Sivetz Roaster of the Month — The Coffee Roaster (Lincoln, Nebraska)
The SRM15 at The Coffee Roaster
The Coffee Roaster in Lincoln, Nebraska has been part of the air-roasting tradition since 1995. Founded by Gary Karnes, who studied directly with Michael Sivetz, the company built its identity around fluid-bed roasting from the beginning. Today, under the leadership of Vince Ruhl and Sam Karnes, the installation of a new Sivetz SRM15 represents both a return to roots and a step forward in production capability.
How did you get started? Why coffee?
The Coffee Roaster was started in 1995 by Gary Karnes, Sam’s dad. Gary actually studied with Michael Sivetz, and for most of our early years we roasted on an old 8 pound Sivetz air roaster. Gary got into coffee out of a simple frustration. At the time, he could not find coffee in Lincoln that lived up to what he knew it could be, so he decided to create something better for the community himself.
When Sam and I took over more than ten years ago, we didn’t set out to reinvent everything. We wanted to bring what Gary started into the present. We introduced a new website, updated the branding, and changed how we communicated and connected with our community. From walk-in customers to our wholesale partners in coffee shops and offices, we focused on improving the coffee experience in every way we could.
Over time, that focus became something we genuinely care about. The Coffee Roaster grew into more than a place to buy beans. It became a space where people learn about coffee, try new things, and feel welcome doing it.
What was your first encounter with a SIVETZ roaster?
How did you hear about us?
Our history with Sivetz goes all the way back to the beginning of The Coffee Roaster.
From 1995 until 2016, we roasted exclusively on a Sivetz machine. That roaster shaped
the way we think about coffee and helped define our approach to roasting.
In 2016, we transitioned to another air roaster, an ASHE, mainly to increase
production and gain more flexibility and stability than our original machine could
provide. Even then, our identity remained rooted in air roasting. It has always felt like
the most natural fit for how we want to develop and present coffee.
Coming back to Sivetz with the SRM15 felt less like a change and more like returning
to our roots, now refined in all the ways we had hoped for over the years.
What made SIVETZ the right roaster for you?
Air roasting has always been a core part of who we are. Our logo is a hot air balloon, a playful nod to the way we roast and the identity we have built around it. I have not
personally spent much time roasting on drum machines, so I cannot make strong
technical comparisons, but air roasting has always made sense to us. It aligns with
how we think about clarity, consistency, and allowing each coffee’s character to come
through.
The Sivetz SRM15 is easily the best machine we have ever roasted on. The consistency,
ease of operation, and production capacity have all made a noticeable difference in our
day-to-day workflow. Many of the challenges we experienced with older equipment,
whether it was our original Sivetz or the ASHE, are no longer part of the equation.
Like any roaster, there are occasional maintenance items such as gaskets or small air
leaks, but those have been manageable and fixable. Overall, the SRM15 has allowed us
to focus more of our energy on sourcing great coffees and dialing in roast profiles
rather than worrying about the machine itself.
One other piece of our setup that has made a big difference is that we roast with a
Vortx Ecofilter attached to our SRM15. It has been working extremely well for us, both
in terms of keeping our roasting process cleaner and reducing the impact on the air
around our facility. We are located near other businesses and neighbors, and our
community has genuinely appreciated the extra effort to be environmentally
responsible. The Ecofilter has been a great complement to the Sivetz system, and it
aligns with our goal of roasting in a way that is both high quality and thoughtful
about our footprint.
“The Sivetz SRM15 is easily the best machine we have ever roasted on.”
What are and were the goals for your business?
Our goals have shifted and grown over the years, but the core has stayed the same:
find great coffees, roast them well, and help people enjoy and understand them. One
thing that makes The Coffee Roaster different is that we are not a typical coffee shop.
We don’t serve espresso drinks, syrups, steamed milk beverages, or food.
Instead, we focus on pour overs and a wide, rotating menu of coffees that make
exploration the center of the customer experience. We use a PourSteady machine,
which we believe is the only one in Nebraska, to give customers a consistent way to
taste any coffee on our menu. This automated machine also allows us to focus on
connecting with our customers, rather than preparing drinks and/or food.
We price our coffees based on what they actually cost and what they are worth, and we
carry that same philosophy into our pour overs. Customers can order a cup of any
coffee we offer, and the price reflects the value of the beans.
When we bring in rarer or more experimental coffees, this gives people the chance to try
them before committing to a full bag. That approach has led to a lot of great
conversations and has encouraged customers to explore coffees they might not have
chosen otherwise.
Our sniffer wall plays a big role in that experience. It gives customers the chance to
smell every coffee we offer before deciding what to try or take home. If something stands
out while they are smelling the coffees, they can order it as a pour over to see if they
enjoy the taste as much as the aroma.
People often mention how much they appreciate the time our staff takes to answer
questions, make recommendations, and create a welcoming environment. Whether
someone is brand new to specialty coffee or deeply invested in brewing at home, we want
them to feel comfortable exploring and learning here.
At the end of the day, what keeps us motivated is seeing people discover coffees they
genuinely enjoy and knowing they had a positive experience while they were here. That
is what makes this work meaningful for us and what keeps us excited to keep improving
year after year.
Interested in fluid-bed roasting for your operation?
