We were driving along mountain roads, and the cool evening air came in through the windows. The breeze carried the scent of coffee plants in bloom, a fragrance close to jasmine.
From the back of the vehicle came another smell: freshly roasted coffee, from the nearly 200 bags we had just roasted. The promise of the new harvest, mixed with the fruit of the last one.
On our WakeCup Tour we focus on connecting travellers with farmers, and on showing you the crops and the plants that give us the raw product. But what happens to a sack of coffee once it leaves the farm? Many of you have asked, so here is a look at how we roast.
Roasting is a craft
We roast Experiencia Cafetera coffee every couple of weeks, and we oversee the whole process with care. It's our way of honouring the excellent beans our partner farmers grow.
From parchment to green coffee
First, the beans lose their parchment, the dry, papery skin that still covers them when they leave the farm. We're left with greenish beans, and the parchment goes on to be used as fertiliser.
Sorting by hand
Next, we pick out by hand any beans damaged by pests or disease.
Roasting: 200 °C (about 390 °F) and every sense
Meanwhile, we use a smaller roaster to test a couple of batches and find the right starting temperature and timing. It depends on the quality of the beans and on their fermentation: some beans want a gentle roast, others a higher heat for a shorter time.
Once we've settled on the ideal roast, we load the roaster with 12 kg (about 26 lb) batches.
The last seconds of a roast are thrilling. Take the coffee out too early or too late and the whole batch is ruined. At exactly the right moment we open the roaster door, and the coffee pours out into a large cooling tray. The whole place starts to smell of toasted nuts and coffee.
One last check
Then the roasted beans get a final look. Don't worry about the ones that don't meet the standard for sale: they don't go to waste, we still drink them at home.
In a single day, we put the finishing touch on years of the farmers' work. It's an exhausting process, and a deeply rewarding one. That's why we want to share it with you in person.
No need to read any more. Come and see it for yourself: start with our coffee region tours.