Coffee has an amazing ability to connect people. That’s why The Coffee Nerds was created – we love building connections around coffee. One thing I enjoy is connecting with others around coffee and asking questions. Imagine all the conversations you’ve had that started with just one question. That’s all it takes to spark connection – one question. And that’s just what I did.
I reached out to multiple coffee roasters and asked: What is one thing you wish you knew before roasting coffee? The answers that came in varied depending on each individual’s unique personality and experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the engagement and responses in putting this together and I hope you do too!
*Unless otherwise noted, all pictures are used by permission, courtesy of each roaster that provided their responses below.
Coffee Roaster Summary
Noah Vernick
Owner/Founder - Anomaly Coffee Company
"Before roasting coffee I wish I knew that it was an imperfect science. There are so many variables within roasting each coffee that impact the entire process and end result. Ultimately, there is a margin of error in the roasting process and if you can get coffee that tastes good and consistent, then it should be celebrated! You shouldn’t let a roast curve, a bean’s behavior during roast, or any other characteristic BESIDES flavor get in the way of serving good coffee."
Davin Gegolick
Owner/Founder - Black Stripe Coffee
"I wish I would have known how quick demand for my coffee would have grown (I initially only planned on roasting coffee for myself). In less than one year, I was forced to upgrade to a larger capacity machine which quickly led to starting a coffee roasting company."
Jeff Foster
Owner/Founder - Bush Hill Coffee
"It’s a never ending rabbit hole! Seriously, be a student. The floor is low to roast and make good coffee… better than what’s sold in grocery stores or chains. But it’s a never ending journey of learning and humility to roast and make exceptional coffees. There’s always something you can learn and there’s always people who can make you better if you’re willing and open to constructive feedback."
Owner - Andy Cutler
Coffee Cut Roasting
"I am glad I knew what I knew and there is not one thing or another that I wish I knew. The journey I have had so far with roasting coffee and the coffee business in general was because I did not know anything. Each step and each discovery has been amazing. I fear that had I already known about RoR curves or using bean temp for my ending or whatever, then maybe I would have missed something because I knew that, and I would not be where I am now or met the people I have met! I love the journey I am on, excited for the discoveries ahead, and most importantly, the relationships that will be developed."
Josue Valles
Head Roaster - Common Room Roasters
"Roasting is not always the same, there’s slight differences that make a big change in the final product. I also love trying coffees from the same farm each year and seeing how the flavor profile varies with each crop."
Noah Poletiek
Cool Roast Curves
"I wish I knew that the mechanics of roasting would actually be quite simple, and the real daunting task would be an infinite learning curve of how to remain a roaster sustainably and ethically. I would have focused on farmer equity and centrality much earlier on, and not fooled myself into thinking I was going to become some form of heat-application artist because I knew how many degrees Fahrenheit to go past first crack. We are merely conduits for the insanely hard work done at the farms, and I wish someone taught me that before they taught me charge temp."
Justin Esselstrom
Genteel Coffee
"Going into this business, I didn’t realize how slim the margins are and how hard it would be to break into the market. I’ve learned through my time as a roaster and green buyer that this is even more true for coffee producers. If we don’t continue to educate ourselves as consumers, strive to build relationships across the supply chain, and work to understand fair pricing, the future for coffee production is very grim. That is why the margins aren’t as important to us as partnering with people that are invested in the long term sustainability of the industry."
Photo by Zack Buras
Hector Vidana
Owner - Grillside Coffee
"I wish I knew how hard it is to find quality green coffee. Not all green coffee is stored and taken care of the same. Not all coffee is fresh harvest. Took a while to find the right supplier that I believe has the right green coffee for me."
Tanner Morita
Co-Owner/Director of Coffee - HEX Coffee Roasters
"I wish I knew how big of an impact to the producers, their livelihoods, and their families a seemingly small and insignificant commitment can make. As you start out in this journey it’s easy to see everyone else making purchases for huge lots and entire containers worth of coffees, or being able to spend large sums of money for coffees and think that what you’re capable of doing couldn’t possibly move the needle for producers. And yes, for some, this may be a small but supremely meaningful gesture, and for others, this can be a life-changing commitment. Take that in. Make sure that you’re chasing that notion and continuing to guide your decision-making by the importance of that fact."
