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  • andy
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Thread locked on a positive note
    (albeit late)

    Andy.

    Leave a comment:


  • GrindOnDemand
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Greg41, I think the overwhelming tone of responses to this blokes venture has been an honest appraisal of what hes intending to do, with some bloody good thoughts from experienced roasters (industry pros & home-roasters to boot ) expressing their take on his business entity.

    I feel the feedback is essentially negative not from what he wants to do, but the way he wants to do it!

    Lucinda, ya hit the proverbial on the proverbial ... fenners, have you actually roasted before?

    If not, a 10kg beast will surely be unforgiving?

    Ill re-iterate what I said, respectfully, in a previous post - mate, go smaller initially to learn/perfect the craft, then think big (away from my home, thankyou )

    Leave a comment:


  • Sarg
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Originally posted by MarcS link=1193365321/30#34 date=1193630817
    And the Greens getting behind small business... not so sure... theyre against anything that emits! If you Fart, they want to know about it!...
    Not entirely true... teeth firmly grinding. :-X


    Leave a comment:


  • Greg41
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    I am surprised at what i am reading on this forumn. This guy is just trying to have a go at an honest living. He has taken the right avenue by asking experienced people on this site for advice and is getting a lot of negative feedback. How do you think all the experienced roasters gained their experience.? Someone had to train them.

    I can understand the roasters close to fenners would feel threatened. But thats the way this democratic society operates. Anyway thats my 5c worth.

    All the best in your new venture mate.

    Leave a comment:


  • Thundergod
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    I like the martial arts analogy cindy.
    fenners may not know as you do, but Ive been learning karate for over 30 years.
    Learning about this coffee stuff (including roasting) for just over 1 year and am an auditor.

    So as lucinda pointed out, they all take dedication, following a process and probably being anal helps.  ;D

    Leave a comment:


  • lucinda
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Fenners - have you done any sort of roasting at all previous to this?

    I have been using the popper coming up to 12 months and have just started with the Coretto. It is only the last couple of months that I feel confident enough to even give away beans that I have roasted to people. Over the last year that I have been doing this I have been doing a lot of research and spent hours on the net reading about roasting coffee and asking questions here and elsewhere. I still feel that I have a long way to go.

    I have heard a roaster who has been roasting 10+ years say that he is still learning and he is one of the best roasters in Adelaide.

    Roasting coffee in a home situation is totally different to roasting coffee in a commercial situation.

    Quote:
    If all this is about starting up a business, I fear you wont be able to find anyone that has the knowledge (ie profesisonal roasters) , to just hand over years worth of hard earned experience (and the basis of their ability to earn an income) to yet another newcomer to enter the business.


    I hope you are taking this advice seriously. Over the years, especially in Karate, I have seen people who get involved in something full of excitement and are dead keen and after the novelty and excitement wears off and they realise that it takes a hell of a lot of hard work and intense commitment (not just throwing money at it) over many many years they just drift away.

    Just like a martial art, coffee roasting is an art and it also requires years and years of dedication, learning and commitment. Thats why there are only a few really fantastic commercial roasters around.



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  • GrindOnDemand
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    If the shed burns down, perhaps you could change your forum name to Embers

    Leave a comment:


  • fenners
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    This is more of what I was expecting!! Cheers guys, thanks for the great feedback.

    Luca, I respect what you have to say and enjoy reading your blog.
    If I can just answer your query,
    "So how are you going to actually learn what you need to in order  to be able to sell coffee to your customers with a straight face? "

    Im going to learn over time, through trial and error and listening and asking questions to as many people as I can find.
    In my initial 3 year plan I dont intend to sell my coffee to cafes. Im aiming at the home consumer. No-one I know has a LM FB80 at home. Most use Sunbeams, Brevilles, press or filter brewing methods.
    I have responded to Peter Wolffs cupping course and am very much looking forward to that and will be on the lookout for similar events. Im also looking for a roasting mentor whom Im happy to negotiate a fair price with.

    FC and others, I take on board everything you say, but Im going to have a go at this with a 10kg roaster and hope for the best. I was very close to buying a 5kg roaster but after speaking with an experienced Yucel roaster I decided to go with a 10kg. Time will tell and Ill be here to tell it - unless my shed burns down!!

    Note: I am in the process of speaking with my neighbours. If they raise any issues which we are unable to resolve I will not proceed. I am installing a cyclone, afterburner and flue to the highest legal height. I will be trained in cleaning my machine and will follow a regular cleaning schedule. Everything will be installed by professional electricians and gasfitters. Im awaiting written confirmation from council and I will also have my shed safety checked by the fire brigade. Have I missed anything?

    Leave a comment:


  • Magic_Matt
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Fair enough

    I promised I wouldnt get political... so Ill just grit my teeth instead!

    Leave a comment:


  • marcstolk
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    No idea on BB and the Oomph saga... more a general comment...

