Transforming Coffee with Air: The Art of Fluid Bed Roasting

At DIVE Coffee Roasters, we believe every cup of coffee should be an experience—a journey of flavors and aromas that transports you to the heart of the bean’s origin. This philosophy drives our commitment to precision, quality, and creativity, and it's why we've chosen the innovative fluid bed air roasting method to craft our coffee.

What is Fluid Bed Air Roasting?

Fluid bed air roasting is a modern method of coffee roasting that utilizes a stream of hot air to roast coffee beans. In fluid bed roasting, coffee beans are placed in a roasting chamber. Instead of using a rotating drum commonly seen in traditional roasting, a powerful fan blows hot air from below the chamber. This stream of hot air lifts and circulates the beans, creating a "fluid" bed where the beans are suspended in the air.

Because the beans are constantly in motion within this air stream, they are evenly exposed to heat on all sides. This ensures that each bean is uniformly roasted, minimizing the risk of uneven roasting that can occur with drum roasting methods. Fluid bed roasting also allows for precise control over the temperature throughout the roasting process. The blend of convection heat (from the hot air) ensures that the roasting can be closely monitored and adjusted, allowing roasters to create specific flavor profiles by highlighting particular characteristics of the beans. After reaching the desired roast level, the beans can be quickly cooled by simply adjusting the air temperature and flow. This rapid cooling is crucial for locking in the flavors and preventing the beans from over-roasting due to residual heat.

Fluid Bed Air Roaster

The Origins of Fluid Bed Roasting

The origins of fluid bed roasting are rooted in industrial innovation. In the mid-20th century, as industries evolved and consumer demand increased, there was a growing need for more efficient and consistent methods of mass production. Fluid bed technology was initially adapted for use in industries such as food processing and pharmaceuticals. The idea was simple but groundbreaking: use air to keep materials in motion and ensure even processing.

In the context of coffee, this technology was embraced to meet the rising demand for consistent quality in large-scale coffee production. At first, it was primarily used by large coffee producers who needed to roast huge volumes quickly and efficiently. The method offered a solution that was not only faster but also allowed for better control over the roasting process, leading to consistent results across batches.

However, as the specialty coffee movement began its rise in the latter half of the 20th century, the virtues of fluid bed roasting became appreciated by smaller-scale roasters. They found in it a method that could offer a precision previously unavailable in traditional roasting. These artisans were keen to explore the subtle nuances and flavors of high-quality beans and needed a roasting method that could do justice to their unique profiles.

A Comparison: Fluid Bed vs. Drum Roasting

While fluid bed roasting is gaining popularity, it’s essential to understand how it stacks up against the more traditional drum roasting method. Drum roasting involves beans being tumbled inside a rotating drum heated externally. This method relies heavily on conduction and to a lesser extent, convection, to transfer heat to the beans.

Drum Roasting:

• Pros: Drum roasting is time-tested and praised for its ability to develop deep, complex flavors. The direct contact with heated metal can caramelize sugars differently, benefitting certain bean types.

• Cons: The risk of uneven roasting can be higher if the beans aren't agitated properly, leading to scorching. Additionally, temperature control can be less precise, which might result in inconsistencies.

Drum Roaster

Fluid Bed Roasting:

• Pros: Offers unparalleled control over the roasting environment, ensuring even roasting throughout. It’s faster in heating and cooling cycles, and the absence of direct contact reduces the risk of scorching.

• Cons: Some argue that fluid bed roasting can sometimes lack the depth of flavor development seen in drum roasting for certain coffees.

Ultimately, the choice between fluid bed and drum roasting often comes down to the desired flavor profile and the roaster's specific goals. For us, fluid bed roasting offered advantages that most aligned with our goal to bring our community a sustainable, exceptional cup of coffee:

1. Uniform and Consistent Roasting: The constant movement of beans in a fluid bed ensures that each bean is exposed to the same heat conditions. This reduces the likelihood of any bean being under-roasted or over-roasted, a critical advantage for maintaining quality control.

2. Purity of Flavor: One of the significant advantages of fluid bed roasting is the purity it brings to the flavor. Since beans are not in direct contact with a heated metal surface, the chances of developing unwanted flavors due to scorching are minimized. This allows the roaster to focus on bringing out the bean's inherent characteristics, resulting in a cleaner cup with pronounced flavor notes.

