Margarita

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The taste and aroma of the coffee we brew is influenced not only by the type of beans, but also by roasting. Heat treatment is an important step in the production of a product. Coffee roasting varies depending on the degree of action high temperatures and processing methods.

In order for your favorite drink to suit your taste and bring pleasure, you need to distinguish between the degrees of roasting of the coffee beans.

As you know, natural roasted coffee is very beneficial for the body; it contains polyphenols and antioxidants. According to scientists, one cup of the drink can reduce the risk of stroke.

Many people like to drink the drink with milk, cream, or alcohol. And it brings benefits only in its pure form, without additives. It is also popular among overweight people, as it is part of various diets.

Roasting coffee beans

There are ten main types of coffee roasting. Each one is different technical specifications and affects the taste of the finished drink. Roasting coffee is a very important process in the production of the product. From beans of one type of coffee tree, you can get several types of drinks, depending on the roasting temperature.

• Light roast. The brewed drink has a pleasant taste and low strength, ideally combined with cream and milk;
• Medium roast. The finished coffee is darker in color than the previous one with an oily film. This degree of roasting of the fruit is suitable for daily consumption;
• Deep roast. Its second name is Viennese. The brewed drink has a rich and strong taste;
• Highest degree of roasting of coffee beans . Coffee is good for morning appointment. It is black in color and can be drunk by healthy people.

How the beans are roasted

For this purpose, a special rotor apparatus is used. The taste and aroma properties of the finished drink will depend on this device. The process of roasting beans consists of several stages.

First, the fruits are sent to the rotor. They are kept at a temperature of one hundred and seventy degrees for eight minutes. After this treatment, the grains have a light brown color.

Then they raise the temperature to two hundred and thirty degrees and fry the product for three minutes. The fruits increase in size and become lighter.

The coffee is still freshly roasted dark shade and aroma after the next two minutes. To preserve the aroma, it is blown with cold air. If you roast coffee longer, it will be unusable.

How does roasting affect the grain?

Fresh grains are unaromatic and have a weak taste. When roasted, they undergo a fermentation process. Thus, about four hundred substances are released, which are called caeoli. These compounds affect the final aroma of the drink.

After fermentation, fiber is destroyed, the amount of glucose decreases, and tannins are destroyed.

It is very important that vitamin B is preserved during the frying process. The caffeine content in the finished product depends on its duration.

Roasting the beans is not the last stage of production. After heat treatment, they are exposed to cold air. Next, the product is kept for a certain time, after which it is packaged. There are several types of coffee roasting .

Light roast

After processing, the structure of the fruit remains virtually unchanged. Heat treatment makes the product light brown tint. The fruits grow barely noticeably, the taste is weakly expressed.

Light roast coffee is also called African coffee. The fruits are subjected to heat treatment at temperatures from 170 to 190 degrees. After this, the fruits acquire a brown color, and the brewed drink has a sour taste.

This method of roasting coffee is popular among city dwellers, so it has received another name - urban. The fruits are exposed to temperatures of two hundred degrees, and they crack slightly. The finished drink has a pleasant delicate taste and aroma.

Medium roast

This processing requires a lot of attention. It is necessary to ensure that the temperature in the rotor does not rise above 210 degrees. After medium roasting, the fruits acquire a beautiful chocolate color. The prepared drink has fruity notes in taste.

Dark roast

After this treatment, the fruits acquire an almost black tint. This is a very important stage, during which it is important not to overcook the product. As a result, the finished drink may taste bitter.

There are three types of dark roasted beans: Italian, Mexican and French. Each of them has differences. For example, after Italian roasting, coffee has a pronounced chocolate taste and is popular among lovers of the drink with milk.

French roasting gives the coffee beans a delicate caramel aftertaste.

Mexicans love the drink deeply roasted; it has a rich aroma and strong taste.

Green coffee

Unroasted coffee has a lot beneficial properties, because it refers to natural products. Due to its cleansing effect, it is often included in various diets.

Green coffee goes through all stages of processing except roasting. After collection, the fruits are dried at a certain temperature. In this way, the grains are not roasted, but microbes leave them. Brewing unroasted coffee is as simple as brewing black coffee. The product is difficult to find on the open market, its cost is much higher. But real gourmets order unroasted coffee online.

