Roast masters

Story by Tom Murray

Alberta’s cold climate may hobble any attempts on our part to become a coffee power on the order of Costa Rica or El Salvador, but aficionados can still speak approvingly of our coffee roasters. Roasting is truly the most important part of the process, the difference between a sublime cup of Java and an indifferent mug of instant, and the handful of Alberta companies devoted to the process are diligent in their work. The beans are purchased in their green state through agents in South America and Africa and then transported to North America.

This is where local companies step in, using time-honoured methods to roast the beans to their characteristic deep, dark hue. “We typically have the perfect barometric pressure and dryness associated with good roasting,” explains Sean McDonald of Planet Coffee Roasters in Calgary. The company roasts its beans by spinning them in a drum over gas burners, a popular procedure for most roasteries concerned with turning out high quality gourmet coffee.

Michael Oulds of Edmonton’s Java Jive is proud of his family’s meticulous attention to quality and careful to delineate the way in which small roasteries differentiate from large companies. “We roast in small batches,” he says. “Everything is inspected, roasted, and packed by hand.” As Oulds points out, companies like his seem to be flourishing as people seek out local examples of regional food and drink. We’ll drink to that!

Brewing Perfection

What makes for a great cup of coffee?

• A decent coffee maker is essential – there’s no need to run out and buy a thousand dollar espresso machine, but quality does tell.
• Buy fresh beans from your local roastery. Excess beans can be stored in an airtight container in your freezer, but make sure to use them as quickly as possible.
• Grind into small batches as close to brewing as possible. The finer the grind, the more flavourful the coffee.
• Use fresh, cold water.
• Use one heaping tablespoon of coffee per cup.