Smart Roast Europe - News and Testimonials
The World’s Greenest Coffee Roaster is Launched in Europe (July 2009)
Loring Smart Roast is being launched across Europe by Smart Roast Europe and is a collaboration between Loring Smart Roast and Steve Penk and Chris Glossop – the driving force behind La Spaziale espresso machines and Mahlkönig in the UK.
"The Smart Roast in Europe changes everything," says Steve. "It’s a great opportunity for roasters to think differently about taste, technology and the environment. The Smart Roast challenges the status quo, and allows roasters a greater choice in the way they go about their business.”
In establishing and growing their current business over many years, Steve Penk and Chris Glossop have worked with like-minded professionals who are dedicated to improve the quality of artisan coffee in the UK. La Spaziale traditional espresso machines and Mahlkönig grinders have been the preferred choice of discerning baristas who appreciate using the best equipment available. “We have always tried to supply the best possible equipment and work with devoted professionals who have a passion for excellence,” says Steve.
Steve and Chris are well-respected in the speciality coffee world - in fact Steve takes up the role of Vice President of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) in July 2009. “For the Smart Roast we’re not only looking for direct customers - we’re also looking for partners in strategic locations across Europe to assist with the sales, distribution and support of the machine. We get great back-up from the manufacturers in the USA, and the machine is much simpler to operate and maintain than traditional equipment, but we will also need to build local distribution networks,” Steve adds.
To find out more call the team today on +44 1246 454 400.
Energy Claims Substantiated
Tests have been carried out in the USA by the respected utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGE) to determine the practical energy savings potential of the Loring Smart Roaster against old-style roasters. The two technologies were run alongside each other and metered gas usage was measured for comparable batches. The tests showed that the Smart Roaster used substantially less gas, due not only to the higher efficiency of the process but also because the batches could be roasted faster. A weight for weight comparison shows that the Smart Roaster uses just under 20% of the gas used by the traditional machine – a huge 80% saving!
These savings will substantially reduce the lifetime costs of the roaster as well as significantly reducing the organisation’s carbon footprint. In addition, grants or tax concessions may be available for companies investing in energy saving equipment.
To learn more about the features, benefits and specifications of the Loring Smart Roast system visit the Product page.
Testimonials - The Taste Experience
For the artisan roaster the primary reason for selecting one machine over another will be the ability to influence taste in the roasting process. The Smart Roast technology allows close and repeatable control over roasting, as well as a reduced-oxygen atmosphere. Some of the leading roasters in the world have been won over by the superior taste that these benefits bring.
Terry Patano of the Doma Coffee Roasting Company has been using the Smart Roaster for over a year. “As a company we wanted to push our green, sustainable credentials - as well as roast better coffee,” Terry says. “I spoke to a couple of roasters who were using the system and whose opinion I valued. We also tasted a lot of coffee. After the research, we felt we could roast better coffee on the Smart Roaster than on our previous machine. After 16 months I’m quite happy with our decision - we’re roasting better tasting coffee now and, as we continue to learn more about the roaster’s capabilities, I feel our coffee will get even better.”
Jim Hottenroth, senior roaster at Doma, adds: “The Smart Roast gives us enough detailed data to let us develop the exact roast profile we need for each coffee. The profile roasting software lets us repeat the same profile every time regardless of variations in room temperature or air flow. It has the flexibility to let us make slight adjustments to a roast profile to keep up with seasonal variations in coffee lots,” he explains. “Our coffee is tasting better than it ever has,” he adds.
David Pohl, Head Roaster at Equator Estate Coffees & Teas describes the taste benefits of using a Smart Roaster: “The result you get is a cleaner cup, a brighter cup and a more uniform cup. The heating element is very easy on the coffee so it doesn’t scorch the coffee or tip the coffee - the result is a very clean cup,” he says. “We love the computer system because it’s very easy to use, we can very consistently roast the same coffee, the same blend, the same espresso, the same single-origin time and time again.”
The well-known and respected Mark Inman of Taylor Maid Farms (and the current president of the Specialty Coffee Association of America) has been using a Smart Roaster for a number of years. “Our company’s mission is to be environmentally and socially progressive, to be committed to sustainable quality - all while remaining profitable,” Mark explains. “The Smart Roaster fits this strategy perfectly. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it is also controllable and consistent enough to roast the rarest of our coffees to the highest taste standards.”