The Art of Coffee Roasting
The Art of Coffee Roasting
“Nothing says coffee like six in the morning” - Lorelai Gilmore
Historians believe coffee originated from the ancient forests of Ethiopia discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi. The story goes like this: One day, all his goats stayed awake all night after eating the mysterious berries. He reported this finding to his local governing state, which was all monasteries in ancient times. Soon the word spread and reached the Arabian Peninsula.
Coffee cultivation and trading goods began a little after the 15th century as it was being grown in various areas; we refer to them as Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey today. Soon the drink became popular and a common drink for “intelligent” and “wise” people. Coffee houses were built which became the center for the exchange of information. These beans were soon introduced to the world as Muslims came to visit Mecca each year for pilgrimage.
And now in the modern era, coffee has become one of the essential parts of the day and culture itself. One of the greatest forms of caffeine that goes well with any kind of cookie helps us to get through hard days, calm down, and even help us with anxieties.
To know more about the history of this magical drink visit Sip Coffee. Now, let’s delve into the art and importance of coffee roasting.
The Science Behind Roasted Coffee Beans
Why do we roast coffee beans in the first place? Originally, raw coffee beans are a green olive shade of a color, it gets its iconic color and aroma after it is roasted. In addition, it also reduces weight as the moisture is sucked out of the beans while roasting.
The beans are preserved in their raw form until they are roasted, which then tends to gradually lose freshness over time. Roasting coffee beans brings out the flavor of the coffee and its color varies from light to dark brown. Coffee beans are initially seeds that have fully grown in the coffee cherry.
Before the beans can be roasted, they need to be dried which usually takes about 4 to 8 minutes in a drum. By the end, it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees celsius. Roasters need to be careful not to burn the beans at this stage.
Then comes the browning stage, where the Maillard reaction takes place. It is when the sugars and amino acids are reduced, producing fine aromas and colors. During this stage, the whole process is slowed down which causes the coffee beans to develop coffee flavors. When you hear the first crack of the beans, the development stage begins.
In the development stage, an exothermic reaction takes place which basically means that the beans are producing heat. The beans build up and store energy in the drying and browning stages, and then finally explode. Afterward, the aromatic compounds start to develop, so slowing down the process is critical for the flavors to develop as expected. If it is not slowed down, the beans will become smoky and have too much of a sharp flavor too.
Levels of Roasting
Roasters have different levels of roasting coffee to strike a balance between sweetness, bitterness, and the acidity of the beans. Slow roasts take about 14 to 20 minutes, where the beans lose a lot of weight as most of the water content is taken out. This produces a higher quality of coffee beans with low acidity levels, but it does have a more bitter taste to the tongue.
A quick roast (which lasts about 90 seconds) has a higher acidity level but is less bitter. Light roast beans reach a temperature of 180 degrees Celsius to 205 degrees celsius. The longer you roast it, the more caffeine and acidity are removed from the bean. This means that light roast beans have the most acidity and caffeine levels.
Medium roast beans reach a temperature of 210 to 220 degrees celsius. This is considered to give a balanced flavor to the beans which are very popular here in the States. Medium roast beans are roasted in the range of 223 to 230 degrees celsius. They have a richer and more flavorsome taste, with less acidity and more body. You can also see oils on the bean's surface because the high temperatures bring it out.
Dark roast beans are roasted at about 240 to 250 degrees celsius, and because of the temperature, you cannot taste the original flavor of coffee in the most common dark roasted blends. They are sweet because the sugar in the coffee beans caramelizes. The longer the roasting process, the richer and fuller the flavor. This leaves a butter-like taste to it.
The dark roast also has the least acidity of all methods mentioned above. They are also roasted the longest which is why a lot of people refer to its flavor as smokey and why it loses its caffeine content. Most dark roasted blends have European names (e.g. French roast) because of its popularity there.
How to Roast at Home: The Basics
If you are a beginner at bean roasting then don’t bother trying it out of your oven. It requires a certain amount of practice. Instead, start with choosing the green coffee beans of your choice then try out a popcorn machine or a small coffee roaster. Either is fine.
A popcorn machine will normally take about 8-12 minutes. A coffee roaster or a drum roaster takes about 20 minutes. I’d say it is easier to go for the home appliance version of a coffee roaster. Make sure to buy silicon gloves and eye protection - safety should always come first.
After roasting the beans at your preferred stage or level, turn off the heat and spread them on a tray to cool. After they have cooled down a bit, remove the extra husks. It is very important you store them properly so always try and use air-tight jars. Finally, you can grind them and make your coffee!
Conclusion
The origin of coffee is quite magical, isn’t it?! Although home roasting may appear to be a daunting task, you'll find it to be surprisingly simple - and even enjoyable. Roasting your beans allows you to explore your taste and make your own product, which is extremely cool. Hope you enjoy your very first homemade cup of coffee after reading this!