Roasting Lab, the online roaster community and education platform founded by roaster, consultant, and author Rob Foos, is expanding into more pockets and workbenches through new iOS and Android apps.
“Putting a dedicated app on people’s phones is something I’ve been planning for a while,” Foos told Daily Coffee News. “The way we access the community is new, but the community has deep roots.”
Building on Roasting Lab’s three years of operation as a subscription-based professional development and networking hub, the app is designed to make the platform easier to use on a day-to-day basis, with a focus on community coaching, mentoring, and practical advice for roasters of all skill levels, from hobbyists to production operators.
These apps are designed to enhance communication tools between members and deploy AI agents trained on Foos’ books, training materials, and Roasting Lab community content. Foos said the goal of the tool is to remain roasting-specific and grounded in real-world practices, rather than incorporating random noise from the internet.
Roasting Lab, an offshoot of Hoos’ consulting business, was created to connect roasters who want to share knowledge, troubleshoot problems and exchange ideas. Topics range from diagnosing roast defects and adjusting flavor goals to converting profiles between machines and other everyday production challenges.
Hoos explained that the platform was designed for “people who are serious about coffee roasting.”
“I really like this platform for people who are serious about coffee roasting,” Hoos says. “We have home roasters who are just starting out with 50-gram batches, and others who are using five-bag coffee roasters (300 kilograms per batch), but we all recognize that there is something to learn from each perspective,” Foos said.
Roasting Lab also provides direct access to Hoos. Since 2023, Foos said he has been closely monitoring the forums and frequently participating in discussions while relying on third-party providers for app management, platform maintenance, and feature integration.
“It’s just me on the team, and I personally read almost every post and use integrated word monitoring and AI to handle flagged posts,” Foos says. “So far, I think I’ve personally responded to almost every post on the platform.”
Membership fees range from $10 to $60 per month or $100 to $600 per year. The entry-level community tier includes general forums, as well as book clubs, job boards, and marketplaces for equipment sales and green coffee group purchases. Community members also have access to a 17-lesson foundation course, as well as a recorded archive of book clubs, mentorship meetings, and roasting lectures.
Higher levels of membership add topic-specific forums, more direct feedback from Hoos, additional courses and live sessions, and discounts on 1-on-1 consulting.
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Howard Bryman
Howard Bryman is the deputy editor of Roast Magazine’s Daily Coffee News. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
