Roast Summit 2026 | Schaumburg, Illinois (Chicago Area)
This Event is Sold Out!
Roast Summit will bring together coffee professionals for an immersive experience in the art and science of coffee roasting, sponsored by Diedrich Roasters.
Registration to Roast Summit Schaumburg 2026 includes two days of sessions and workshops, as well as lunch and social events.
This Roast Summit will be in-person on May 28-29, 2026 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Get ready for two days of insightful discussions, workshops, and networking with coffee industry leaders. We look forward to seeing you there!
Registration fee: $250 USD
All attendees must agree to the event policies and liability waiver (roastmagazine.com/eventpolicies)
Event Location
Diedrich Roasters & Firedancer Coffee Training Academy
165 Commerce Drive, Suite 103
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Sessions
-
Decaffeinated coffee presents unique challenges—and opportunities—for roasters. In this session, Mike Strumpf shares insights from a 2024 ZHAW research project examining differences between green coffee before and after decaffeination using the Swiss Water process.
Drawing on both research findings and practical roasting experience, Mike will explore how decaffeination changes coffee structure and how roasting profiles can be adjusted to better develop flavor. Through side-by-side tastings, attendees will compare coffees roasted with two different profiles and discuss how roast development influences the final cup.
Attendees will learn:
Why decaf can deliver complex, compelling flavor when roasted intentionally
How roast profile influences cup character more than the decaffeination method
What structural changes occur during decaffeination and how they affect roasting
Practical strategies for approaching decaf roasting differently from regular coffee
-
After observing that Bolivian coffees maintained sweetness, acidity, body, and character far longer than expected, Cafe Kreyol partnered with NC State University to investigate why. Over an 18-month study, they compared reposado (high-altitude resting) coffees with coffees shipped immediately after processing, uncovering insights into how post-harvest practices can influence long-term cup quality.
In this session, Joey Stazzone shares key findings from the research and explores practical implications for coffee buyers, roasters, and supply chain professionals seeking to preserve freshness and extend the usable life of green coffee.
Attendees will learn:
How simple post-harvest practices can slow cellular metabolism in green coffee
Metrics that may help predict bean longevity before flavor deterioration
Practical strategies for buying, storing, and planning inventory to maintain cup quality
-
This session, presented by Renee Espinoza, connects roasting decisions directly to what participants experience in the cup. Working in small teams, attendees will evaluate coffees roasted with different development times and explore how those changes influence flavor, balance, and the presence of roast defects. Through guided tastings and blind triangle cuppings, participants will practice identifying differences in roast development while building shared sensory language for quality control. The session reinforces the connection between roasting milestones—such as first crack, rate of rise, and development time—and the resulting cup profile.
-
In January 2025, the C market reached a historic high of 440 cents per pound, triggering an unprecedented wave of roaster bankruptcies. Rising costs and tariffs increased financial pressure for roasters while also creating new risks for suppliers at origin.
This session, presented by Michael Sheridan, examines the key pressure points in maintaining commitments to quality coffee and long-term partnerships during a high-market environment. Attendees will learn practical strategies for managing supplier relationships, controlling costs, and sustaining quality and sustainability when coffee prices are elevated.
-
Designed for anyone looking to strengthen their core skills, this hands-on session explores the fundamental principles that drive successful coffee roasting. Mike Ebert and James Taylor will walk participants through key stages of the roasting process, explaining how adjustments to time, temperature, and airflow influence coffee development and cup quality.
Participants will observe and discuss roasting decisions in real time while connecting roasting theory to practical application. The session focuses on building a strong foundation for consistent, repeatable roasting.
-
Cutting costs doesn't have to mean cutting quality. In this session, Rocky Rhodes draws on decades of roasting and global supply chain experience to reframe how roasters think about lower-grade coffee and its role in a well-constructed blend. Attendees will unpack what "lower grade" actually means—and what it doesn't—then explore where cost savings can be introduced without quality loss. Rocky walks through blending strategies for maintaining target flavor profiles, along with sensory evaluation and roasting techniques for compensating for defects or bridging flavor gaps. Participants will leave able to:
Accurately assess lower-grade coffees and their viable applications
Identify cost-saving opportunities within their sourcing and blending approach
Build blends that hold their target flavor profile
Apply sensory and roasting techniques to compensate for defects or gaps
Speakers
Program Overview
As you arrive on the evening of Wednesday, May 27, join us around 7:00 PM for a gathering in the pool area at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson (1401 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL 60195).
Thursday, May 28
8:30 - 9:00 AM | Coffee & Welcome
9:00 - 10:15 AM | Session Rotations
10:15 - 10:30 AM | Coffee Break
10:30 - 11:45 AM | Session Rotations
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM | Lunch
12:00 - 1:00 PM | Roasting Machine Q&A
With Karl Schmidt
1:00 - 2:15 PM | Session Rotations
2:15 - 2:30 PM | Coffee Break / Cropster Q&A
With James Faria
2:30 - 3:45 PM | Session Rotations
3:45 - 4:00 PM | Closing Remarks
4:00 - 6:00 PM | Mixer
Friday, May 29
8:30 - 9:00 AM | Coffee & Welcome
9:00 - 10:15 AM | Session Rotations
10:15 - 10:30 AM | Coffee Break
10:30 - 11:45 AM | Session Rotations
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM | Lunch
12:00 - 1:00 PM | Roaster Maintenance Q&A
With Keith Clerique
1:00 - 2:15 PM | Session Rotations
2:15 - 2:30 PM | Coffee Break
2:30 - 3:45 PM | Session Rotations
3:45 - 4:00 PM | Closing Remarks
4:00 - 4:15 PM | Networking
Travel
Just outside of Chicago, Schaumburg is an easy destination for travelers flying into Chicago O’Hare airport or driving in from the Midwest.
Official Event Hotel: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson
1401 N. Roselle Road
Schaumburg, IL 60195
Sponsors
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities for this event, please email us.
Advertisement
