For the very first time, Belgium hosted a coffee event of international stature: the Brussels Coffee Show. In the impressive old train sheds of Gare Maritime on the Tour & Taxis site, coffee lovers and professionals gathered for a weekend full of inspiration and innovation.
In this beautiful setting there was immediately the coffee vibe that you also experience at events such as the Amsterdam Coffee Festival or the London Coffee Festival. At such fairs there are often talks, competitions, workshops and challenges. So this could not be missing at the Brussels Coffee Show, and thanks to the many visitors, this first edition became a great success.
Roast Challenge
What is a Roast Challenge?
During the show, there was not only the April Brewers Cup or the Barista Masters competition, but there was also a unique Roast Challenge. This Roast Challenge allows coffee roasters to showcase their vision and approach to roasting on the innovative Stronghold SX7 machine. Representing OR Coffee, I, Joris De Bolle, had the opportunity to participate in this exciting challenge. I myself have only roasted on a Stronghold once before and this during my professional training, so it was really an adventure for me.
How to roast on the Stronghold SX7?
The Stronghold SX7 is a modern roasting machine that combines several methods of heat transfer: convection, conduction and radiant heat. This offers a unique advantage because the machine gives more control over how heat affects the coffee bean. To start approaching a particular roast on a new machine, you need to get to know the machine a bit first anyway. What parameters can you adjust? And what is the impact of adjusting those parameters while roasting? But through the people at GodShot, I luckily got the necessary info.
A key feature of the Stronghold is the “halogen” parameter, which allows you to adjust the intensity of 2 halogen lights to speed up the development of the bean core. During the Roast Challenge, I needed to understand this parameter well because it affects how fast the bean core develops. This knowledge, along with what I use at OR Coffee, helped me make choices during roasting, such as when to increase or decrease the heat.
The result
My goal was to create a filter roast suitable for brewing coffee with filter methods, such as a Chemex or V60. I had a time goal of between 7 and 9 minutes, meaning the coffee bean had to be properly developed without roasting too quickly. The end result was an 8-minute roast - exactly what I had in mind.
Conclusion
The Roast Challenge at the Brussels Coffee Show was a great experience. Working with the Stronghold SX7 was both challenging and educational, and it gave me valuable insights that I will take back to OR Coffee. Experimenting with a new parameter and playing with techniques such as convection, conduction and radiation ensures that I continue to develop my skills as a coffee roaster. Without a doubt, I look forward to roasting on the Stronghold again, with even more confidence and knowledge in the future!