How does roast degree affect coffee?

Why does the average consumer need to know about different degrees of roasting of beans? To choose the right product and brew your favorite coffee.

After light roasting, coffee beans have a pleasant, refined, weak taste and delicate aroma. The ground product is used for cooking with both water and milk.

After medium roasting of the beans, the coffee becomes stronger and can be combined with cream, liqueur, or syrup.

To prepare espresso and other types of strong drinks, Italian coffee roasting is used.

When choosing your coffee, you should consider the grind. How aromatic and tasty your drink will be depends on the size of the grains. The shelf life of ground natural roasted coffee is very short, so you need to start preparing it immediately after grinding the beans.

Distinguish the following types grinding:

• Small. It is often used to brew espresso in a Turk to fully reveal the real taste of the drink;
• Average. This type of grinding has grains measuring 0.5 mm. It is intended for preparation in coffee makers;
• Large. This type of grind is well suited for brewing in a French press.

Coffee roasting containers

To roast coffee at home, you don't need to have a professional rotor at home. You can get by with regular kitchen utensils.

1. Pan. The most popular and affordable container that every housewife has. Will do regular frying pan with a thick bottom. The ideal option would be a WOK frying pan, but you can also use an old cast iron one.
2. Brazier. Any shape will do, usually a thick-bottomed dish in the form of a tray with handles. Nowadays there are many different devices for roasting coffee on sale. There are electric coffee roasters and special drums that are similar to roasters.
3. Pot. Also suitable for roasting grains; under the lid this process will go faster. If the pan has a glass lid, you will have the opportunity to observe the frying. Choose a pot with a thick bottom so that it fits on the burner for even frying.
4. Roaster. A device for roasting coffee beans is also called a micro-roaster. For lovers of a real custard drink, this item will be indispensable in the household. The price of an average coffee roaster is about seventy thousand rubles.

Roasting beans is one of the most important processes on the long way to a cup of coffee. Roasting is a skill that is responsible for the full manifestation of the taste and aromatic properties of coffee beans.

When green beans are roasted, the moisture evaporates first and the grain increases in size. The sucrose contained in the beans turns into caramel, which gives the coffee its brown color. During the roasting process, a complex substance called kafeol is formed, which is responsible for the specific coffee aroma. In addition, the grain structure changes and essential oils come to the surface.

Do not forget that each type of coffee is unique and requires individual approach. Different beans react differently to the roasting process, requiring different temperatures and cycle times. Only the skill of an experienced roaster allows us to extract the fullness and uniqueness of taste and aroma from each type of coffee.

When roasting, the first few minutes of the beans remain light yellowish and have a “herbaceous” smell, then smoke appears with a more aromatic smell and soon the “first crack” is heard - a distinct sound signaling what stage the roasting is at. After this, active caramelization of the sugars contained in the grains begins, and the essential oils gradually come out. The grains increase in size and become darker. At this moment, a “second crack” is usually heard, the color of the grains becomes even darker, and the smoke becomes thick and acrid - at this stage the sugars are completely burned.

Differences between light and dark roasts

Typically, lighter roasted coffee beans have a stronger flavor and higher acidity than dark roasted coffee beans (due to the formation of oxides, which are destroyed when the temperature rises). Darker roasts have a fuller flavor and contain less caffeine. However, over-roasted beans have a burnt, charcoal flavor.

CHARACTERISTIC LIGHT ROAST DARK ROAST Saturation Low High Caffeine content High Low Flavor palette Maximum Minimum Bitterness Low High Kislinka High Low

Do not forget that different varieties have different tastes even with the same degree of roasting, because the taste and aroma of coffee beans depends not only on the roasting, but also on the type of coffee.

Main degrees of roasting

DEGREE	NAME	COLOR, SURFACE	CHARACTERISTICS
Light	. . , Breakfast, Half-city	Light brown color. Dry surface.	Light richness of taste. Pronounced sourness.
Average	, Medium Brown, , Brown	Rich light brown color. Dry surface.	Light bittersweet notes on the palate. Light sourness, richer taste.
Medium-dark	, , Velvet	Rich brown. Slightly oily surface.	More pronounced bittersweet notes in the taste. Even lighter sourness and richer taste.
Dark	Espresso, , European/Continental	Dark brown color. Oily surface.	Pronounced bittersweet taste, minimal sourness.
Very dark	, Dark French,	Very dark brown, almost black. Very oily surface.	Sharp sweet-bitter taste, lack of sourness.

