Taste Profiles by Roast
In our last article, we compared de-pulping processes, their influence on taste, and the importance of consistency in processing methods. Here we will continue the coffee journey, from origin to our roasting facility.
Raw coffee beans:
Coffee fruit seeds are what we typically refer to as coffee beans. Intricate flavors such as fruity, nutty, and earthy are all inherently packaged inside the seeds. The roasting process only enhances those flavors, drawing them out in a most delicate fashion.
When the coffee comes to our roasting facility, it has all of the flavors, minerals, and content from the origin, derived from soil conditions, sun exposure, rain availability, and processing techniques. It’s up to our Master Roaster, Mike Safai, to find the perfect balance between heat intensity and application time to coax out all of the unwanted, bitter, and astringent notes while protecting and highlighting delicate desirable ones like sweetness, aromatics, flavor, and body for each lot of coffee.
Applying heat transforms green coffee “beans” into the more recognizable brown coffee bean. The color change from green to brown occurs primarily from sugars and amino acids present in green coffee combining under the heat of roasting, and forming a specific polymer, found also in bakery products, cooked meat, beer, honey, and sweet wine.
From raw to
French Roast:
color changes are one INDICATOR which signals the MEASUREMENT of the roast degree of coffee beans during the roasting process
Light roasts tend to be sweeter and will highlight flavors that come from the sugars and amino acids present in the bean. During the lower temperatures of a roasting process, bitters and vinegar will be the first to break down with a cut grass smell, then as heat is applied minerals, lipids, acids, and sugars combine to form intricate flavor profiles with a toasty, almost popcorn smell. Light roasts vary from the lightest cinnamon roast to city roast.
Dark roasted coffees begin at a full-city roast, French, Vienna, and lastly Italian as the darkest roast. Dark roasts will generally have a thicker body or mouthfeel. As the beans “cook”, water escapes, weakening cell walls, which allows lipids to combine and rise to the surface. Although sugars are caramelized throughout the roasting process, lending to a caramel note, at a point around the French roast, they will begin to carbonize, losing their sweetness. Dark roasts typically overshadow the delicate fruity notes but can maintain green apple, grape, and coca notes.
What is mouthfeel? Why is acidic coffee a good thing? In our next blog, we get up close and personal with tasting tips and translating common descriptions into tasting experiences.