Roasting Coffee Without Setting Off the Alarm
Roasting is basically espresso dialing-in, but with more smoke and fewer second chances. First rule: prep your airflow and venting before you hear first crack, unless you want the smoke detector to join the conversation. Second rule: trust your senses. The beans announce what is happening if you listen and do not panic-scroll your roast software.
We chase sweetness, not roastiness. That usually means clean heat early, steady momentum through Maillard, and a development that finishes with caramel and fruit instead of burnt toast. I log charge temp, gas changes, and fan steps, but the real test is the cup. A pretty curve does not guarantee a pretty cappuccino.
Airflow is the quiet hero. Too little and you get that dull, baked vibe; too much and you stall the roast like a car on a hill. The fix is usually smaller adjustments than your ego wants. One notch at a time, taste, repeat. Coffee rewards patience the same way milk does.
And yes, we play calm music. Not because it is mystical, but because it makes us slower with our hands. If you roast like you are late for a meeting, the coffee tastes like you were late for a meeting. The goal is a roast you can brew on bar without a disclaimer.