Peter Mark Ingalls
Owner/Founder - Kuma Coffee
"How dusty and sweaty it is! A sticky combination!"
Vincent Emery
Co-Owner/Head Roaster - Lil' Rhody Coffee Company
"Something I wish I’d known before diving into coffee roasting is just how tight the profit margins are for those of us without a café. It’s a whole different game trying to reach profitability. Roasters with cafés have a clearer path—they can sell directly and get their brand out there with every cup. For us, without that built-in visibility and direct sales channel, it’s a tough climb to make those numbers work."
Laura Perry & Nate Welland
Luna Coffee
"There's no such thing as mastery in coffee roasting. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn't being honest with themselves. There are simply too many moving parts. For any perfectionists out there, it's sure to drive anyone mad. Nothing is immutable in coffee. Each lot has its own idiosyncrasies, density, moisture, water activity, and that's all before it lands at our roastery (with its own environment, which also affects each coffee). Setting your expectations instead, is a better approach. Ask yourself, "How could this coffee be roasted better", controlling for as many aspects of the process as you can & decide when to stop dialing in and move forward with a particular approach. This can ultimately only be done by you, based on taste and the style you want to put out into the world. Both our careers span three decades each, and we've never stopped trying to improve. It's a lifelong pursuit."
Alex Olson
Mae Coffee Roasters
“Roasting and working at multiple companies within coffee, there are so many learning opportunities. Nevertheless, being a one man shop with my business has given me so much more insight into farming, importing, packaging, roasting and working with clients! Being the center point between green and roasted coffee is so special, and the community that is built from this position has been one of the best parts about my business. Navigating the difficulties of ordering green, building my menu and providing what the customer needs or wants, has taught me the importance of balancing my vision for coffee as well as maintaining customer satisfaction. Being based in Portland, Oregon, standing out in this industry has proven to be difficult, especially as my business has unraveled in multiple different directions, all of which were unexpected to me when I started Mae Coffee Roasters. Yet, I think the best part of owning your own business, especially in coffee, is the feeling you get when you slap your own label on a bag. The ownership of that product is incredible and providing that to a customer who truly enjoys it is even better. The feeling of “I created that product that you are now enjoying” is quite special and rare. While I did get this feeling when I worked in cafes and other roasteries, it was never to this level. The vision for Mae is people first, and if my product can make someone’s morning a bit brighter, then I’ve done my job.”
Leif Iverson
Martha's Vineyard Coffee Company
"With any business it is imperative that you have a long term strategy. One of the most important and least glamorous parts of business is funding. You may have a great idea that you are passionate about, but without funding it is just an idea. How much capital do I have access to? Is it enough to achieve what I am setting out to do? How long will it take me to pay off the debt if I choose to borrow money? When will I see profits from this business strategy? If you can ask the hard questions first this will tell you if you are ready to start a business. As coffee lovers, creators, and visionaries we most commonly gravitate towards what we are passionate about. Making a great product can be fun and rewarding. Spending so much time developing something you can be proud of and then finally showing it to the world is truly a satisfying moment. But without a truly solid foundation you may find that the path forward is very unclear. When I started a coffee roasting business I knew a lot about coffee but almost nothing about business. So here is my best advice; do your least favorite tasks right from the beginning. This advice also applies at any stage of your business. This may seem like a fairly simple and mundane answer but as a business owner I still struggle to put it into practice."
Vince Nguyen
Nam Coffee
"One thing I wish I knew before roasting coffee is the importance of consistency in heat application throughout the roasting process. Achieving and maintaining consistent heat levels is crucial for producing evenly roasted beans with balanced flavors. Learning to control and monitor heat more effectively would have improved the quality and consistency of my roasts early on."
Spencer & Lulu Trach
Founders - Neighbors Barista
"The one thing I wish I knew before roasting is the incredible coffee producers that are out at origin, growing exciting coffee. Without great coffee producers, no matter how good at roasting you are, you will be subjected to the producer and how well they grow coffee!"
Sahra Nguyen
Owner/Founder - Nguyen Coffee Supply
"In the beginning, I was roasting on the Probat, which is a manual roaster, and in Brooklyn, which has 4 seasons. So one thing I wish I knew before roasting coffee is: everyday is truly different (season, weather, temperature, humidity, etc.) so even though you’re targeting the same roast profile, it’s a different roast every time. Center yourself in the unique conditions of every roast, be present and let your senses guide. Don’t replicate the roast curve, ride it."
