How is coffee roasted?

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August 26, 2022

Roasting coffee

Under a high temperature, coffee beans undergo an amazing metamorphosis. Even the smallest raw bean contains about 2000 chemicals. During the burning process, these substances are broken down and converted, creating new aromatic compounds. The beans lose their moisture, acquire their beloved warm, brown color and increase in size. Timing is important in the roasting process, because if you roast the beans a little longer or a little shorter, your coffee will taste different than you might have wanted.

Why roast coffee?

Coffee beans do not introduce you to their true aromatic nature until after they have been roasted. Raw coffee beans are virtually tasteless and odorless. You can buy roasted coffee at the supermarket or from a specialist, but you can also learn the art of roasting yourself. The advantage of this is that you can always have the freshest coffee at home!

Roasting your own coffee offers you the opportunity to create a unique taste experience. Try out different burn profiles and see what suits you best. Roast profiles are gradations that indicate how long the beans have been roasted. The longer the coffee is heated, the darker the color and the stronger the taste.

The coffee roasting process

During the roasting process, the small, green, odorless coffee bean changes into a larger, coffee-brown, nice-smelling bean. How is coffee roasted and how does the coffee bean undergo its metamorphosis?

The beans are poured into the heated rotating drums and the roasting process begins. After about two minutes, the heated beans will have lost a lot of moisture and discoloration will occur.

Five minutes after the start of the roasting process, the beans turn a light brown color and begin to swell. After eight minutes, something remarkable happens: the beans burst because the last moisture has been lost and they have grown considerably in size. The crack is heard in the form of a "pop" and is also called "first crack."

Ten minutes after the start of the coffee roasting process, the beans have reached the light roast gradation. This is also known as Cinnamon Roast. The roasting process is stopped here if you want a fruity coffee with high acidity.

The coffee roaster can also choose to continue the roasting process. After 13 minutes, the sugar in the coffee will start to caramelize. Chemical compounds in the coffee bean are broken down and converted, and the coffee develops more flavour.

Fifteen minutes after starting to roast, the coffee has reached the medium roast grade. It can be an American Roast (heated at 210 degrees), a City Roast (heated at 219 degrees) or a Full City Roast (heated at 225 degrees).

Does the roaster want to create a very bitter coffee? Then he can continue for a while. Eighteen minutes after the start of the process, he hears the "second crack." The oils flow from the coffee bean and the brown color now becomes very dark.

There are different names for dark roast. The Vienna Roast (heated at 230 degrees) is the lightest, the French Roast (heated at 240 degrees) is a bit darker, and the Italian Roast (heated at 245 degrees) is almost black in color and very bitter in taste.

After the beans have cooled and degassed, they are full of flavor. After six to eight weeks, the aroma gradually diminishes. Therefore, always buy freshly roasted coffee beans for an optimal taste experience.

Have you become enthusiastic and do you want to taste all the roasts? Try out different coffees and find your new favorite!

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