What is Coffee Roasting?

The Alchemy of Coffee Roasting

The coffee's origin—the soil, climate, and cultivation—plays a key role in the quality of the beverage you drink. However, even the best green coffee beans won't reach their full potential if not roasted properly. Roasting is one of the final steps in the coffee journey, enhancing the unique aromas, flavors, and body each bean possesses. It's like the coffee's personality is hidden, just waiting for the roasting process to bring it to life.

Meet the Roast Master
A Roast Master is both an artisan and a scientist, combining technical skills with a refined palate. The flavors and aromas found in your cup depend entirely on their ability to study, analyze, and coax out the unique qualities of each coffee bean. The process of roasting is complex and requires a deep understanding of how heat interacts with coffee.

Understanding Coffee Roasting
Roasting involves heating green coffee beans in a specialized machine through hot air injection, bringing them to the perfect roast level without overcooking, burning, or under-roasting them. Precision is key: even a slight variation in temperature or time can strip the beans of their distinct characteristics. To ensure the best result, the Roast Master calculates the right amount of beans, roasting time, temperature, humidity, and airflow.

Balancing Calculations and Cracks
Before committing to a full batch roast, small test batches are roasted to find the perfect profile—like testing a recipe until you find the ideal balance. The roasting process begins by removing moisture from the beans, followed by an increase in temperature, typically between 190 to 240°C (374 to 464°F). Shortly into the process, the "first crack" occurs, a popping sound similar to popcorn, indicating that the beans are expanding and moisture is escaping. This crack is a crucial signal for the Roast Master to decide whether to reduce heat or extend roasting, depending on the desired flavor notes and roast level.

Cooling the Coffee Beans
Once the beans have reached their optimal roast, they need to be cooled down quickly to lock in that roast level. This can be achieved with either cool air or water. If not cooled immediately, the residual heat could continue to cook the beans, which can negatively impact the flavor.

Different Coffee Roasts
Among the 120 coffee species found worldwide, two varieties are most prominent: Arabica (Coffea arabica) and Robusta (Coffea canephora). Arabica beans make up 60% of coffee production globally and are known for their sweet, smooth taste and aromatic notes. In contrast, Robusta beans account for the remaining 40% and are appreciated for their bold, bitter taste and higher caffeine content—about 50% more than Arabica.

Grinding: The Step Before Brewing
After roasting, it's time to grind the coffee beans. The size of the grind is critical to the flavor, body, and strength of your brew and should be tailored to your brewing method. Coarser grinds are better for certain methods, while finer grinds are better for others, depending on factors like the type of filter (metal, cloth, or paper) and extraction process (pour-over, immersion, or pressure).

Some common grind sizes include:

• Coarse Grind: Ideal for French Press and cold brew.
• Medium Grind: Perfect for drip coffee makers and pour-over methods.
• Fine Grind: Suited for espresso machines and Aeropress.

Brewing Your Coffee
There are numerous ways to transform roasted coffee beans into a delicious cup of coffee. From espresso and French press to pour-over and cold brew, each brewing technique highlights the beans' unique qualities, allowing you to explore a range of flavors from your chosen roast.