November | December 2022
From the Publisher
The founder and publisher of Roast magazine, Connie Blumhardt has spent 25 years in magazine publishing and has worked in the coffee industry for the last 20 years. Connie brings the same passion and commitment to this industry journal that is present within the roasting community.
With each issue, Connie brings insight and inspiration to the pages of Roast with this column.
Connie Blumhardt, Publisher
SINCE 2004, THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER EDITION of Roast has always contained our annual Roaster of the Year announcement. From day one, we really wanted this award to be about recognition more than competition. The list is endless when it comes to how many companies deserve this award. For readers not familiar with the competition, there are two components: written and sensory.
First, all entries are judged based on written submissions related to various elements of how roasters conduct their businesses. There are eight general categories, ranging from commitment to the industry to sustainable practices to education. It is by design that more detailed criteria are not given. We want to give as much range as possible for innovative people to open our eyes to all possible meaning and application under the broad categories.
Multiple judges evaluate the written submissions. Three finalists are chosen for Micro Roaster of the Year (less than 100,00 pounds per year) and three finalists are chosen for Macro Roaster of the Year (greater than 100,00 pounds per year). At this point, each of the finalists has been judged to be an exemplar of roasting companies in the industry.
Second, all the finalists submit three roasted coffee samples. Professional coffee cuppers blindly judge the roasts using Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) standards for aroma, color, defects, bean size and flavor profile.
Finally, winners are selected based on the highest combined scores for business practices and roasted coffee cupping scores. It is not an easy competition to win, and each year’s winners are rightfully proud of their accomplishment.
For this year, I am happy to announce our Micro Roaster of the Year is Rabbit Hole Roasters from Montreal, Canada. Rabbit Hole not only executes its vision but is also constantly questioning assumptions about its own responsible and sustainable business practices.
I am equally happy to announce our Macro Roaster of the Year is Cafe Kreyol from Manassas, Virginia. Perhaps following a theme for this year, Cafe Kreyol has developed and operates by its own unique vision for a sustainable business, while also reminding us there are many paths to success in our industry.
I hope these exemplary roasters inspire you to continue your journey in defining what success means, and perhaps provide motivation to execute on that vision every day.
Warmest Wishes,
Connie
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