The Basics of Coffee Roasting
Have you ever wondered how coffee is roasted and what the different roasting levels mean? You’re not alone. If you’re left wondering how coffee goes from a raw bean to roasted, delicious coffee read on!
THE BASICS OF COFFEE ROASTING
Roasting coffee is a science. Perfecting that science is something that takes time, education and training. First green (raw) coffee beans are placed into the roaster to start the drying process. Next, the coffee will start to turn a yellowish color and begin to brown the longer it’s in the roaster. After coffee is in the roaster for several minutes, you will hear a crack. The first crack is important because it releases moisture that is trapped inside the bean.
The time between first crack and finishing the roasting process is called development. The development time is where the majority of the flavor notes you’ll experience come from, based on adjustments to airflow, temperature, and other factors. It’s the most important part of roasting.
The roast level changes based on how long coffee is kept in the roaster after first crack. A lighter roasted coffee is finished roasting shortly after first crack, medium roast goes to second crack and a dark roast will go beyond that.
OUR METHOD
At Florin, we mostly produce light roast coffees. The longer you roast coffee the more it will take on the characteristics of the roasting process, and less of the bean’s natural attributes. That’s why dark roast coffees taste… well, dark and roasty. We don’t label our coffee as “Light Roast”, because it can conjure negative expectations of grassy or vegetal flavors. This is not what we do! Since we focus our development time on bringing out the natural traits of the coffee bean, we’re able to bring out the best in each coffee we roast.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
If you are interested in buying a bag of expertly roasted coffee, but you aren’t sure what to get, start with the tasting notes. Tasting notes aren’t flavors added to the coffee, these are the natural characteristics that are developed during the roasting process.
Are you looking for something bold and smooth? Check for notes like chocolate, nutty, cinnamon, and dark berries. Do you want something with good acidity and tea-like nuance? Look for notes like citrus, sweet, and floral.
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