Kevin Pedeaux co-founded Coast Roast Coffee in 2009, building a roasting operation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He still develops every blend and selects the green beans himself. The heart of the operation is two antique Royal No. 6 drum roasters — machines built in the 1910s that have been producing coffee for over a century.
AJ, Coast Roast's roaster, works these machines daily. The Royal No. 6 roasters reach temperatures of 420 to 430 degrees Fahrenheit, with manual controls that require constant attention. Each batch runs roughly 60 pounds. In a typical week, AJ processes around 30 batches through the machines.
The roasting profile changes with the seasons. On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, summer heat from July through September means coffee cools more slowly after roasting, which requires adjustments to gas flow and timing. Cooler weather demands more gas and heat. AJ has to read both the machines and the weather — it is a craft that does not translate to digital controls.
These are not museum pieces. They are working roasters that produce a depth of flavor modern high-speed equipment cannot replicate. The slow, heavy drums create a full-bodied coffee with complexity that quick-roast methods miss. That is why Kevin chose antique equipment in the first place — the old way produces a better cup.
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Three locations in New Orleans — Magazine Street, St. Roch Market, and Old Metairie.
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