If you are a coffee connoisseur, a long-time barista, or a casual coffee drinker, there is always something new to learn about this delicious beverage that brings so much joy to so many people. If you are interested in the coffee roast process, want to uncover some of the mysteries of the steps to get a coffee bean from the plant to the cup, or just want to know what it is your coffee roaster is actually doing back there, read on.
Here, we have put together some interesting information about what the roast level of your coffee bean indicates and how this might influence the taste, aroma, and overall experience of your cup. Increasing your knowledge may help you select the roast that best fits your preferences.
Join us as we examine the different roast levels and explore what characteristics you might expect if you choose a light, medium, or dark roast. We will also touch on the first and second cracks and what it means to degas the beans.
Light, Medium or Dark Roast
While many people may think that the darker the roast, the higher the caffeine content, this is actually a myth; the colour of your roast is connected to the level of heat the bean is exposed to and the length of the roasting process.
Light Coffee Roast
As a rule, the lighter roast will produce a fruity, floral flavour profile, and this may be indicative of the original character of your coffee bean. Your coffee roaster will likely apply a temperature range of around 196-205°C, and you can expect the appearance and feel of the bean to be matte and quite dry. Explore a light roast if you like vegetal tones and enjoy a lighter and more nuanced body to your brew.
Medium Coffee Roast
For those who prefer a nutty or caramel flavour in their cup, there is a lot to be said for the medium roast. With a fairly moderate temperature application – around 210-220°C – this level of roast may reveal a more balanced profile, where cereal may be evoked, you might discover a more full-bodied taste, and there could be a pleasant acidity added to the brew. Offering an intense brown colour and a slightly oily sheen, medium roast coffee beans are very popular as an accessible bean with less intense notes than the darker variety.
Dark Coffe Roast
Think robust smoky body, chocolate undertones, and a roast that is more about drawing out flavours of the roast itself rather than the bean. A good coffee roaster will be able to produce a dark roast that offers rich tobacco, ash, spice, or wood flavour —or a more intense cocoa flavour. Your dark roast will likely emerge from temperatures around 240-250°C, and the resultant coffee bean will be slick with oil on its surface.
The Roasting Stages
While times and temperatures might vary according to your coffee roaster’s goals, a series of reactions are applied to beans, no matter the level the roaster is shooting for. Coffee roasting is an essential series of controlled chemical reactions, and like any recipe, timing is important, and the cook, or in this case, the coffee roaster, plays a significant role in the process.
Harvesting, processing, storage, the origin of the bean, and the roasting approach all influence the outcome, and a little bit of science, a dollop of experience, and a good serve of passion produce the most magical cup.
1. The Maillard Reaction
The Maillard Reaction is essentially the phase of roasting in which a non-enzymatic reaction occurs between amino acids and reducing sugars, resulting in the browning of the coffee beans. This reaction also produces aroma and flavour and shifts the density, weight, and volume of the bean. Roast profiles are controlled by drawing out the pace of this phase.
2. The First Crack
The first crack marks the rapid expansion of carbon dioxide and water vapour within the coffee bean when it reaches a certain temperature point, generally around 196-205°C. This crack, which is an audible event similar to the sound made when corn pops, indicates that the beans are starting to evolve, having lost most of their internal moisture. Here, the notes begin to shift in complexity, moving from herbal and grassy to citrus and floral.
3. The Second Crack
At around 225 and 230°C, the second crack indicates to the coffee roaster that the bean’s cellular structure is beginning to break down, causing the oils to emerge on the bean’s surface. This sounds like embers crackling in a fire, and beans brought through the second crack will be oily, earthy, and smoky and may offer an intense chocolatey profile. Timing is crucial; going too far past the second crack can deliver burnt beans, while removing heat before the first crack will likely produce underdeveloped or bland flavours.
4. Degassing
Once roasting is complete, the coffee roaster needs to allow the beans to release carbon dioxide. Allowing this to occur requires that the beans be allowed to ‘breathe’—this is why coffee storage bags generally have a one-way valve. Storage in paper bags also works to allow the beans to sit without oxidising or going stale.
Choose Expert Level Coffee Roasting with Segafredo Zanetti
Because we have experience, passion and resources that extend from the plantation all the way through the roasting process, we can serve our customers coffee beans that are quality assured. We utilise the latest technology for our roasting processes, and our team are picked for their skill and passion.
If you are ready to experience the magic of excellence, shop our range today for home, work or for your commercial set-up.