3. Efficiency in Roasting Cycles: Fluid bed roasters generally heat up and cool down more rapidly than drum roasters. This efficiency means that more coffee can be roasted in less time without compromising quality. For commercial roasters, this is a considerable advantage, making it easier to meet increased demand.

4. Customization and Experimentation: The level of control over the roasting environment is a significant draw for fluid bed roasting. Roasters can rapidly alter temperature profiles and air flow, providing an opportunity to experiment with and refine roasting profiles. This experimentation can lead to discovering previously hidden flavor notes within the beans, allowing for unique and customized offerings.

5. Environmental Considerations: Many fluid bed roasters are considered more environmentally friendly due to their energy efficiency and reduced particulate emissions compared to traditional drum roasters. Some newer models incorporate advanced filtration systems to further minimize environmental impact.

Our Journey into Fluid Bed Roasting

When DIVE began its coffee roasting journey, our mission was to responsibly craft exceptional coffee. For our team, using a fluid bed roaster seemed like a no-brainer due to its ability to showcase the unique qualities of our carefully sourced beans while supporting us in our quest toward sustainable practices.

Fluid bed roasting enables us to fine-tune roast profiles and craft distinctive flavors. In many ways, we view fluid bed roasting as a method of respecting and celebrating the different regions and farms that produce the beverage we all know and love. By using hot air instead of direct metal contact, we minimize the risk of scorching, preserving the beans' inherent bright and clean flavor profiles. The control and artistry that fluid bed roasting offers helps us highlight nuanced characteristics that make each batch unique, giving our customers a taste experience that is both authentic and exciting.

While embracing each coffee bean's unique flavor profile was of utmost importance to us, so was roasting coffee in a sustainable way. That is why we chose an electric roaster, one that does not depend on propane, and one that could ultimately be powered by a renewable energy, like solar. We chose the Coffee Crafters Artisan 3e—a 3-lb. Commercial Fluid Bed Electric Coffee Roaster. The Artisan 3e offers the precision and control we need to fine-tune our roasting profiles, ensuring that every coffee we produce reflects our commitment to quality and consistency. The choice to adopt an electric roaster reduces our carbon footprint and demonstrates our commitment to the planet; but at DIVE, we took it one step further, choosing to power our roaster will solar energy.

In choosing fluid bed roasting, we at DIVE Coffee Roasters are not just adopting a method—we are embracing a philosophy. It’s about crafting coffee with care, precision, and a focus on sustainability. When you enjoy a cup of our coffee, you are partaking in a story of innovation and responsibility, where every roast exemplifies our passion for exceptional coffee crafted with a conscience.

The DIVE Difference: Fluid Bed Roastings Advantages to Sustainability and Health

1. Pure and Consistent Flavor: The absence of metal contact prevents scorching, allowing our beans to reveal clean and vibrant flavors.

2. Environmentally Friendly: By using the Artisan 3e, which is propane-free and powered by solar energy, we drastically minimize our environmental impact, emphasizing our commitment to clean, renewable resources.

3. Healthier Brewing: Our gentle roasting process reduces the risk of burning and the formation of harmful compounds, ensuring a cleaner, healthier cup of coffee.

4. Efficient and Sustainable: The Artisan 3e’s rapid heating and cooling cycles enhance energy efficiency, embodying our dedication to an eco-friendly roasting process.

5. Cleaner Production: Producing less particulate matter, this roaster ensures a cleaner environment, reducing airborne contaminants.

The DIVE Process

Join Us in the Journey of Flavor

With DIVE Coffee Roasters, every cup is an invitation to explore a rich sensory experience powered by innovation and sustainability. Fluid bed roasting offers us endless opportunities to enhance the natural diversity of coffee flavors and share them with our community.

As you enjoy each crafted cup, know that you’re supporting sustainable practices and a cleaner planet. Explore these unique flavors with us and discover what makes DIVE Coffee Roasters a leader in specialty coffee—where technology meets tradition, sustainability powers our mission, and each roast takes a deep dive into exceptional flavor and responsibility.