Snap vs. CrackAn audible popping sound heard during roasting. In coffee, one refers to "first crack" and "second crack," which come from two different classes of chemical reactions.: An audible...
The Coffee Cupping
Cupping is a method of tasting coffee by steeping grounds in separate cups for discrete amounts of ground coffee, to reveal good flavors and defects to their fullest.... Reviews for our green coffees often recommend how long you should roast a particular coffee relative to the first crackFirst crack in one of two distinct heat-induced pyrolytic reactions in coffee. It is distinguished by a cracking or popping sound in the coffee, and occurs between 390... and the second crackAfter First Crack, a roast reaction around 440 to 450 degrees that is distinguished by a snapping sound. Second Crack is the second audible clue the roaster-operator receives.... While it is an imperfect way to talk about the “degree of roastDegree of Roast simply means the roast level of a coffee, how dark it has been roasted.: Degree of Roast simply means the roast level of a coffee,...,” let me explain why we chose cracks as reference points for how dark the roast is, and the alternatives.
There are several ways to determine the degree of roast. Most professional roasters rely on temperature readings, as well as smell, sight and sound. But temperature readings are relative to how the thermometer is mounted in the roaster, and the quality of the device itself. Good thermometers cost a small fortune, and even among professional roasters there are large differences in readings. Most pros learn to read temperatures relative to their own roaster, and based on experience. I see first crack occur around 335 f in my 12 kilo Diedrich roaster (which is fairly normal) but second occurs between 350 and 370. That is far too low to indicate the actual bean temperature of second crack, but I have learned to adjust my expectations to these readings.
Mounting a thermometer in your roaster might offer you the same advantage: temperature readings relative to your own roaster. But most home roast appliances have the advantage of having the roast occur right in front of you. You can see it, hear it and smell it quite well!
So why don’t I talk about degree of roast in terms of color? Isn’t that what the Agtron
A machine and a color matching system used for quality analysis generally in the food industry, and specifically in coffee: Agtron spectrophotometers are used in the coffee industry... number system that pros use all about? Yes it is, but it requires either an Agtron photospectrometer to automatically read the color of the roaster, ground coffee. Or you need the $200 SCAA-Agtron Roast Color Tile Kit. I have this kit, and I also have experience in digital color correction …so let me tell you that there’s a lot more involved with “eyeballing” the color of the coffee and the color of the disks. You need balanced white light, no glare, and the ability to offset for textures and light absorption. What I am saying is …its so difficult to accurately judge that is is barely worth the effort. Ken Davids provides 4 color tiles in the back of Home Coffee Roasting
The application of heat to green coffee seeds (beans) to create palatable material for brewing a great cup!: Coffee roasting is a chemical process induced by heat, by... that help establish some basis of reference, and I think that’s about as far as color analysis by the naked eye should go in terms of coffee roasting!
Smell would be a great way to communicate the degree of roast (there’s a very particular shift in the aroma
Aroma refers to sensations perceived by the olfactory bulb and conveyed to the brain; whether through the nose or "retro-nasally": The aromatics of a coffee greatly influence its... as the coffee nears the verge of 2nd crack) …or surface texture of the bean too. But those involve too many intangibles to fully explain.
So we are left with the cracks: the first crack which signals the beginning of pyrolysisA type of thermolytic reaction of organic materials. In coffee roasting it results in caramelization, and a host of other chemical and physical changes in the coffee.: Pyrolysis... (see Davids book) and the second crack that signals the coffee is entering the darker roast categories. These can be difficult to hear over the sound of the fan in the air roasters. But experience will help you to distinguish the sound of the cracks and to relate it to the bean appearance and aromas.
The basic wisdom is this: no coffee is palatable until it has completed the first crack, or pyrolysis. The period between the completion of first crack and the beginning of second is a Medium, or City roastCity roast is what we define as the earliest palatable stage that the roast process can be stopped and result in good quality coffee. City roast occurs roughly.... Roasting until the verge of second crack, or until the first few snaps of second are heard, or just a bit more is considered Full City. This roast has more bittersweetBittersweet is from the language of chocolate, and describes the co-presence of positive bittering compounds balanced by sweetness. It is directly related to caramelization, but has inputs from... roast flavors and might already have begun to mask some of the more delicate “originIn coffee talk, it refers to a coffee-producing region or country; such as, "I was just at origin." Of course "Origin" for most product we use is not... flavors”. Vienna comes after the coffee has experienced a decent amount of the 2nd crack and My idea of French is just after the coffee reaches its most rapidly-cracking point, but has not began to slow. There is a point in time where the sugars still retain some sweetnessSweetness is an important positive quality in fine coffees, and is one of five basic tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Savory (Umami). In coffee, sweetness is a highly..., and the carbony
A roast-related flavor term, referring to burnt flavors from dark roast levels. For some this is a pleasant flavor if residual sweetness is present, but plain carbon flavor... flavor has not completely overtaken the coffee: the cup has bodyAssociated with and sensed by mouthfeel, body is sense of weight and thickness of the brew, caused by the percentage of soluble solids in the cup, including all... and origin tastes are still possible. Italian is at the end of 2nd crack, where coffee only has extreme carbon tastes.
