Coffee Roasting Basics
Do you know how they roast coffee? This will give you a basic idea of how coffee is roasted and the most common roasting times.
Coffee is shipped unroasted and is called green coffee. It is stored in bags made of jute or sisal, or can be shipped in huge plastic-lined freight containers. About seven million tons of green coffee are shipped worldwide every year.
The roasting process starts with the green coffee beans being heated in large, rotating drums using temperatures reaching 550 degrees F. The tumbling motion of the drums keeps the beans from burning.
After about 8 minutes, the beans reach about 400 degrees F and actually "pop" like popcorn. They are now double in size and begin to brown as the oils within them start to emerge. This oil is called coffee essence or caffeol.
The chemical reaction of the heat and coffee essence is called pyrolysis, and this is what produces the flavor and aroma of coffee. A second "pop" occurs, about three to five minutes later, and means that the coffee beans are fully roasted.
Coffee roasting is an art and roastmasters use sound, sight and smell to determine when the beans are roasted to perfection and timing is everything. Coffee roasting is what determines coffee's final flavor.
The roasting time affects the color and flavor of the final brew, so the length of the roasting period depends on the type of coffee desired. Espresso is the darkest of all roasts being roasted the longest.
Here are some of the typical roasting times depending on the type of coffee you want:
7 minutes - lightly roasted; typical American mass-marketed coffee
9 to 11 minutes - medium roast; a full-bodied roast that is sometimes called "city roast"
12 to 13 minutes - dark roast; known as French or Viennese coffee; like the specialty coffees of the Pacific Northwest
14 minutes - darkest roast; known as espresso roast. The beans actually begin to smoke, and the sugars in the beans caramelize and burn.
Once the beans are roasted to perfection they are poured into a cooling tray.
Many coffee lovers are now buying green coffee beans and roasting their own coffee at home. Once you taste how vibrant and truly fresh coffee can be, it's easy to get hooked on home roasting.
The fragrance of coffee roasting is virtually a heavenly pleasure. If you are a true coffee lover, home coffee roasting is something you should try.
Home Coffee Roasters
Green Coffee Beans
Copyright © 2006 Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com All Rights Reserved.
This article courtesy of Best Coffee Makers Online where you can easily shop and compare coffee makers so you can purchase exactly what you're looking for at great values. More Coffee Articles.
Coffee is shipped unroasted and is called green coffee. It is stored in bags made of jute or sisal, or can be shipped in huge plastic-lined freight containers. About seven million tons of green coffee are shipped worldwide every year.
The roasting process starts with the green coffee beans being heated in large, rotating drums using temperatures reaching 550 degrees F. The tumbling motion of the drums keeps the beans from burning.
After about 8 minutes, the beans reach about 400 degrees F and actually "pop" like popcorn. They are now double in size and begin to brown as the oils within them start to emerge. This oil is called coffee essence or caffeol.
The chemical reaction of the heat and coffee essence is called pyrolysis, and this is what produces the flavor and aroma of coffee. A second "pop" occurs, about three to five minutes later, and means that the coffee beans are fully roasted.
Coffee roasting is an art and roastmasters use sound, sight and smell to determine when the beans are roasted to perfection and timing is everything. Coffee roasting is what determines coffee's final flavor.
The roasting time affects the color and flavor of the final brew, so the length of the roasting period depends on the type of coffee desired. Espresso is the darkest of all roasts being roasted the longest.
Here are some of the typical roasting times depending on the type of coffee you want:
7 minutes - lightly roasted; typical American mass-marketed coffee
9 to 11 minutes - medium roast; a full-bodied roast that is sometimes called "city roast"
12 to 13 minutes - dark roast; known as French or Viennese coffee; like the specialty coffees of the Pacific Northwest
14 minutes - darkest roast; known as espresso roast. The beans actually begin to smoke, and the sugars in the beans caramelize and burn.
Once the beans are roasted to perfection they are poured into a cooling tray.
Many coffee lovers are now buying green coffee beans and roasting their own coffee at home. Once you taste how vibrant and truly fresh coffee can be, it's easy to get hooked on home roasting.
The fragrance of coffee roasting is virtually a heavenly pleasure. If you are a true coffee lover, home coffee roasting is something you should try.
Copyright © 2006 Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com All Rights Reserved.
This article courtesy of Best Coffee Makers Online where you can easily shop and compare coffee makers so you can purchase exactly what you're looking for at great values. More Coffee Articles.
posted by Gary | 2:34 PM
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