The best thing about coffee is that there are many different flavors to choose from. Coffee absorbs the flavors of the soil it is produced in, just like a fine wine does. Several coffee roasting methods give additional taste levels. Coffee beans are green, chewy and extremely acidic after they are plucked. What then gives these beans the enchanted flavor that we enjoy so much in our morning cup?
The beans are heated during the roasting process, which also adds new textures and burns out acidity. Various flavors result from different methods of coffee roasting. The type of roast the coffee has and the color of the bean after roasting are both influenced by the length of time and temperature of the roasting process. Light, medium, and dark coffee roasts are the different grades. Each varies in its amount of caffeine, acidity, bitterness and layers of flavor.
Light Roast
Roasts that don’t require much baking are light roasts. In comparison to medium and dark roasts, they taste the most acidic and have more caffeine. Because they are exposed to less heat, they retain more of the original bean’s oils and as a result, more of the region’s flavor. Moreover, light roasting keeps more of the bean’s caffeine content. This roast is produced at “first crack,” or at a temperature of about 205 degrees Fahrenheit, when the coffee bean cracks for the first time.
Medium Roast
Medium roasts are cooked at a higher temperature for a longer period of time.They feature flavors that are more robust and well-rounded.They maintain a large portion of the flavor of the location the bean was produced in along with new textures from roasting and have an almost perfect balance of acidity & bitterness.America favors medium-rare roasts.
Dark Roast
Much of the original oils in the bean are baked off in dark roasts, but they are replaced by rich flavors from the roasting process. These specialty coffees are renowned for their complex and rich flavors. Less the place they are from and more the roaster’s skill determines the flavors.