Cinnamon Roast

Approximate temperature 195 °C
The lightest roast, the grains are light brown in color with a slight richness of taste, noticeably pronounced sourness and a subtle bready aroma. There is no oil on the surface.

Light or New England Roast

Approximate temperature 205 °C
A light roast, where the beans are light brown in color, is slightly darker than a cinnamon roast. The taste still has a pronounced sourness, but without bread notes. There is still no oil on the surface.

American Roast

Approximate temperature 210 °C
Medium light brown color. Immediately after the “first crack”. There is still no oil on the surface. This roast got its name because of its popularity in the eastern part of the United States. Often this roast (as well as cinnamon) is used during professional coffee tastings.

City Roast

Approximate temperature 220 °C
Rich brown color, with a still dry surface. Roasting is popular in the western United States and also works well for coffee tastings.

Full City Roast

Approximate temperature 225 °C
Rich brown color. Drops of oil begin to appear on the surface of the grains. The taste is dominated by caramel and chocolate notes. The beginning of the “second crack”.

Vienna Roast

Approximate temperature 230 °C
Moderate dark brown color with a slightly oily surface. The appearance of bittersweet, caramel notes in the taste. The sourness fades to a minimum, giving way to richness. In the middle of the "second crack". This roast is sometimes used for espresso.

French Roast

Approximate temperature 240 °C
Dark brown color, shiny oily surface. There is practically no sourness, burnt notes appear in the taste. At the end of the "second crack". Popular roast for espresso.

Italian Roast

Approximate temperature 245 °C
Very dark brown in color, the grains are coated with oil. Roasting is similar to French roasting, only with a more pronounced taste. Common roast for espresso.

Spanish Roast

Approximate temperature 250 °C
The darkest roast. The grains have a very dark, almost black color and a very oily surface. Very few coffees can withstand a Spanish roast without turning to ash on the palate.

Light City Roast, or “Scandinavian” roast- easy to implement. Thanks to it, coffee beans acquire a light brown tint. Some of the substances contained in the grains form a consistency vaguely reminiscent of a caramel composition. It is light roasting that reveals the refined taste and aroma of this coffee. The fact is that significant amount varieties close to , including high-mountain ones, are fairly acidified. For manufacturers Northern Europe This kind of heat treatment of coffee beans is something that goes without saying. According to the American-Brazilian classification, coffee with this roast is called New England. This coffee is drunk during breakfast - it works great with milk.

City Roast - medium roast- allows you to give the grains a darker color - the color of chocolate. At the same time, ether compounds stand out more clearly. This makes it possible to emphasize the refined and unique taste of coffee prepared in this way. There is virtually no bitterness; on the contrary, coffee acquires a sweetish taste without adding sugar, while it is optimally balanced. This is “urban” roasting, and you don’t have to add milk/cream/condensed milk to it, but this coffee can be combined with any food. The main consumer traffic is Germany, Austria, Holland, Russia.

Full City - deep roast– here, during prolonged roasting, “in French,” the coffee acquires the same color, but at the same time essential oils are actively released, and the surface of the grain is moistened with droplets of fat. Brewed “French” coffee is bitter, but the taste is not acidified. Connoisseurs of this coffee actively mix in liquid dairy products, which allows them to drink this drink almost every day. Maximum roasted coffee is an essential component of Italian espresso.

Dark roast is an essential component of espresso., this coffee has an exquisite taste. This is an attribute of many professional cafes and restaurants. It is in dark roasting that the user comes close to the point beyond which the coffee turns out burnt and bitter, and therefore spoiled. The grain should not be overcooked, almost black in color, or have oily secretions; this is already a substandard product.

