Our Roastery

The Aprilia Micro Roastery

In his micro roasting plant in Aprilia , the “game room” , as Emanuele likes to call it, beats the pulsating heart of Tomassi Coffee , a place where every bean tells a story and every scent evokes a distant journey. Here, among machinery and sacks of green coffee, Emanuele experiments, refines his art and continues to learn, because roasting is not just technique, but magic , a perfect balance between chemistry, physics and passion .

There are two roasters available , precision tools with which to bring every bean to life:

  • One that can toast up to 5 kg , perfect for ensuring continuity in production
  • The other one, which works a maximum of 500 grams , is dedicated to research, experimentation and the creation of unique aromatic profiles.

In the roasting ritual , the beans are brought to high temperatures, between 190°C for a light, delicate and elegant roast , and 210°C for a medium, more enveloping and intense roast .

Like an orchestra conductor, Emanuele measures time and heat , carefully guiding each phase of the process: preheating, drying, aromatic development, caramelization, cooling . In this delicate balance, the coffee releases 800 to 1000 aromas , intertwining them in a symphony of scents and flavors, where each sip becomes a sensory journey, a memory, an emotion.

"I am here as a messenger of a thousand-year-old drink, which we finally know how to treat with respect and dedication, to enhance its beauty. Each coffee tells its territory, the hands that cultivated it, the sun that warmed it. My ambition is to make people dream simply by drinking a cup of coffee" , says Emanuele , with the light in the eyes of someone who experiences coffee as a poem to be passed down.





THE COFFEE ROASTING PROCESS

In the preheating phase, the roaster is started and reaches a temperature of about 190°C . This is where the real alchemy begins: it is up to the skill and experience of the roaster to predict and modulate the heat, finding the ideal temperature to best enhance the characteristics of the coffee.

Each bean contains a different soul, and roasting is the key to releasing its most authentic aromas. For example:

  • A filter coffee releases hints of citrus and fruit , fresh and delicate
  • An espresso best expresses chocolate notes , more intense and enveloping

Roasting time varies depending on the desired extraction:

  • 8-12 minutes for a filter coffee , maintaining its sweetness and complexity
  • Up to 15 minutes for an espresso , enhancing its body and structure

The drying phase follows, the moment in which the real transformation comes to life. The beans, immersed in the rotating drum, absorb heat (endothermic phase) and release humidity, gradually lowering the temperature of the cylinder.

Here their metamorphosis begins: the color changes gently, going from honey yellow to the warm tone of cinnamon , until reaching the perfect shade, the one that preserves all the aroma and magic of each grain.


In the aromatic development phase, all the skill and sensitivity of the roaster comes into play. Few people know that, during roasting , coffee releases 800 to 1000 aromas , even exceeding the 600 aromas of wine !

It is at this crucial moment that the roaster can bring out the most complex notes , precisely managing the time and temperature , carefully following the roasting curve .

This is where the Maillard reaction takes place, an extraordinary chemical process in which sugars and amino acids combine at high temperatures, giving rise to the intense and unmistakable aromas of coffee.

Then, a distinctive sound breaks the silence: the first crack , a light popping sound similar to that of popcorn. It is the signal that the kernel has reached the right point of expansion, doubling its size and revealing its aromatic potential.

Finally, we come to the cooling phase. Depending on the desired flavor profile , the roasting is closed and the coffee is transferred to a special tank , where the beans are quickly brought back to room temperature within four minutes .

Every detail, every second, every degree makes the difference. It is in this moment that coffee transforms into a unique sensory experience, ready to tell its journey in every cup.