Solar Roast Coffee

Solar Roast Coffee is a Pueblo, Colorado roaster that drum-roasts organic coffee in small batches using solar power. It was founded by brothers Mike, an apprenticed roast master, and David, a special effects artist and part-time inventor interested in alternative energy.

Their first solar roaster, Helios I, was built from their parents' old satellite dish, one hundred plastic mirrors and a broccoli strainer, and roasted about a pound at a time. Helios II was trailer-mounted and roasted up to five pounds. The brothers brought their roaster east to Pueblo in 2007. Solar Roast has a cafe, sells coffee and subscriptions online, and offers wholesale.