Reg Coffey is an avid connoisseur of coffee. He’s pictured in his workshop, where he roasts coffee beans for his clients. —photo Francis Racine
The art of coffee roasting
FRANCIS RACINE francis.racine@eap.on.ca
what they would take, coffee.” His love of coffee has transformed the man from a simple roaster to the owner of Coffey’s Coffee. “I started roasting coffee beans when I lived in Hershey, Pennsylvania,” he explained. “The coffee over there was horrendous, so I started roasting beans for myself.” Soon enough, some of his friends and colleagues started asking for the rich, black beans. “Next thing you know, I’m roasting for a lot of people,” he continued, smiling. But roasting coffee beans isn’t as easy as it seems. “Sometimes, you either over roast them or you under roast them,” he said. “When you under roast them, you often get a sour taste.” Fast forwards some years and Coffey is
now the proud owner of two coffee bean roasters. Following him through his house, the man stops before a door. “This is where it all happens.” He opens the white door to reveal a small room filled with extraordinary aromas. On the right is a shelf holding several containers of green beans. “I don’t keep a stock of roasted coffee beans,” he said. “I stock green beans only. After coffee is roasted, the flavor starts to deteriorate almost immediately.” In front of him are his pride and joy; two roasters. The machines, which might very well be props for a science fiction movie, are utilized quite often by Coffey. “I weigh a certain amount of beans,” he said, pointing at a small scale. “I then put them in the machine and set time and temperature.”
Coffey pulls out a container of green beans and opens the top. “I simply love the smell they have,” he said, taking in a big breath. Each container has a big label, displayed on its front, identifying what kind of coffee beans are stored in them. His company specializes in dark coffee. “I believe in developing the natural flavor of coffee by fully caramelizing the natural sugars to give a dark rich bittersweet flavor that some coffee drinkers are looking for,” as described on his website. “Some of themore expensive coffees of the world brag about the tea-like qualities of the coffee when roasted to a light city or cinnamon roast. I say if you want tea-like qualities then drink tea. If you are looking for a cup of coffee that is rich,
As you open the front door of Reginald “Reg” Coffey’s house, you are instantly enveloped by the sweet odour of coffee. In his kitchen, the man brews two fresh cups of coffee. The black liquid, made from Nicaragua Maracaturra beans, is quite tasteful and yet has a hint of boldness. “I had to learn how to become a coffee lover,” Coffey said. “I started offwith tea. I still drink tea, mind you, but I really love coffee.” Once the owner of amotorcycle, theman used to travel with a group of bikers. “They were really tough looking guys,” he said. “We’d often stop at TimHortons. I just didn’t feel right ordering a tea, so I would drink
Le Journal, Cornwall
8
Le mercredi 24 février 2016
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