from the experts, discover different approaches, and get tips and tricks along the way. it can also help expose flaws in your own roast that you may never otherwise have noticed.
You are reading: Best coffee roasting books
here is a list of the best books to improve your knowledge on coffee roasting as recommended by various experts in the field.
see also: coffee roasting basics: a guide for first & second crack
world champion cupper daniel horbat recommends… scott rao’s coffee roaster’s companion
scott rao is an experienced coffee consultant who has worked with many roasters around the world. The Coffee Roaster’s Companion is the culmination of over two decades of roasting experience that aims to provide systematic guidance on how to achieve quality in coffee roasting.
Often called “the bible of coffee roasting,” Rao’s book consists of seventeen chapters that open with topics on the most basic components of coffee roasting, from roast profiles and green coffee characteristics to processing methods and storage techniques.
rao also provides an overview of what happens during roasting, both physically and chemically. readers can learn about the different effects of heat during a roast, as well as the variables that influence roast results. the goal is to help roasters better control and manage their roasting process, from start to finish.
Between chapters, Rao shares the mistakes he made when he started roasting so readers can recognize their own mistakes and work to correct them. The book also includes a chapter on the “Three Commandments of Roasting,” in which he outlines three guiding principles that will make you a better roaster.
Overall, the content strikes a good balance between technical explanations and practical advice. Covering topics ranging from green coffee and the chemistry of roasting, to mastering consistency and choosing a roasting machine, The Coffee Roaster’s Companion provides a comprehensive guide to the coffee roasting process, as well as practical advice. that roasters can immediately implement.
master roaster matthew deyn recommends…modulating the flavor profile of coffee: a roaster’s manifesto by rob hoos
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rob hoos is a professional coffee roaster who has been working in the industry since 2006. his experience spans a wide range of work including flavor profile matching consultancy. hoos wrote modulating the flavor profile of coffee to share his approach to roasting coffee with a strong focus on flavor development.
The book provides an in-depth look at the chemical changes that occur during roasting and how flavors can be modulated. hoos breaks the entire roasting process down into a few individual segments and explores the different mechanisms at work. He writes about the drying phase, the maillard reaction (before the first crack), the development phase (after the first crack), the drop temperature and the internal pressure of the grain.
In particular, he explains that controlling the length of the maillard reaction is useful for modulating coffee body, while adjusting development time in relation to organic acid degradation helps modulate acidity and complexity.
The author points out that the drop in temperature is an indicator strongly related to the degree of caramelization and pyrolysis during the development phase. having too little or too much of these chemical reactions can lead to vegetal tones or very bitter flavors with low complexity. hoos also shares observations and results of his own experiments monitoring different segments of the roasting process.
modulating the flavor profile of coffee is a good read for roasters looking to fine-tune their roast profile and bring out desirable flavors. offers guidance on what to experiment with and how to do it so you can achieve predictable and more consistent results.
wbc certified judge danilo lodi recommends… espresso: the science of quality by andrea illy and rinantonio viani
roasters looking to sharpen their knowledge of coffee with a more scientific approach will find much to delve into in this impressive work edited by rinantonio viani and illycaffè president andrea illy. With a collection of articles from a group of coffee technology specialists, Espresso reads like a dissertation on Italy’s favorite coffee drink.
The first half of the book is devoted to the work that takes place at the origin. explores the coffee plant and its cultivation, agronomic practices, harvest and post-harvest methods, and other steps to prepare green coffee for export. paints a clear picture that helps roasters understand what happens at the beginning of the coffee supply chain before the green beans reach the roastery.
There is a detailed scientific explanation of the roasting process later in the book, including heat and energy transfer, physical and chemical changes in the bean, and composition of aromatic compounds. readers will learn about the mechanics of grinding and the parameters that can affect the process. The book also presents potential causes of bean spoilage, highlighting the importance of packaging in protecting roasted coffee.
The final chapters of the book expand on the method of percolation (used to prepare espresso), the physical and chemical characteristics of the beverage, how we perceive the experience of drinking coffee, and the science of coffee’s impact on health.
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Overall, espresso is quite a technical and scientific read for casual roasters. however, interspersed throughout are interesting facts that will provide a technical understanding of coffee from harvest to brewing.
the kahwei yoong roaster recommends… the artisan roaster: the complete guide to setting up your own coffee roaster by david rosa
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The Artisan Roaster is a comprehensive guide to running a roastery by award-winning Australian coffee roaster and consultant, David Rosa. this book is intended for new and experienced roasters.
Chapters are organized into three key parts: Getting Started, Roasting Coffee, and Running a Business. In the first part, Rosa talks about everything you need to know to set up a coffee roastery, from site selection and lease negotiation, to space design and machinery purchase.
In the second section, the book explores a wide variety of topics, including green coffee, roasting chemistry and development, roasting techniques, coffee blending, and machine maintenance. The last section deals with the day-to-day operations of a business, from managing finances to branding and expanding (or selling) the business.
Within the chapters, Rosa offers pragmatic advice and tips gleaned from her two decades of experience, in the hope that others can learn something from her mistakes. he writes in a conversational tone, which makes it a light and easy book to read.
the artisan roaster gives a good overview of what it takes to run a coffee roasting business and provides a practical guide for aspiring coffee shop or roastery owners.
While there are many resources to further your knowledge of coffee, at mtpak coffee we also have our own educational center that produces short articles on various topics related to roasting, packaging, coffee industry trends and more.
We also work with specialty coffee roasters around the world, providing sustainable packaging services from concept and design to manufacturing, printing and delivery.
For more information on our sustainable coffee packaging, contact our team here.
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