2022 is here, and as new samples arrive in the office getting through the January ‘to-do’ list can sometimes seem like a challenge. However, the thought of new green samples, new coffee and sharing those experiences with customers is an energising boost to begin to tackle the ‘to-dos’. So, with this in mind, we wanted to make sure you’re equipped with a few tips and tricks you need to get sampling this January, but also get the most out of your IKAWA.
One Touch Roasting:
If you’re short of time, but will be using the same roast profile for a number of samples back to back – you can take advantage of ‘one touch roasting’.
Once you’ve sent your preferred roast profile from the IKAWA Pro App to your roaster, if you don’t need to add roast markers, your roaster will automatically keep using the same profile again and again until you go back to the app and change it.
Roast Notifications:
Running between a few jobs around the roastery? As long as you stay within bluetooth range of your roaster (up to 25m depending on your device) the IKAWA Pro App will let you know when the pre-heat is complete and it’s ready to roast. Your roaster will automatically start it’s cooling cycle after two minutes if you do not start the roast by dropping in your green coffee.
With the IKAWA Pro App there is no need to keep checking in on your roast progress. Allowing you to focus on other tasks when you are sample roasting. When your roast profile is finished a simple pop-up will appear on your device screen to let you know your roast is complete. Make sure you have your notification sounds turned on to hear the chime!
Change of scenery – Portable, always:
Whilst you may have found the prime spot for your IKAWA at your roastery, never forget that the IKAWA literally has portability built in.
If testing the range of the bluetooth isn’t on your radar, consider a change of scenery, maybe the slightly warmer office is more appealing than your production area? Perhaps nearer to your computer, or maybe the brewer?! Whatever your driver, simply unplug and make the move (as long as you’re not mid-roast when you do it).
One Roaster, Multiple Devices:
Have you ever wondered if you can have all your preferred roast profiles and roast log across a number of different devices? Well, we had a few questions about this in the tail end of 2021, and there are a few solutions, but we recommend having one IKAWA Pro App account and have it logged in on all business devices. Using a roastery@ email address, for example.
This way all of your roast profiles, logs and data will then be safely stored in the cloud – allowing you access to all the things you need, as long as you have the app installed (and your login details to hand) on any compatible device.
The same tip goes for multiple roasters, there is no limit to the number of IKAWA Pro Roasters you can pair to your account.
With new or known green samples, having a brilliant selection of roasts to pick from can turn a functional process to an exciting discovery. Picking the characteristics you want to enhance or frame in a coffee and then thinking in terms of profile shape, roast temperature, development time, fan speed, and cooling – all before you’ve even cupped your sample! This January we wanted to give you some new options to try from two importers; Atlas Coffee and Caravela:
Drew from Atlas Coffee Importers has created a “universal” profile, intended for sample roasting in concert with SCA cupping analysis. The outcome follows controlled trials across a range of coffees, times, temperatures and airflow. Delivering an outcome suitable for cupping analysis, with distinct and dependable results roast after roast.
Caravela use this roast profile as the base for all their washed South and Central American speciality coffees. If you’re looking to dial in to a specific coffee, the team at Caravela recommend stopping the roast at 17% DTR (development time ratio). Do this by editing the roast in real time, or by pressing the top button during roasting.
January through March are always exciting times in the coffee calendar as we get to taste the final produce of the previous year and get a glimpse of what 2022 has to offer. If you’re looking for inspiration for a new profile, then head over to the roast library where you can sort by origin, roast outcome and more.
Whilst every origin, farmer, trader and importer operates on a slightly different time scale, keep your eyes peeled for Central and South American crops with big hitters like Colombia and Brazil continuing to arrive now, with the origins including Panama, Mexico, Honduras, to name a few, being harvested over the next few months with arrival in Q2.
Click here for Central and South American Profiles
By the end of this quarter we should start to see the arrival of some crops from Ethiopia and Kenya as producers also ramp up harvest across Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi for landing around the globe later this year.
Click here for African Profiles