    And the Greens getting behind small business... not so sure... theyre against anything that emits! If you Fart, they want to know about it!...

    Leave a comment:


  • Magic_Matt
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Originally posted by MarcS link=1193365321/15#28 date=1193622928
    That Oomph case was an joke and VERY unaustralian. Im really pleased they got through it.

    OK, no more fighting words... I do feel itis relevant though in the context of this discussion regards EPAs/\/Councils etc...

    This country needs to be pro small business, and should be.

    Andy, how did you get through your process of installing your Has-Garanti 10KG jobby with Council...
    All in good humour

    Sorry to go O/T again... but did BB get involved in the Oomph saga? Or was it more a general comment? I wouldve thought the greens would back small business to the hilt...

    Agree completely WRT small business - particularly so in Tassie where big business demands ride roughshod over wineries, bed & breakfasts etc... But hey, I wasnt going to get political! :-X

    A joke and VERY unaustralian is the best description for the BPPC Ive heard!

    Leave a comment:


  • Fresh_Coffee
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Aw shucks thanks for that Marc!

    Regardz,
    FC.

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  • marcstolk
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Great post FC ....

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  • Fresh_Coffee
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Yup the EPA have no guidelines for setting up roasting equipment.....

    The roaster is expected to know what is required, and as most ("developed") countries selling roasting equipment will tell you what is required (because they want to sell it to you), this is why the roaster is expected to know what to do !

    No one in their right mind in a developed country will set up equipment in a city and not include anti pollution gear.

    The EPA as stated previously responds to complaints. They dont need to know or care about how the equipment is set up, they only need to know if the equipment is not working properly because if it was, your neighbours wouldnt be complaining after you start running the thing.

    The EPA does on the other hand have guidlelines about what can and cant be done to pollute the air we breathe. They also have guidelines that tell them how your afterburnmer should be running (ie at what temperature) or be hooked up, so that no material or smell escapes.

    This means that if someone complains, but you are running an afterburner, but the neighbours still complain, they will turn up and ask to view your electronic controller or printouts or log book to check at what temperature you have been running the afterburner.  It might not have been switched on or it might be running at a lower temp than is required under their draft regulations. Not to mention that if you do have an afterburner, but it is NOT INTERLOCKED to run with the roaster (or is being run at a lower temp than they require)  then you are a very naughty boy and will get your fingers smacked by them because you are not supposed to be able to run the roaster without the afterburner......

    After that as others have said..they (council / EPA / whoever) will all point the finger back at eachother. Youre only form of defense is for you to make sure you are doing the RIGHT THING and the onus is on you to work out what that is.

    If all this is about running a 10 kilo roaster as a hobby, my advice would be to sell the thing and buy something more appropriate (much smaller) that wont give all this angst.

    If all this is about starting up a business, I fear you wont be able to find anyone that has the knowledge (ie profesisonal roasters) , to just hand over years worth of hard earned experience (and the basis of their ability to earn an income) to yet another newcomer to enter the business.


    Regardz,
    FC.

    Leave a comment:


  • luca
    replied
    Re: Roasting in a residential area

    Originally posted by 2muchcoffeeman link=1193365321/15#24 date=1193621018
    Councils are notorious for changing their minds. You may find that the planning dept. has a different view.
    Great points. Fenners, if you havent already done so, could I suggest that you get all of your correspondence with the council and the EPA down in writing. That way at least you have something to fall back on when and if they change their mind.

    The council and EPA will tell you what the regulations are, but in terms of safety I really think that you ought to contact some professional roasters who have experienced roaster fires. And by that, I mean actually make the trip to go and visit them, check out their equipment and talk to them in person.

    I still maintain that there is a right way to tell someone and a wrong way.
    Well, I hope that this is the right way to tell you this ...

    On the other forum, you got a response from a well respected professional roaster that included, amongst the rest of it, this:

    Start half arsed stay half arsed.. thats just my thoughts..
    In this thread you had a response from another experienced and well respected commercial roaster: (;P)

    If you start a new thread asking for suggestions about setting-up a legitimate roastery Im sure the responses would be far better!
    Then you had a deity say this:

    Some come here to push their own agenda.
    Sometimes its obvious at other times not.
    They come and go quickly.

    The ones that stick around really do have something to contribute and learn.
    The question that no-one is asking seems to be this: Professional roasters spend years learning how to extract, taste and roast coffee. You bought a domestic espresso machine and grinder this month. So how are you going to actually learn what you need to in order to be able to sell coffee to your customers with a straight face?

    Im sorry to put it bluntly like that, but I think that a lot of the responses that you have gotten have to be put in the context of not understanding that rather fundamental aspect of your plan. And Im sure that youll find no shortage of people who would be more than happy to help you out if youre prepared to put the work in, but in the absence of any idea that you are actually prepared to do the hard yards (or have already done them), I think that you would have to expect some measure of cynicism.

    Cheers,

    Luca

    Leave a comment:

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