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\u201cRoasting coffee is not particularly easy, or romantic,\u201d says Rob Hoos, coffee roasting consultant and author of the book Modulating the Flavor Profile of Coffee<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hoos\u2019 comment indicates that although the specialty coffee industry has promoted a certain mystique surrounding coffee roasting, at its core, roasting is manufacturing. It\u2019s less about artistic flourish, and more about consistency and attention to detail. Like any other role in the supply chain, coffee roasting is a skill that takes time and practice to develop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou would not expect someone who has never made a latte before to know how to pour latte art. Nor would you expect someone\u2019s first hundred shots of espresso they\u2019ve ever pulled to be the best espresso you\u2019ve ever had,\u201d says Hoos. \u201cAt a certain point you just have to roast coffee and mess it up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although roasting your own coffee offers a chance to eventually lower your cost of goods, the initial investment can be steep. Beyond the cost of the roaster, Hoos warns shipping, installation, and inspections are often more expensive and time-consuming than most aspiring roasters account for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, when first starting out, sourcing exciting coffees can be challenging. Most well-known producers have their coffee allocated to longtime partners. Companies roasting lower volumes of coffee often have to buy \u201cspot\u201d coffee, or whatever is on hand in an importer\u2019s warehouse. In other words, you\u2019re stuck with the leftovers more established roasters didn\u2019t want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the challenges, for many caf\u00e9s, the switch just makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe had been considering different possibilities around roasting, with three shops open and one more on the horizon it was starting to become about time,\u201d says Elle Taylor, co-owner of Amethyst Coffee in Denver, Colorado. \u201cWhen [roaster] Sam [Neely] sat down with myself and my business partner, Breezy Sanchez, we knew it was the right move.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Amethyst had previously operated as a multi-roaster caf\u00e9. They introduced their own coffee under the label \u201cMystery Roaster,\u201d before revealing their new, house-roasted coffee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are always challenges,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cCash flow for a roastery is new for us, and that was a bit of a learning curve, but we\u2019re settling in now.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n