190 ROASTING AND GLAZING. 



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changes into an aromatic vapor, rake the fire well, put 

 on sufficient coal to make the next roast and shut off the 

 draft. (6) Empty the coffee from the cylinder into the 

 cooler and cool off rapidly, then sift and pack. If a light 

 color is required roast quickly, if a dark, slowly. The 

 exact time for a perfect roast under these rules depend 

 to a great extent on the size of the cylinder, the quantity 

 of coffee to be roasted, the amount of heat and the color 

 desired, the average ranging from 30 to 40 minutes. The 

 addition of a little water to the coffee when it begins to 

 crackle in the cylinder, will cause the beans to swell up, 

 liberate the chaff and make the process safer by extin- 

 guishing any sparks that may by accident occur in the 

 cylinder. It also preserves the aroma longer to some 

 extent when used in moderation, but will not, as is some- 

 times claimed, protect it from atmospheric influences, 

 but on the contrary makes it more liable to such influ- 

 ences, particularly when used in excess. 



When the beans begin to crackle the revolutions of 

 the cylinder, are increased for a short time in order to 

 prevent them from scorching or burning, a bluish vapor 

 is emitted at the same time, which indicates that the 

 coffee is nearly if not quite roasted. At this stage the 

 operator pours on the coffee a quantity of water to pre- 

 vent it from burning, the rapid evaporation from which 

 reduces the intense heat and causes the beans to burst 

 open and swell up to about double in size. The use of 

 a little lard at this juncture will impart to the beans a 

 smoother, glossier and more attractive appearance. The 

 addition of water in the roasting of coffee is not, as is 

 generally supposed, intended to increase its weight 

 unless when used to excess as the intense heat converts 

 it into steam which rapidly passes off in the air, many 

 old roasters contending that coffee cannot be properly 