Joel Pollock
Co-Owner/Head Roaster - Panther Coffee
"If there’s one thing I wish I knew (or at least I know I would be very surprised to know) is the journey that coffee would take me on. The places I would go and the things I would see. Coffee has taught me a million things over the years. It’s the common thread throughout my life. I look back at certain events and I realize yes I was roasting that day. Or I was loading green on that day. Or I was in Nicaragua that day. My network of people in coffee is a fabric of people all related because we work with this same product. It’s a weird sort of shared language and a family of sorts. It’s kind of shocking when I step back and look at it."
Casey
Owner/Founder - Retrograde Coffee Roasters
“I was a roaster apprentice at Blue Bottle before we started our business. I wish I knew how long the apprenticeship would be before I began as well as understanding what the steps were.”
Photo by Kelsey Joy Photography
Neil & Brooke
Roasters - Retrograde Coffee Roasters
“We wish we knew how much of roasting is standing there and monitoring the roaster and computer data from the roast. You have to be very focused on just one thing, which is a very different adjustment from working in the cafe environment where you are focused on many things at once.”
Photo by Kelsey Joy Photography
Lauren Lynn
Head Roaster - Ritual Coffee
"Wow! It’s so difficult to choose just one thing I wish I knew before I started roasting. The first thing that comes to mind is to obtain sensible footwear and to take care of my knees, neck, and lower back. In relation to coffee, there is so much that can be learned through trial and error. I have learned so much from my mistakes and tasting what comes out the other side. We all make mistakes; it’s all about what we can learn from them!"
Dan Davidson
Owner/Founder - Rosebud Coffee
"I wish I knew how much on-hand capital and space was needed to roast successfully. We underestimated the shipping cost of green beans. Our first supplier had a high, flat shipping fee per order, so we ordered a large quantity of green beans each time. This meant a lot of upfront cost before roasting, and scrambling to figure out how to store that much coffee at once. It took us months to figure out the right amount of green beans to order each time that was cost-effective, feasible to store, and kept up with demand."
Roscoe Aquilo
Co-Founder/Roaster - Seven Syllables Coffee
"The one thing I wish I knew before roasting coffee is that your best tool is your palate. Roasting techniques and practices can be learned quickly, but your palate is a lifelong skill that needs to be honed over time. Early in my roasting journey I was obsessed with perfect technique, getting really pretty roast curves and applying principles I learned from countless classes and books. I became more attentive to data and curves, while neglecting my ability to actually cup a full table of production roasts. Then when it came time to cup coffee with other industry people, I was filled with self-doubt and a lack of confidence in what I was tasting. These days I try to cup every Friday afternoon, just to maintain my palate development. Buy a nice cupping spoon you keep to yourself, and cup all the coffees you can - and don't forget to taste other roaster's coffees too!"
Tarek El-Sherif
COO/Master Roaster - Smoky Hollow Roasters
“Knowledge can never replace experience. When you become great, be open to becoming better.”
Nadia Flores
Roaster - Solid Coffee Roasters
"One thing I wish I knew before getting into roasting is that patience and precision are key. Adjusting roasts and developing flavor profiles for green coffee from across the world takes a lot of time and precision. I'm always looking to learn and push the boundaries of what flavors I can get out of coffee as a roaster!"
Ernesto Banderas
Director of Coffee - Solid Coffee Roasters
"If there's one thing I wish I had known prior to working with roasters (and as a director), it would be how green coffee markets work. Between our roaster and myself we've had to learn and experience how to source green coffee in a sustainable and quality oriented way. It's a daunting task, but it has allowed us to grow and improve our coffee program."
Elliot Reinecke
Head Dishwasher - Steady State Roasting
"That coffee is a crazy agricultural product that is always changing, and it is really hard to make a living doing it."
Aaron Jacobi
Head Roaster - Stereoscope
"I’d probably say… just how darn stressful diagnosing and repairing roaster malfunctions can be. The coffee orders keep on coming even when the roaster stops."
Ben Miller
Roastery Manager - Temple Coffee
“Variety is the spice of life. Grow, process, roast, brew. There are a million ways to make coffee, don’t assume any is invalid off the bat.”