Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/491356
30 STiR tea & coffee industry international installation. The plant's current emissions control system works well, which further complicates deciding to buy one. Gaviña continued, "If it did more to help with emissions than our current afterburners, it'd be easier to pull the trigger on a purchase." Though the particulars are on a smaller scale, boutique wholesale roasters and roaster-cafés also face more stringent requirements. Fortunately, a number of emerging equipment manufactur- ers are building solutions with smaller footprints and price tags. Closing the Loop Since the turn of the 21st century, three North American companies debuted new roaster designs employing various combinations of convective heating, recirculation, and fluid bed design. Two feature recirculation of hot air resulting in significant reductions in energy use and roast exhaust. One that has already captured quite a bit of attention in specialty coffee circles is Loring Smart Roast. This Santa Rosa, Calif., company was founded by Mark Loring Ludwig who contin- ues to expand the product line with innovative products. Bob Austin, ceo of Loring Smart Roast, Inc., while describing one of the key differences between drum roasters and the Loring machines, said, "It's a little like trying to control a large freighter on the ocean. You have to know a couple of miles ahead what you want to do because it takes a long time to change direction. In the case of a drum roaster, it takes a long time to change the amount of heat retained in the metal. With a Loring Roaster, we can change the temperature in a few seconds and we're not dependent upon the metal to be involved in the equation. So our profiles can be more dynamic and precise." The heart of the smokeless roaster is a gas burner within the cyclone. Heat from the burner is split by the cyclone. Some recirculates to roast the beans and the rest,the hottest flue gasses, go up the stack where they incinerate smoke and odor, eliminating the need for an afterburner. The roasting chamber is fully enclosed. The roasting environment made up of flue gasses is naturally low in O 2 with a consistent level of humidity which helps beans retain flavorful oils. Ter- roir Coffee owns one along with Equator Estates Coffees, Maruyama Coffees (Japan), and Solberg & Hansen (Norway) and several other 90+ scoring specialty roasters. Changes in emission regulations mean that medium to large-scale roasters will upgrade their equipment to comply with new rules.