Be a part of us as we check drive the progressive handbook espresso roaster, guided by Greece’s 2025 Roasting Champion Argiris Fakos.
BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT
Featured picture courtesy of Bare Portafilter
Hungarian gear boutique Bare Portafilter lately made waves with its progressive handbook espresso roaster, the Roastino. Drawing inspiration from classic roasters, Bare Portafilter goals to rekindle the enjoyment of handbook espresso roasting with the system, permitting espresso lovers and professionals alike to have larger management over their roast profiles and, finally, their espresso.
Lately, I had the possibility to dive into the artwork of espresso roasting with the steering of Argiris Fakos, the 2025 Nationwide Roasting Champion of Greece, at DARG Espresso in Athens. Collectively, we explored the roast traits that the Roastino can ship, and I’m wanting to share my expertise.
Unboxing: What’s Inside
Unboxing the Roastino reveals a thoughtfully designed product that displays the care taken in its creation. The very first thing that stands out concerning the roaster is its aesthetic simplicity paired with sensible design. Right here’s what you possibly can anticipate within the field:
- Copper drum: The drum is designed for efficient warmth retention and even roasting, and its top is adjustable, making it versatile to be used with numerous warmth sources.
- Stainless-steel base: A sturdy basis ensures stability whereas roasting.
- Constructed-in thermometer: Easy but important, this thermometer permits for correct temperature readings in each Celsius and Fahrenheit.
- Windshield add-on: This elective accent enhances outside roasting and provides insulation.
- Person manuals: Two QR codes are included throughout the field, main to 2 manuals—one explaining tips on how to assemble and preserve the machine, and the second explaining tips on how to use it.
The Roastino’s design feels virtually nostalgic, harkening again to the craftsmanship of classic gadgets, but enhanced with trendy supplies and engineering.
Prepping: Discovering the Proper Spot
Efficient espresso roasting hinges on preparation. Argiris and I began by scouting the proper location at DARG to arrange the Roastino: a well-ventilated space with a flat floor. Right here’s a breakdown of what we gathered to organize for our roasting expertise:
- Warmth supply: We selected a Rekrow micro-burner for its controllable warmth output, making it splendid for reaching constant outcomes.
- Batch measurement: We opted to start out with 80 grams of a Brazilian pure for our filter espresso roast, preserving throughout the Roastino’s advisable capability.
- Cooling tray: A metallic tray was important for cooling the beans swiftly after the roasting course of.
- Timer: A stopwatch helped us preserve monitor of every vital stage within the roasting course of.
Testing the Roaster: First Crack at DARG
As soon as all of our instruments had been in place, it was time to roast. Following the offered directions, we preheated the copper drum to a gentle 90°C (194°F) whereas constantly rotating it. After this preliminary step, we loaded 80 grams of inexperienced beans into the drum and began the timer.
The rhythmic rotation of the drum was each mesmerizing and fascinating. We did our greatest to keep up a velocity of round 60 RPM, adjusting the gasoline flame to realize the next essential temperature milestones:
- 3 min: Reached 150°C (302°F)
- 5 min: Hit 190°C (374°F)
- 7 min: Climbed to 210°C (410°F)
Because the beans danced within the copper drum, the primary crack was an exhilarating second. It introduced itself round eight minutes into the roast—an important level that guided us towards our desired roast profile. We then continued to watch the event of the roast to realize a light-weight filter espresso taste profile, aiming for a drop simply after the primary crack.
As soon as the specified roast was reached, we swiftly ejected the beans into the cooling tray and agitated them to carry down the temperature effectively, stopping over-development. The aroma was enchanting, filling the room with hints of caramel and floral notes.
Roasting at House
After our profitable check drive at DARG, I made a decision to present the Roastino a shot at residence with a concentrate on espresso. I set the roaster up in my kitchen and gathered all the obligatory instruments to repeat the method I had gone via with Argiris.
First, I preheated the drum to 90°C as soon as once more. This time, I selected to roast 100 grams of inexperienced beans, aiming for a medium roast profile appropriate for espresso extraction. The identical temperature milestones we used throughout our check drive at DARG guided me via the method, and I mirrored the earlier directions.
Because the beans spun within the copper drum, I eagerly awaited the second of the primary crack, which arrived simply past the seven-minute mark, indicating that the roast was progressing easily. I let the roast develop a bit of longer, preserving a detailed eye on the clock earlier than lastly executing a drop only a minute and 30 seconds after the primary crack, permitting me to realize a medium roast.
Once more, cooling the beans rapidly within the cooling tray was a key step, and the end result was a pleasant aroma, wealthy with the promise of a fancy espresso shot.
A Distinctive Handbook Roasting Expertise
The Roastino from Bare Portafilter delivers a manual-roasting expertise that bridges conventional craftsmanship and trendy espresso tradition. With well-thought-out options and an enthralling design, it gives an attractive approach to roast, guaranteeing exact management over the roasting course of.
Argiris commented on the outcomes, saying, “The Roastino yielded an excellent end result for a handbook roaster. The copper materials offers glorious warmth conductivity, guaranteeing that the roast may be very even all through the method. Regardless of the handbook operation, I discovered the outcomes to be remarkably constant. The speed of rise (RoR) was additionally actually good, which is essential for reaching exact roast profiles.”
The Roastino is priced at $180 for the stainless-steel model, making it an affordable choice for these fascinated by exploring the artwork of espresso roasting. Whereas it might not be probably the most automated resolution in the marketplace, its handbook operation encourages a better connection to the roasting course of. This additional consideration to element can result in a extra immersive expertise, permitting customers to higher perceive the nuances of taste growth. It’s also a strong selection for pattern roasting, providing the chance to experiment with numerous roast profiles.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior on-line correspondent for Barista Journal and a contract copywriter and editor with a main concentrate on the espresso area of interest. She has additionally been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, offering content material to assist educate individuals about baristas and their work.
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