Next step after Behmor

[m962b]

I've been roasting on a Behmor for a good long while now and really love roasting. I am quite the hit with my friends and have even started a ridiculously small roasting business, which essentially legal allows me to sell a few pounds to my friends.

however, word of mouth is growing and my beans are better tenth stale ones they get at the local store. So I am looking to grow. It is a bit of a craft to get a consistent roast from my Behmor and i should write a book about all the tiny things I've found that make a difference!

Anyway- I am looking to grow a little bit. I have access to a stated certified kitchen so I can roast on a larger level than what i[m doing at home. What roaster is best for about 50 to even 150 pounds a month? i have a full-time job, soothes is a labour of love in my spare time.

Thanks for your input.

Mike

 

[peterjschmidt]

Gas grill w/ a drum is something to think about if you can roast outside.

How much money can you spend?

How many hours are you willing to spend roasting 150#?

 

[octopolis]

A few things...

Congratulations on growing your business and starting to look for larger equipment. That is definitely exciting!

A few things I have learned along the way are that you need to think critically about how much time you can spend a week roasting. For instance, if you only want to roast part time... but you want your business to grow substantially, then buying a small capacity roaster (while cheaper) will be ineffective. You will need to replace it within a year. Your time is worth money so don't forget that.

The other thing to keep in mind is that you actually don't need a certified kitchen in most areas. You could go the route of getting certified by the Department of Agriculture, which is a much easier process in most areas than getting certified by the health department. Coffee can be considered a cottage food if labeled properly. Look into the local regulations and make sure that if you need an afterburner... you get one and install it properly.

Also consider giving your Chamber of Commerce a visit and take some free courses in small business and start-ups. You won't regret it.

I hope this helps!

Angie