Coffee is a beverage brewed from coffee beans. Front Street Coffee believes that what makes coffee special is that green beans must be roasted before they can be used for preparation, and the roasting temperature reaches over 200 degrees Celsius, which is much higher than the roasting temperature for nuts. The length of roasting time is also related to the depth of the roast, so different roast levels produce different flavors and mouthfeels!
Before the third wave of specialty coffee, that is, from the 1970s to the 1990s, there was no specialty coffee yet, and commercial coffee beans dominated. If commercial coffee beans were lightly roasted or medium roasted, it was easy to taste defective flavors in the coffee, unclean notes, or some aged beans, due to moisture loss, easily tasted woody. If roasted past second crack, these bad flavors were hard to detect. This is also why the third wave of coffee popularized light roasting. With improvements in coffee cultivation and post-harvest processing techniques, we can obtain a cup that is cleaner, sweeter, and more focused on regional flavors. Light roasting allows you to taste the coffee's origin flavors. For example, a bean with citrus and floral aromas must come from Ethiopia. If all were roasted to an intense second crack, these good flavors would be lost.
Why does coffee need to be roasted?
Coffee is originally just the seed of a fruit, and only after processing does it become green coffee beans. Only after green coffee beans are roasted can the flavors inside the coffee beans be activated. Different roasts will make the coffee beans present different flavors.
Why do green coffee beans present flavors after high-temperature roasting? It is actually because chemical changes occur during the roasting process. Let's explain what chemical changes there are below.
【Maillard Reaction】
This reaction occurs at about 150°C, when the coffee beans are still absorbing heat and continue to release heat during the roasting process. The heat causes reactions between the beans' carbohydrates and amino acids, leading to changes in color, flavor, and nutritional components.
The color change is mainly due to the production of melanoidins. These abundant substances not only turn the coffee beans brown, but also affect the coffee's taste and body.
At this stage of the Maillard reaction, even a small change in temperature and time may have a great impact on the final flavor.
Coffee that spends a longer time in the Maillard reaction will increase its viscosity, while a shorter Maillard reaction will produce more sweetness and acidity, because if the Maillard reaction time is too long, fruit acids and acids that would convert into sweetness will be destroyed.
When FrontStreet Coffee roasters experiment with roasting coffee beans, they also change the length and intensity of the Maillard reaction and record what effects these changes have on the final flavor.
【Caramelization Reaction】
When heated to about 170°C, the heat causes a large number of complex carbohydrates to break down into smaller sugar molecules that can dissolve in water. This means the sweetness of the final brewed coffee will increase.
This reaction continues until the end of the roasting process, and it also contributes to sweet aromas in coffee, such as caramel and almond notes.
Through the Maillard reaction and caramelization reaction, everyone can understand how the reactions produced by coffee roasting affect the flavor of a cup of coffee. I previously heard someone say that among the factors affecting a cup of coffee, green coffee beans actually account for 70%, roast level 20%, and brewing 10%.
Only after coffee beans go through the high-temperature environment of roasting do they have such a strong aroma and rich mouthfeel and flavor! As the roasting time and temperature of coffee beans change, the same coffee beans can present diverse and varied coffee profiles!
Broadly, they can be divided into three major categories: light roast, medium roast, and dark roast.
But the subtleties of mouthfeel are further divided into eight levels: Light Roast to Italian Roast.
Light Roast:Light Roast, Cinnamon Roast: strong aroma, obvious fruity acidity.
Medium Roast:Medium Roast, High Roast, City Roast: more coffee bean aroma, sweetness, slight fruity acidity, typical Viennese coffee flavor.
Dark Roast:Full City Roast, French Roast, Italian Roast: strong caramel flavor, heavy and intense mouthfeel.
One of themcoffee bean roastinglevel has already largely determined the direction of this bean's flavor expression,coffee bean roastingcan be simply divided into three levels: light roast, medium roast, and medium-dark/dark roast.
"Light Roast / Cinnamon Roast"
Drop time: from the start of first crack to its密集
Flavor: The bean surface is cinnamon-colored. At this point the grassy taste has been removed, the acidity is strong, with a slight aroma. Often used to brew Americano.
- FrontStreet Coffee - Ethiopia Sidamo Hualkui Coffee Beans -
Region/Processing Plant: Sidamo Hambela Buku Abel Processing Plant
Growing Altitude: 2250-2350m
Processing Method: Natural Process
Variety: Ethiopian Heirloom
Flavor Description: Passion fruit, fermented wine aroma, strawberry, jackfruit
"Medium Roast / Medium Roast"
Drop time: between the密集 of first crack and its end
Flavor: The bean surface is chestnut-colored. The mouthfeel is light, slightly sour with bitterness, and the aroma is moderate, retaining the coffee beans' original flavor. Often used for Americano or blended coffee.
- FrontStreet Coffee Introductory Selected Coffee Beans - Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee Beans
Region: Tarrazu
Growing Altitude: 1500m
Processing Method: Washed Process
Variety: Caturra, Catuai
Flavor Description: Toffee, sweet orange, honey, nuts. It is a balanced-flavor coffee with a typical Costa Rican coffee style.