Neapolitan - darkest roast. With such a degree of readiness, the exquisite taste of coffee is practically lost. The grain takes on a black-brown hue, and this coffee is already producing more harm than good. “Extremely” overcooked grains undergo the process of forming pure coal from the organic matter included in their composition. In this case, part of the coal burns in the form of carbon monoxide, producing smoke. Oily inclusions become heavier and vaguely resemble either grease or tar, forming not just fat on the surface of the grains, but something somewhat reminiscent of sticky mud. In this case, the concept of , the ability to identify it, is completely lost. From such beans, as a rule, low-quality ground coffee is prepared, mixing it with high-quality and not burnt ground coffee in a ratio of 5:1, in order to mislead the buyer in order to extract additional profit. A soluble mixture of burnt coffee beans mixed with powdered coffee substitutes is an area of ​​application for burnt beans that already resemble coals.

What happens to the beans after roasting?

Immediately after heat treatment, coffee beans have almost no odor. In order for them to form, they need to be left to “proof” for a day. – a whole technology, a skill necessary to unlock the flavor potential of any type of coffee. , prepared without violating technological rules and regulations, will save all their positive traits, up to those who even allow you to cleanse organs (for example, the liver) by drinking unsweetened coffee on an empty stomach. At the same time, the quality of this coffee is excellent. Real coffee comes with both tart and soft, sharp or chocolate, fruit and caramel flavors. Which one to prefer is everyone’s choice, but there are general property: coffee drinks should not be tasteless and look like crap from God knows what.

Coffee is made from ground beans, but they are roasted before grinding, otherwise the drink will not work. This is both a complex and simple process, since you need to know the theory and monitor the temperature. There is a misconception that the bitterness of coffee comes solely from caffeine. In fact, caffeine is “responsible” for only 10–15% of the bitterness, the rest depends on the degree of roasting of the beans. You can even roast coffee at home, but the barista must follow certain technologies so as not to spoil the taste of the product and preserve its beneficial properties.

Story

The first evidence of coffee roasting came to us from Ottoman Empire and date back to the 15th century, when thin rounded sheets of metal or porcelain were used as utensils. They were equipped with a long handle so that it was convenient to hold the “frying pan” over a brazier with coals, periodically shaking and stirring the grains.

Around 1650, a cylindrical roaster was invented in Cairo that could roast large batches of coffee. Soon the innovation was adopted in France, Holland, Italy and others European countries.

Cylindrical roasters for roasting coffee beans

In the 19th century, many commercial roasters were patented for mass roasting of coffee. At the same time, lovers of the invigorating drink continued to roast the grains by hand on baking sheets and stoves. For such enthusiasts, a home spherical roaster appeared in Ohio in 1849. However, by the 1900s, it became much more profitable to buy pre-roasted coffee: thanks to developing technologies, it cost only slightly more than raw coffee.

In 1903 and 1906, electric roasters were patented in the USA and Germany, respectively, the problem of smoke affecting the taste of the product was solved. In 1976, they learned to fry grains with hot air without the risk of burning them into embers. Nowadays, there are many devices for roasting coffee, ranging from banal metal meshes that must be placed over an open fire, to high-tech “smart” devices.

The boom of coffee shops in the 1970s made home roasting of coffee beans almost meaningless, turning it into the lot of fine connoisseurs - commercial roasters installed in coffee shops allow you to quickly and efficiently roast beans to any degree, you can program the roasting style, while the barista does not must stay vigilantly at the stove and stir the coffee so that the beans do not burn.

Coffee bean roasting technology

Raw coffee beans have green color. In principle, you can eat them this way - for example, add them to a salad or infuse them with strong alcohol, but they won’t make coffee as a drink.

The industrial roasting process is divided into the following stages: sorting, roasting, cooling, packaging.

When roasting, coffee beans change color first to yellowish, then to brown, double in size (but lose weight due to evaporated water), and acquire a characteristic aroma. If everything is done correctly, tannins will decompose in the beans, the fruits will no longer be so tart and astringent, B vitamins will be retained in them, caffeine will be formed (this substance is responsible for the taste and aroma characteristics of coffee), and essential oils will be released.

Roasting temperature varies from 200 to 250 degrees Celsius. The grains must be roasted evenly, so they must be stirred constantly. A heat that is too low will not allow the flavor to fully develop, while a heat that is too high will burn the outer layer of the grain, leaving the core raw.

