26 COFFEE. 



The illustration upon the opposite page exhibits the interior 

 of a large roasting establishment, and shows the manner of filling 

 and emptying the cylinders, and the process of cooling the coffee. 

 The perforated iron cylinders are bvdlt large enough to hold three 

 hundred pounds of cofEee, but not more than two hundred pounds 

 are placed at one time in each. It will be seen from the engraving 

 that the cylinder may be removed from, over the fire upon the 

 shaft upon which it revolves, which shaft is made to extend from 

 the brick frame-work which protects the fire, far enough to per- 

 mit of the cylinder being readily filled and emptied. In some 

 roasting establishments the cylinders are so arranged that they 

 cannot be removed from over the fire, which feature is deemed ob- 

 j actionable by the best roasters, as, in case of any accident to the 

 machinery the cofEee could not be quickly enough removed. This 

 arrangement also subjects the empty cylinder to the influence of 

 a strong heat after the coffee is removed and before a new lot can 

 take its place, the effect of which is to " speck " the coffee imless 

 great care is exercised. 



Upon an average, about forty-five minutes are required to roast 

 the berry, which, in addition to the time taken to fill and empty 

 the cylinder and to cool and re-sack the coffee — ^makes the time 

 occupied by the entire process about one hour. 



The Mocha and other small bean coffees will roast in a little 

 less time than Java and other large varieties. The phrase " little 

 less time " is full of significance to the professional roaster, for 

 the keeping of the coffee over the fire from thirty to sixty seconds 

 longer than is necessary wiU sometimes ruin the roast. For the 

 lyTew England trade a light roast is reqnired, and for "Western, a 

 dark, or pretty fuU roast. What are termed white, dead, sour, or 

 black beans injure the roast, in fact a very small quantity of sour 

 beans present in a lot of coffee will greatly damage it. A well 

 seasoned berry that is solid and oily, and from one to two years 

 old, makes the finest roast. The white beans which are so often 

 seen in roasted coffee are from imperfect or immature berries, 

 analagous to the miniature kernel of corn which is often found at 

 one end of the cob. "White beans being destitute of caffeone con- 

 taining the aroma are but little changed in color during the 

 process of roasting, and are comparatively destitute of flavor. 



