The history of coffee is long and rich, with its cultivation and enjoyment spanning centuries. But beyond the brewing process lies an equally fascinating evolution—the art of roasting coffee beans. From humble beginnings in the Middle East to today’s highly engineered, precise machines, coffee roasting has transformed dramatically.

For artisan roastmasters around the world, the concept of the roast profile has profound meaning. Roastmasters are, after all, sculptors of flavor, who chisel away—via the roasting process— at precise characteristics that shape coffee into the delightful beverage that brings people joy, friendship, and that much needed inspiration on Monday mornings. Our coffee roaster machine is an integral part of the roastmaster craft. The San Franciscan provides roastmasters worldwide with stability and the utmost control and versatility to achieve a variance in flavor and aroma.

America has always celebrated the individual and the potential of every person to contribute something of unique value to the larger picture. Individualism is an upheld value in the specialty coffee culture; every vision is different and every pair of hands involved in the process is distinct, valuable, and necessary.  This idea is intrinsic to the San Franciscan Roaster Company, where we build using only American-made parts and cherish ideas of craftsmanship, artistry, and innovation. Every machine we construct is handcrafted, carefully assembled, and representative of our profound knowledge of the industry. So in the spirit of one of  America’s finest founding principles, we are proud to introduce our newest roaster: the SF10.

The act of building something by hand is often seen as the road less traveled, and it’s easy to see why. Companies from all around the world make use of automated machines to build their products. Machines building more machines at incredibly fast speeds. They churn out hundreds (if not thousands) of products per week. Cars, refrigerators, computers, and almost everything in our modern world is built by machines. Of course, we’ve yet to reach a moment in time where everything is completely automated. Hard working individuals still work at most of these manufacturing plants but their roles have greatly diminished. Building products by hand can be seen as old-fashioned or outdated but nothing truly compares to a product that was built by hand. Our roasters, for instance, are each designed and built with the artisan roaster in mind. Since the San Franciscan Roaster Company is made up of artisan roasters and creatives with vast experience in the industry, we know exactly what should go in a coffee roaster.

Now, more than ever, consumers are choosing to spend their hard-earned money on companies they know and trust. Long gone are the day of blindly purchasing products off the shelves at the local supermarket. Consumers—specifically millenials—are spending more time researching what they buy in order to positively impact the community. This is intrinsic in the specialty roasting industry. Consumers not only want to purchase coffee from shops that treat their employees with respect, they want to support companies that strive to do good in the world. Since the farming, production, and distribution of specialty coffee involves many players from all around the world, it’s easy for ethical business practices to get lost in the mix. How does a coffee roasting company ensure sustainability and ethical business practices? Although the answer is complex, it is achievable.