In industrial conditions, finished roasted coffee is cooled with air, or less often with water. Cooling is necessary because if you leave the beans to cool naturally, they will continue to roast “from the inside” due to the temperature already reached.

Industrial roaster

At approximately 196°C the beans begin to crackle, this sound (“first pop”) marks the beginning of the light roasting phase. At 224°C, a “second pop” occurs, meaning that the previously expanding grains began, on the contrary, to dry out.

In some countries, a bit of local flavor is added to the classic process. For example, in Vietnam, raw coffee beans are brushed with butter and sprinkled with sugar, so that by the end of roasting they are caramelized.

After the First Pop, the grains acquire a roasted aroma. After the Second Cotton, essential oils begin to be released.

Coffee roast levels

Weak (~ up to 205 °C). Dry grains are light brown in color with a sour taste without roasted notes; the individual characteristics of the variety are perfectly felt. Caffeine content 1.37%.

Medium (~ up to 219 °C). Dark brown grains, dry, sweet and sour taste, rich aroma. The drink is full-bodied, the acidity is muted. Caffeine content 1.31%.

Strong (~ up to 230 °C). Dark brown grains, with an oily film, almost no sourness, with a bitter-sweet taste, rich roasted aroma. The individual characteristics of the variety are almost not preserved. Caffeine content 1.31%.

Maximum (highest) (~ up to 245 °C). The color of the grains is black-brown, the taste is bitter, with a “smoke”.

Also, degrees of roasting are divided into “light” and “dark” (based on the color of the grain).

Types of coffee roasting

It is important to remember that the final taste and aroma properties of coffee are influenced by other factors besides roasting: the type and age of the beans, the region of their cultivation, storage method, etc.

During the roasting process, the chlorogenic acid contained in coffee decomposes into quinic and caffeic acid, and bitter chlorogenic acid lactones are simultaneously formed. During intense roasting, lactones decompose, resulting in the quintessence of bitterness - phenylindanes. Therefore, the more the coffee is roasted, the more intense the bitterness.

Roasting degree	Temperature	Appearance of grains	Taste and aroma
Cinnamon Roast	+195 °C	Dry, light brown	Delicate, with the aroma of freshly baked bread and pronounced sourness
New England Roast, Light	+205 °C	Dry, slightly darker than in the previous case	There is still sourness, but without bread notes
American Roast	+210 °C	Dry, rich light brown color	Sourness combines with delicate bittersweet notes
City Roast	+220 °C	Dry, rich brown color	Bittersweet notes are felt more clearly, the sourness weakens. This roast is good for coffee tastings
Full City Roast	+225 °C	Rich brown color, with the first drops of oil on the surface	Shades of chocolate and caramel appear in the taste
Vienna Roast	+230 °C	Surface oily, color dark brown	The sourness disappears, the caramel tones become more intense
French Roast	+240 °C	Color – dark brown, more oil on the surface	Burnt tones are woven into caramel shades, and astringency appears. This roast is considered optimal for making espresso.
Italian Roast	+245 °C	The color is getting darker, there is more oil	The bitterness is felt more and more clearly. Roast suitable for espresso
Spanish Roast	+250 °C	Brown-black color, oily surface	Sharp bitter taste with notes of burnt coffee. Not all varieties can withstand this degree of roasting: some grains simply become charred.

Roast markings from coffee producers

Each coffee manufacturer has its own roasting scale. Some simply indicate intensity with numbers from 1 to 5:

• 1 – Cinnamon (Light);
• 2 – American or Urban (Medium);
• 3 – Full city or Viennese (Medium-dark);
• 4 – Italian (Dark);
• 5 – French or Spanish (Very dark).

Other manufacturers distinguish 3 degrees:

• weak (usually corresponds to American or Urban);
• middle (Viennese);
• strong (French or Italian).

Roasting coffee at home

At home, coffee can be roasted in a frying pan/grill, in an oven, in a popcorn machine, or in a special roaster. The first two methods are the cheapest and simplest, the latter are the most effective. In theory, even a microwave oven will do. In practice, this method has proven itself not with the best side, since the grains are roasted poorly and unevenly.

