Not sure which coffee roast is proper for you? From our article, you will learn everything about the roasting of coffee beans: the degree of roasting, technology, and much more.
Coffee roasting is quite complex, requiring a level of knowledge and skills, where one mistake can deteriorate the taste of the future drink. Roasting grains is not in vain called skill because here everything matters: the variety of grains, temperature, time. Experts distinguish three levels of roasting (light, medium, and dark).
Light roast
A light roast is obtained after the “first crack”. Grains are roasted at a temperature of 150 ºC (no more). Coffee beans do not change color, except they become a little darker. This is because the oils do not have time to come out, and the drink made from lightly roasted beans turns out to be completely non-coffee-like. Therefore, drinks are not prepared from such grains and cannot be found in the sale.
A medium-light roast is obtained at temperatures between 170ºC and 190ºC. Such grains have a slightly brownish color and are larger than unroasted ones. Taste and smell and theirs are more characteristic of coffee but have a pronounced sourness. It is also not often found in sales and is not particularly popular.
Light New England roasting involves maintaining a temperature of 205ºC. Brownish grains with a strong aroma. You can prepare coffee from such grains at home in a coffee pot, but this is not the best option for coffee machines.
Medium roast
The fragrant, refreshing drink is obtained from grains of medium roast at a temperature of 210 ºC to 215ºC. This roast is called American. The grains are brown, without bitterness. Such coffee is not intended for brewing espresso in coffee machines, but it will work perfectly in a coffee pot or French press.
City roast is obtained at a temperature of about 220 ºC. Together with American, coffee from such grains is popular during tastings.
Darker medium roast at 230ºC is called Vienna. The grains are dark brown, with an oil coating, rich taste, slight sourness, and bitterness. They are sometimes used to make espresso.
Dark roast
There is a French roast at 240 ºC that produces dark brown beans. It is generally accepted that this is the best coffee roast for espresso.
Italian dark roast at 245 ºC is characterized by a dark brown color and noticeable oil on the surface. The taste and smell are rich.
The strongest bean roasting occurs at 250 ºC (Spanish). The beans at this high temperature turn out to be very dark in color, and if overexposed to the roaster, they will taste like ash, not coffee.
