If you’re new to coffee, you may not know much about the art of the roast. Coffee roasting is a distinct process that dehydrates the beans found inside the cherries of coffee plants.
Coffee roasters use a delicate heating process to impart distinct flavors to coffee beans, giving each batch a unique, robust flavor profile. The longer a coffee bean is heated, the darker the roast.
If you want to learn more about the wide selection of coffee roasts and blends, read on for a guide on all things coffee.
What are coffee blends?
Coffee blends are mixtures of coffee beans from different regions, farms, or roasters packaged together to create a unique flavor profile. Because there is no standardization in the coffee industry about what constitutes a blend, mixtures may also refer to unique flavorings added to coffee beans like vanilla or hazelnut.
Coffee roasters often name their blends with unique modifiers that suggest flavor, origin, or caffeine content. For example, Mystic Monk Coffee uses regional designations and flavor adjectives to categorize its coffee.
What are coffee roasts?
Coffee roasts are batches of beans exposed to heat for a set period. No standards govern how coffee may be classified, but roasts are generally grouped into three categories: light, medium, or dark.
Light roasts
Light roast coffees are typically golden or tan in color, lack oil, and have a subtle flavor profile. More delicate blends are roasted for a shorter period than medium or dark roasts, allowing them to retain more of their natural caffeine content. Because light roasts are exposed to heat for less time than other roasts, their origin is often more apparent.
Medium roasts
Medium roasts cover the largest breadth of roasts in the coffee industry. The category is often broken down into sub-categories because there is so much variation in medium roasts across the industry. Popular subcategories include medium-light and medium-dark.
Medium roasts are darker in color than light roasts and tend to be sweeter, with a balanced flavor profile and acidity content. Additionally, trace amounts of oil may be present on darker medium roasts.
Dark roasts
Dark roasts are known for their bitter taste, black color, and glossy coating. The oily sheen of dark roast coffees comes from the roasting process.
During the production of a dark roast, the heat cooks the protective shell of the coffee bean. When the protective shell cracks, the internal chemicals of the coffee bean are released. The result is the oil characteristic of dark roasts.
Many consumers believe dark roasts contain more caffeine and acidity than other roasts, but the opposite is true. Dark roasts have the least caffeine and acid content of any coffee roast.
Choosing the right roast
Choosing a coffee roast may take time because there is an endless variety to sample. However, there are some general guidelines to follow when selecting a roast.
Acidity
If you tend to forgo breakfast in the morning, you may want to skip lighter roasts. Light roasts tend to be the most acidic, and too much acid on an empty stomach can leave you feeling nauseous.
Flavor
If you enjoy a bold, bitter flavor profile, consider looking into darker roasts. For first-timers, French and Italian roasts are good places to start.
Caffeine content
In general, lighter roasts have more caffeine than darker roasts. However, since the naming conventions of coffee are not standardized, some dark roasts could be more caffeinated than another roaster’s light batch.
Consider drinking decaf if you’re sensitive to caffeine, or enjoy a midday cup of coffee. Coffee roasting has come a long way. Today there are a variety of decaffeinated roasts on the market that taste as good as regular coffee.
Brewing coffee
Once you have selected your preferred roast, it’s time to brew your coffee—the method used to brew coffee influences how a roast expresses its unique flavor profile. Pour overs and french presses produce bolder coffees, while drip machines and percolators produce mellower coffees.
Before you go
Consider stopping by your local coffee shop to chat with the staff about the qualities of the roasts they offer. Speaking with a professional barista will help you decide on a blend that satisfies your stomach and budget. If you would like to learn more about coffee, from how to taste to how to brew, you can check out the guides freely available on IdentityCoffees.