Sample roasting 101
90mins · $160 per person · 3ppl max
90 minutes on a commercial sample roaster at our shared roastery in Orakei. You do the roasting, cup it fresh, and leave with coffee you made yourself.
WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT
Not a demo. Not a tour.
You're running the roast.
A working roastery
Common is a shared commercial roastery. The roaster you use is the same one used for sampling production roasts.
Three people maximum
Sessions are capped at three. That means you get time on the machine, not just a view of it.
You take your coffee home
100g of the coffee you roasted, bagged and ready to brew at home. The only place in Auckland where you make the batch and leave with it the same morning.
WHAT HAPPENS
From green bean to cup.
You'll work with a Probat BRZ Sample Roaster alongside one of our experienced roasters learning what's happening to the coffee as it during the process. By the time you cup your roast at the end, you understand why it tastes the way it does.
We’ll show you everything from the start. You don’t need to know anything about roasting to book this session.
Introduction to sample roasting
We cover how roasting works, what changes happen to the bean, and why sample roasting matters before a full production batch. Brief and practical, not a lecture.
01
Watch a full roast run
One of our roasters runs a batch while talking through what they're watching for. You see the colour change, smell the development, and hear when first crack hits.
02
Roast your own batch
On the sample roaster. Hands on the controls, roaster next to you. You decide when to drop based on what you've seen and what you're after.
03
Group cupping
All the roasts from the session are cupped together. You taste the differences, talk through what caused them, and understand what you made.
04
Take your coffee home
100g of your roast, bagged. It needs a day or two to degas before brewing. Most people find it tastier than anything they've bought.
05
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
From people who’ve done it.
“My dad and I went along to the introduction to coffee roasting course which was run by Common’s head roaster, Chris. As someone who has been interesting in roasting coffee for a number of years but didn’t have a clue where to begin, it was awesome being shown the basics and being able to roast my own beans on their sample roaster. Highly recommend if you are interested in coffee and wanting to see how your coffee goes from green bean to your cup.”
“Went to learn how to roast a coffee and had a really great time. It’s very spacious and they also do other services such as coffee training and space for hire. At the end I got my own 100g of coffee beans which I roasted myself and went to their neighboring cafe. Thank you so much.”
Also seen on Instagram
WHO IT’S FOR
Anyone curious about where coffee actually comes from.
No background in coffee required. The session is designed for people who drink coffee and want to understand it better, not for people who already work in the industry.
It works well as a solo session, a morning out with someone, or a gift for someone who already knows they like coffee and wants to go further.
Must be 18 or over to attend.
Closed-toe, non-slip shoes required. No sandals or open-toed footwear.
Short safety induction on arrival (about 5 minutes).
This is a working roastery. Heat, smoke, and machinery involved. Full supervision throughout.
Not suitable for anyone with significant respiratory sensitivities.
GOOD TO KNOW
GIFT VOUCHERS
Give the class as a gift.
Gift vouchers are available for the full class price. The recipient books their own date directly, so there's no pressure to commit to a time at purchase. Works for one person or the full group of three.
A gift certificate is provided straight after purchase.
Book a session.
Don't see a time that works?
Get in touch at hello@commonco.nz and we'll see what we can do.
GETTING THERE
Common Coffee Roasters
4/228 Orakei Road, Remuera, Auckland 1050
Next to Ampersand Eatery, Orakei Bay Village.
Free parking in front of the roastery. If that's full, Kings Plant Barn has additional parking nearby.
A short walk from Orakei train station. We recommend arriving 10 minutes early.