What’s your favorite coffee roast? Dark? Light? Something in between? Do you actually mind the kind of roast when you choose your coffee?
Sometimes we like coffee we try at different places, but we don’t know why. It just tastes good. There are many factors that influence flavor in your coffee cup – origin of the beans, type of the beans (Arabica/ Robusta), the way the beans were processed, altitude the beans have grown, the type of roast etc.So, to help you understand why some coffees taste good to you and some are not so good we will write about types of roast.
Roasting brings out the aroma and flavor thatis locked inside the green coffee beans. Beans are stored green, a state in which they can be kept without lossof quality or taste. A green bean has none of the characteristics of a roasted bean - it’s soft and spongy to the bite and smells grassy.
Roasting causes chemical changes to take place as the beans are rapidly brought to very high temperatures. When they reach the peak of perfection, they are quickly cooled to stop the process. Roasted beans smell like coffee and weigh less because the moisture has been roasted out.
The most common way to describe coffee roast levels is by the color of the roasted beans, ranging from light to dark (or extra dark). As coffee beans absorb heatin the roasting process, their color becomes darker. Oils appear on the surface of the beans at higher temperatures.
Light Roast. Light brown in color, this roast is common for milder coffee varieties. As the name suggests, light roasts absorb heat for the shortest period of time. The beans crack and expand anywhere between 350 °F –400 °F, a phenomenon known as the “first crack”. Light roasts generally have not been roasted beyond the first crack. There will be no oil on the surface of these beans because they are not roasted long enough for the oils to break through to the surface. The roasting process burns off caffeine, so it may surprise you to know that light roasts will give you more of a jolt than any other type of roast.
If you prefer light, fragrant,floral or fruity coffee notes - you'll enjoy a light roast coffee.
§ Light City
§ Half City
§ Cinnamon
§ New England
Medium Roast. This roast is medium brown in color with a stronger flavor and a non-oily surface. It’s often referred to as the American roast because it is generally preferred in the United States. If you prefer a flavorful,traditional cup of coffee you'll enjoy a medium roast.
§ City
§ American
§ Breakfast
Medium-dark Roast. Medium-dark roast coffee beans are a rich, dark brown color with a semi-oily surface. This type of roast produces a modest bittersweet aftertaste. If you prefer slight bittersweet notes and deep flavors, you'll enjoy a medium-dark roast.
§ Full City
Dark Roast. Coffee beans are nearly black, oily and produce a noticeable bitterness. The darker the roast,the less acidity will be found in the coffee beverage. Dark roast coffees run from slightly dark to charred. If you prefer a heavy mouthfeel and strong flavor, you'll enjoy a dark roast coffee.
§ High
§ Continental
§ New Orleans
§ European
§ Espresso
§ Viennese
§ Italian
§ French
Like many valuable things we consume in life,roast level preferences are subjective. You may prefer a lighter roast in the morning (with more caffeine) and a darker one later in the day. One thing is for certain: the more you know, the more control you will have over your coffee experiences.
