Freshly harvested coffee beans are firm and green, with their fragrant potential still locked inside. Using a combination of instinct and scientific accuracy, heat is carefully applied, ultimately changing those hard little nuggets into the perfect morning brew. Specialty coffee roasters bring out unique regional flavors by carefully raising the temperature of each bean to attain specific, desirable taste qualities.
Without that process, this beverage would never have achieved its current popularity. Raw beans are much smaller than roasted, but are basically the same shape. Large-scale commercial producers use enormous rotating drums that can be heated to around 550 degrees. As the contents tumble, they are not burned, but begin to undergo changes through pyrolysis, doubling their size and releasing flavors and fragrances.
Although commercially roasted and pre-packaged products cost less, smell wonderful while brewing, and contain the right amount of morning caffeine, they cannot compare to beans that have been specially grown, harvested, and slow-roasted to perfection. Like any artistic skill, the latest equipment and innovations are helpful, but the finest products are created using a combination of sight, smell, and even sound.
Similar to wine-growing regions, the flavor of raw beans can vary according to micro-climate and soil components. Those with an established reputation in one area may seem quite different when raised and picked in another, and those variants can be enhanced or changed through roasting. Most roasted products are visually classified according to color, as well as their final temperature.
Light roasting is ideal for less intense varieties of beans. This style usually does not have visible oil on the surface after processing, because the beans do not stay heated long enough for interior oils to escape. The same holds true for medium roasts, which are darker in color, but still oil-free, and are the most-preferred by Americans. Medium-dark roasts stay hotter longer, and have a noticeable aftertaste.
Genuine dark roasted beans are a deep chocolate or black color. Their surfaces are oily, and if chewed leave a bitter aftertaste. Heat controls the depth of color, and some varieties and flavor styles are brought to the point of charring to create strong, robust beverages like espresso. Because heat transforms and adds to the original taste of a bean, roasting is a key part of creating subtle flavor additions.
Respected processors contribute immensely to the reputation and popularity of a particular variety of beans simply by improving and intensifying internal flavors through expert roasting. Rather than simply loading the beans and flicking a switch, true coffee artisans take into account the slight variations even in crops grown on the same farm, and adjust their processes accordingly.
They also consider local humidity, the outside temperature during roasting, and the intended final product style. A skilled roaster can usually determine when a batch is finished simply by the aroma and color depth. The end result is not only scientific, but also based on human senses and skills. When the goal is top-notch flavor, an educated palate is the best judge.
Without that process, this beverage would never have achieved its current popularity. Raw beans are much smaller than roasted, but are basically the same shape. Large-scale commercial producers use enormous rotating drums that can be heated to around 550 degrees. As the contents tumble, they are not burned, but begin to undergo changes through pyrolysis, doubling their size and releasing flavors and fragrances.
Although commercially roasted and pre-packaged products cost less, smell wonderful while brewing, and contain the right amount of morning caffeine, they cannot compare to beans that have been specially grown, harvested, and slow-roasted to perfection. Like any artistic skill, the latest equipment and innovations are helpful, but the finest products are created using a combination of sight, smell, and even sound.
Similar to wine-growing regions, the flavor of raw beans can vary according to micro-climate and soil components. Those with an established reputation in one area may seem quite different when raised and picked in another, and those variants can be enhanced or changed through roasting. Most roasted products are visually classified according to color, as well as their final temperature.
Light roasting is ideal for less intense varieties of beans. This style usually does not have visible oil on the surface after processing, because the beans do not stay heated long enough for interior oils to escape. The same holds true for medium roasts, which are darker in color, but still oil-free, and are the most-preferred by Americans. Medium-dark roasts stay hotter longer, and have a noticeable aftertaste.
Genuine dark roasted beans are a deep chocolate or black color. Their surfaces are oily, and if chewed leave a bitter aftertaste. Heat controls the depth of color, and some varieties and flavor styles are brought to the point of charring to create strong, robust beverages like espresso. Because heat transforms and adds to the original taste of a bean, roasting is a key part of creating subtle flavor additions.
Respected processors contribute immensely to the reputation and popularity of a particular variety of beans simply by improving and intensifying internal flavors through expert roasting. Rather than simply loading the beans and flicking a switch, true coffee artisans take into account the slight variations even in crops grown on the same farm, and adjust their processes accordingly.
They also consider local humidity, the outside temperature during roasting, and the intended final product style. A skilled roaster can usually determine when a batch is finished simply by the aroma and color depth. The end result is not only scientific, but also based on human senses and skills. When the goal is top-notch flavor, an educated palate is the best judge.
