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Coffee Roasting and its influence on the final taste in your coffee cup.
In brief - How is coffee made from its cherry, after it has been picked and pulped?
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You probably all have seen this kind of "big oven" on the internet, where the green coffee beans are "thrown" into the "drum" of this roasting machine.
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The thermal shock (the Famous Maillard reaction), which the green bean is subjected to, is the heart of the roasting process (which takes place between 160°C et 220°C).
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The temperature is then gradually reduced to 80-90°C. Various stages follow, such as drying, the famous "crack", etc ...
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We will make a more detailed article on the whole process, but today we would like to present this article as a "flavour selection" guide in relation to the roasting degree.
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THE « COFFEE ROASTING DEGREE » : HOW SHOULD YOU CHOOSE YOUR COFFEE ?
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The roasting temperature plays a crucial role in the flavor of our daily coffee. When you start to take a closer look at coffee, it's easy to get confused between the different types of coffee on offer and their roasting methods or "degrees". If you're looking for information on this subject, you've come to the right place. In short, here you will find the different types and levels of roasting to help you select your ideal coffee.
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Making a decision based on the extraction method
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Generally, very light to medium roasts are reserved for filter methods and medium to very strong roasts for espresso. That said, there is nothing to stop you drinking espresso with a lighter roast or Chemex combined with a dark roast, for example. There are no hard and fast rules, and everyone is free to experiment with what they like to find "their" perfect cup of coffee!
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"Light" Roast
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A very light roast will produce coffees with little or no bitterness, very acidic, with a fruity and floral aroma. Many Speciality Coffee coffees are roasted very lightly for the so-called "mild" extraction methods (Chemex, V60, French Press...). For example, Gearbox Speciality Coffee's roasted micro-batches do an exceptional job in this respect (we currently offer two: Uganda Sironko and Nicaragua Regalo de Dios).
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Medium Roast
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A well balanced coffee cup is produced by a medium to high roast coffee. Sweetness and body are present, but the acidity begins to decrease. Typically, these roasts combine fruity notes with more savoury notes (like jam or chocolate). It is the perfect choice for cappuccino lovers! Our Mokarico Columbia or Kimbo Prestige are medium roasts, for example.
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Dark roast
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This roasting methodes gives a coffee with few acidity and little fruitiness. It also adds body and a concentrated coffee aroma. In addition, the "cooked" flavors start to show up: toast, caramel, chocolate, tobacco... like for example our Carraro Primo Mattino or the Mokarico Rossa blend, one of our preferred coffee blends.
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"French Roast"
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The aromas of roasting are found in very dark roasted coffees. In other words, there is a lot of bitterness and minimal acidity. The aim is to find intensity, body and texture. This is why Italian-style blends (arabica/robusta) frequently use this level of roast. There are often very pronounced notes of cereal and tobacco. Like our Lollo Caffè Nero, for example.
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The MOST important thing remains to have fun.
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It is crucial to understand that roasting alone is not everything and therefore some types of coffee beans will require a different type of roast than others in order to export their full potential. The terroir, variety and dominant flavor of the coffee all contribute to a different final product when cooked in a similar way. Each of us has our own perception of pleasure, of what makes our palate 'tick'. Don't let someone else's opinion influence your choice. Our tastes and preferences are our own and unique.
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And so, what degree of roast should ideally be selected ?
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The choice, in the end, is simple: It all depends on you and your palate (Do you prefer shorter but intense coffees with character, or more progressive, longer coffees? Etc.). However, each level of roasting has its own range of flavors.
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So basically what is the real impact of the roasting degree/color ?
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Coffee loses more acidity as the roast progresses, while gaining body and bitterness. Roasting aromas start to appear, more caramelized notes, dried fruit, tobacco, toast... The lighter the roast, the more subtle and acidic the coffee will come out. The notes are mainly fruity and floral. The terroir is highlighted here (for example, Speciality Coffee is roasted more lightly so that it expresses itself fully in the mouth). Roasting is like an art. Each roaster has his own style and his own touch. His job is to sublime the product by selecting the ideal roasting time and the specific parameters of the selected coffee origins.
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In fine : How should you decide yourself?
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It's simple, you just have to pay attention to your desires, your research and the flavor profiles you are looking for to get the best roast color for your taste buds. You are free to test all types of roast with various extractions to understand the differences and decide what you like best.
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>> Click here to access our selection of coffee beans <<
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