A short history of coffee roasting
People have been roasting coffee for roughly six centuries, and the tools have changed far more than the goal. From pans over open fire to computer-controlled drums, roasting has always been about coaxing flavour out of a green seed with heat and time.
From the hearth to the drum
Early roasting happened at home in thin pans. By the nineteenth century, commercial drum roasters arrived, letting roasters work larger, more even batches. The principles we use today were largely set then.
The modern era
Modern roasters log temperature curves and chase repeatability, but a good roaster still trusts their nose and ears. The craft did not disappear; it just gained instruments.