1. Frying pan or grill. Pros: fast, convenient, cheap. Cons: It is difficult to maintain an accurate temperature if roasting over an open fire - the smoke affects the taste of the grain.
2. Oven. Pros: cheap. Cons: slow, difficult to achieve uniform roasting of coffee beans.
3. Popcorn machine. Pros: simple, the beans are mixed automatically, it’s easy to achieve uniform roasting. Cons: not intended for roasting coffee (if it breaks, the warranty will not be valid), high price.
4. Roaster. Pros: designed for roasting coffee, easy to use. Cons: expensive.

After the first pop, beans for weak light coffee are obtained. After the second – medium-roasted grains. If you want a deep roast, wait 30 seconds after the second pop.

Immediately after roasting, you need to cool the beans - this can be done by pouring the coffee into a colander and directing a stream of cold air at it.

The pan must be completely dry and clean

When coffee is roasted, carbon dioxide is released, a process that continues even after the beans have been removed from the heat. Therefore, freshly roasted beans should be allowed to sit for about 12 hours, and only then poured into a container or sent for grinding.

If too much gas accumulates in the coffee, the lid of the container may be knocked off, and the gas will negatively affect the taste of the drink. To fully “mature”, gain taste, body and aroma, the grains need about 24 hours. On the other hand, you shouldn’t forget about roasted grains for longer than a week either - the taste will become musty and stale.

How to Store Roasted Coffee Beans

Best of all - in an airtight container, in a dark and cool place. Coffee can spend several months or even a year in such conditions.

But it is best not to store roasted coffee at all, but to immediately consume it for its intended purpose, grinding it a maximum of 2 hours before brewing.

When choosing coffee, it is very important to know its degree of roasting in order to understand what to expect from it, namely, what its aroma and taste balance will be: acidity, bitterness and sweetness. In this article we will talk about just this.

Classification of degrees of roasting

When roasted, coffee beans change color. First from green to yellow, then to brown, and then they can even reach black. At the same time, in the coffee industry there is no universal system for designating degrees of roasting, one classification that everyone would consider correct and operate on it. This leads to confusion among roasters and consumers alike, as what one might call a "light roast" another might consider an "American" roast. Below we'll talk about the two classifications to clarify the terminology, and then we'll talk about which degree of roast is best and what to choose.

First classification- “SIMPLE.” In ours, we use it, since it is the most “popular” and understandable. According to it, all coffee can be divided into three degrees of roasting:

• light (light brown color)
• medium (brown)
• dark (from dark brown to black)

Second classification- “PROFESSIONAL”. It was introduced by world-famous roaster Scott Rao. It is more accurate, but not clear to ordinary consumers, so we correlated it with the “simple” classification to make it clearer. So, he identified the following degrees of roasting:

To say that one degree of roasting is better than another is wrong, because everyone has different tastes and preferences, some like green apples, others red. It would be more correct to tell how the taste and aroma changes depending on the degree of roasting of coffee, and leave the decision of what to choose to you.

Taste. There is a simple dependence. The darker the roast, the lower the acidity and the higher the bitterness, and vice versa. Sweetness is most fully manifested in medium roasting, when the sugars have already managed to sufficiently caramelize, but have not yet burned. With a certain degree of convention, we can say that medium roasting gives us a more balanced taste, which no longer has as much acidity as with light roasting, there is good sweetness, and there is still no strong bitterness characteristic of dark roasting.

Aroma. Here the dependence is somewhat different. The maximum richness of aromas is manifested in light roasting - these are herbal, fruity, berry and floral tones. As the degree of roasting increases, the aroma shifts to a palette of nut-chocolate tones, caramel, spices, cocoa, and fried bread. And finally moves into the ashy, smoky, resinous spectrum of the dark roast.

It is also important to understand that knowing the degree of roasting is not a panacea when choosing coffee; in addition to it, the taste and aroma of the product is influenced by another important factor - the freshness of the bean. After all, only a month, well, maximum two after roasting, does coffee retain its maximum flavor and aroma potential, then the grain begins to rapidly “fade away”. Therefore, choose only the degree of roasting that you like.

In this article, we explained what degrees of roasting there are and gave a couple of recommendations on choosing coffee, and if you are interested in reading something else on this topic, then in ours you can find out in detail what happens to green beans during the roasting process.