"Medium-Dark Roast / City Roast"
Drop time: after the first crack, that is, between first and second crack
Flavor:The bean surface is light brown. The mouthfeel is bright and lively, with a balance between acidity and bitterness while the acidity is somewhat lighter, and it releases the high-quality flavors in the coffee. It is the standard roast level and also the roast level most loved by the public.
- FrontStreet Coffee - Brazil Queen Estate Coffee Beans -
Region/Estate: Mogiana Queen Estate
Growing Altitude: 1400-1950m
Processing Method: Semi-Washed Process
Variety: Yellow Bourbon
Flavor: Nuts, creamy peanut, cane sugar, fermented fruit
"Dark Roast / Italian Roast"Also called "Italian Roast"
Drop time: from the end of second crack to the bean surface turning black and oily
Flavor:The bean surface is black with an oily sheen. Before the coffee bean fibers are carbonized, the mouthfeel is intense and complex, with strong bitterness and a rich roasting and smoky aroma. It is mainly popular in Italy and is mostly used for espresso.
- FrontStreet Coffee - Sunflower Warm Sun Espresso Blend Coffee Beans -
Region: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe + Honduras Marcala
Growing Altitude: 1700-2200m + 1500-1700m
Processing Method: Natural Process + Refined Washed Whiskey Barrel Fermentation Process
Variety: Ethiopian Heirloom + Caturra, Catuai, Pacas
Blend Ratio: 3:7
Flavor Description: Rich fermented wine aroma, berry acidity, vanilla cream, nutty caramel
Light Roast Coffee Bean Recommendations
1. [FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry Coffee Beans]
Region/Processing Plant: Yirgacheffe Aletaland Processing Plant
Growing Altitude: 1700-2200m
Processing Method: Natural Process
Variety: Ethiopian Heirloom
Flavor Description: The overall mouthfeel is layered and distinct, with a relatively obvious aroma, featuring lemon, floral, and fermented wine notes. The entry has a full juicy feel, citrus and lemon acidity, weak nutty flavor, and a honey-like sweet aftertaste.
2. [FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Asalia Coffee Beans]
Region/Processing Plant: Thika Asali Processing Plant
Growing Altitude: 1550-1750m
Processing Method: 72-hour Washed Process
Variety: SL28, SL34
Flavor Description: The wet aroma has ripe tomato and floral notes. On the palate, cherry tomato and smoked plum flavors, bright acidity, clean and the most solid and rich mouthfeel, like the weight of an African elephant! The mid-palate has prominent sweetness with a juicy feel, and the finish has berry aroma and brown sugar sweetness, along with green tea aroma.
3. [FrontStreet CoffeePanamaButterfly Coffee Beans]
Region: Boquete Region
Growing Altitude: 1600m
Processing Method: Washed Process
Variety: Geisha (70%), Caturra, Catuai (30%)
Flavor Description: Floral, black tea, berry, citrus, with a slight nutty finish, smooth mouthfeel, low bitterness, moderate acidity, medium finish
【FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Parameters】
Dose: 15g
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Water Temperature: 90℃
Grind Size: Medium-fine grind (78% passing a No. 20 standard sieve)
Dripper: V60
【FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Method】
Bloom with 30g for 30 seconds. After blooming, pour in circles to 125g. After the water level drops by half, continue pouring to 225g. Total extraction time 2 minutes.
Medium-Dark Roast Coffee BeansRecommendations
1. [FrontStreet Coffee PWN Golden Mandheling Coffee Beans]
Region/Processing Company: Sumatra Aceh PWN Company
Growing Altitude: 1100-1600m
Processing Method: Wet-Hulled Process
Variety: Ateng
Flavor Description: The coffee overall has varied layers, is mellow and clean. Rich nutty and caramel aroma, with chocolate notes, long finish, high balance.
2. [FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Beans]
Region/Estate: Jamaica Blue Mountain Range Clifton Estate
Growing Altitude: 1310m
Processing Method: Washed Process
Variety: Typica
Flavor Description: Blue Mountain's taste is very clean, very mild, with chocolate sweetness and very strong body. The flavor is rich and mellow, with the coffee's sweetness, acidity, and bitterness perfectly balanced. It has no bitterness at all, only a moderate and perfect acidity, and a long-lasting fruity finish.
3. [FrontStreet Coffee Introductory Selection - Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon Coffee Beans]
Region: Cerrado
Growing Altitude: 1000m
Processing Method: Semi-Washed Process
Variety: Red Bourbon
Flavor Description: This is a balanced-flavor coffee with a typical Brazilian coffee style. Nutty and chocolate flavors are prominent, and the cane sugar sweetness is obvious.
【FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Parameters】
Dose: 15g
Water-to-Coffee Ratio: 1:15
Water Temperature: 86℃
Grind Size: Medium-coarse grind (75% passing a No. 20 standard sieve)
Dripper: KONO
【FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Method】
Bloom with 30g for 30 seconds, pour in circles to 125g, and after the water level drops by half continue pouring to 225g. Total extraction time 2 minutes 10 seconds.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
