Millions of people all over the world enjoy coffee as a favorite beverage. Coffee drinkers are enthusiastic about their beverage and are constantly searching for the ideal roast. Coffee bean roasting is an art form, and the degree of roast greatly affects the taste and scent of the coffee. Coffee can be roasted in four different color categories: light, medium, medium-dark, and dark. Each category will be thoroughly examined in this essay, along with some frequently asked questions about coffee roasting.
Let’s first examine how coffee beans appear before roasting before delving into the many categories of roasting color. The raw, unroasted form of coffee beans is known as green coffee beans. They are rather small and firm, and have a greenish tint. Coffee beans undergo a chemical shift during roasting, which gives coffee its flavor and aroma.
Let’s move on to the four types of coffee roasting colors. Coffee that has undergone light roasting is the quickest to roast and has a light brown hue. The beans are roasted for roughly 5 to 7 minutes at a temperature of 356°F to 401°F. Light roast coffee has a delicate flavor without any bitterness, a light body, and high acidity.
The most popular roast of coffee is medium roast, which is medium brown in color. The beans are roasted for 7 to 10 minutes at a temperature of about 410°F to 428°F, which is a little bit longer than the light roast. A medium roast coffee has a little sweet flavor, low acidity, and a balanced flavor and aroma.
Coffee that is medium-dark roasted is produced by roasting beans for 11 to 13 minutes at 437°F to 446°F. It has a rich, dark brown hue. With a mild bitterness and low acidity, the body and flavor of this roast are richer and more distinct.
Last but not least, dark roast coffee is roasted for the longest time and has a dark brown hue that is practically black. The beans are roasted for roughly 14 to 17 minutes at a temperature of 464°F to 482°F. Coffee that has been darkly roasted has a strong flavor and a slightly bitter aftertaste. It is frequently used for espresso and has the lowest acidity of any roast.
Let’s now address some often asked questions regarding coffee roasting. How do you determine the roast level of your coffee? The roast level can be accurately determined by the coffee beans’ color. A light roast of coffee will appear light brown, a medium roast will appear medium brown, a medium-dark roast will appear rich, dark brown, and a dark roast will appear dark brown, almost black.
French roast is it medium or dark? A dark roast coffee with a strong flavor and smoky taste is called French roast. Between 14 and 17 minutes are spent roasting the beans at a high temperature of 464°F to 482°F.
Light, medium, medium-dark, and dark are the four roasting color classifications for coffee, each with a distinct flavor and aroma. The color of the coffee beans determines the roast level, and the most popular roast is medium roast. So you can dazzle your barista the next time you order a cup of coffee by your expertise in coffee roasting.