The actual time between cracks varies with different coffees and different roasters. And some coffees will sound differently, and even sound off a bit later due to their densityThe density of a coffee bean is often taken as a sign of quality, as a more dense bean will roast more with a better dynamic. The density... and chemistry. Once again, it takes he experience tasting the coffee from a particular roast to know if the roast should b ….and that’s true for any coffee roasterA machine for roasting coffee. Or the person operating it! The basic requirements for a coffee roaster are a heating element that gets suitably hot and a mechanism..., from those who roast 3 oz to those with a 4 bag, 600 lb Jabez Burns.
Web Page Changes …Groan!
With some regrets, I finally decided to add a shopping cart system to our web pages. It was a lot of work, and the system is a bit rigid in terms of configuration. But I continue to try to adapt it to your needs, and feedback is always welcome …. -Tom
Green Coffee
Green coffee refers to the processed seed of the coffee tree fruit. Coffee is a flowering shrub that produces fruit. The seeds of the fruit are processed, roasted,...: How Old is Too Old?
As of late, I have began to question the notion that green coffee, by some accounts, has a longer shelf life than Plutonium. This comes from the experience of “blind cupping” current and past cropRefers to an older coffee not from the "New Crop" or the "Current Crop". Cuppers will even use it as a general term for baggy, old hay or... offerings that brokers sell as Specialty grade coffee.
Claims of freshness in the green form is 2-5 years are made to the great advantage of those who move around containers of the stuff, and to large commercial roasters who will blend a stinky past-crop coffee into their trademark blend because they could buy so many thousand tons of it for 50¢ under the “C” market price (that is, cheap!!!)
But such notions of freshness do not benefit the small quality-oriented roaster of estateA "coffee estate" is used to imply a farm that has its own processing facility, a wet-mill. In Spanish this is called an Hacienda. A Finca (farm) does... and single-origin coffees, nor the consumers that are at our mercy as we act as “arbitrators of taste” on their behalf. Since we move through coffee quickly and buy small, fresh lots from new cropRefers to fresh shipments of green coffee within the first month or two of the earliest arrivals ... not quite the same as Current Crop, which means the... offerings, it doesn’t affect our stock. But there is a lot of old, baggy
The flavor of coffee that has been stored for too long, it has absorbed the flavor of whatever it has been stored in. : Coffees that are held... coffee being sold …and somebody is buying it! (continued) This article is available in its entirety, along with many others, at
http://www.sweetmarias.com/articles.html
Sweet Maria’s Green Coffee Offerings on 4/5/00
Coffee is a crop; it comes and goes! Our web page always has the latest list of offerings: www.sweetmarias.com
Central American 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Costa Rican Tarrazu La Minita $7.30 $13.87 $31.76
Costa Rican La Pastora Tarrazu $4.80 $9.12 $20.88
Guat. Organic-FairTrd. -El Quiche $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Guat. Huehuetenango -Dos Lagos $4.70 $8.93 $20.45
GuatemalaGuatemalan coffee is considered a top quality coffee producer in Central America. Due to our proximity to Guatemala, some of the nicest coffees from this origin come to... Oriente -Tres Marias $4.75 $9.03 $20.66
Mexican Oaxaca Pluma -Fino Rojas $4.80 $9.12 $20.88
Mexican OrganicGrown without the use of artificial fertilizers, herbicides, etc.: Organic coffee has been grown according to organic farming techniques, typically without the use of artificial fertilizers. Some farms... Pluma -Loxicha $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
Nicaraguan SHG Gavilan Estate $4.60 $8.74 $20.01
Nicaraguan SHG La Illusion $4.75 $9.03 $20.66
PanamaPanama coffee ranges from medium quality lower altitude farms to those at 1600 - 1800 meters centered in the area of Boquete in the Chirqui district near the... Lerida Estate 99-00 $4.90 $9.31 $21.32
Salvador Organic Los Naranjos $5.20 $9.88 $22.62
South American 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
BrazilBrazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra sang, "they grow an awful lot of coffee in Brazil".: Brazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra... -Berrador Estate Acaia
Acaia is planted mainly in Brazil, an offspring of Mundo Novo cultivar.: The Acaia genotype was derived by selection from progenies of the Mundo Novo germplasm, which arose... $4.45 $8.46 $19.36
Brazil Cerrado-Monte Carmelo $4.40 $8.36 $19.14
Brazil Cerrado-Oberon 17-18 $4.70 $8.93 $20.45
Colombian Ibague Nevado SupremoA Colombian coffee grade referring to screen size of 17-18 screen. In the traditional bulk Arabica business, Supremo was the top grade Colombia, with Excelso one step below... $4.80 $9.12 $20.88
Colombian Narino Supremo $4.90 $9.31 $21.32
PeruPeruvian coffees have Central American brightness but in a South American coffee flavor package overall. The good organic lots do have more of a "rustic" coffee character.: Organic... SHG Organic -Cuzco $4.95 $9.41 $21.53
African- Arabian 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Ethiopian Djimmah Gr 5 $4.80 $9.12 $20.88
Ethiopian Harar Gr5 Horse $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Ethiopian Sidamo Gr.5 99-00 $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Gr2 $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
KenyaKenya is the East African powerhouse of the coffee world. Both in the cup, and the way they run their trade, everything is topnotch.: Kenya is the East... AB Main Crop 98-99 $5.20 $9.88 $22.62
Tanzanian PeaberryA peaberry is a green coffee "bean" that has a rounded form: Coffee is the dried seed from the fruit of a flowering tree - each fruit having... 99-00 $5.20 $9.88 $22.62
YemenYemen has a coffee culture like no other place, and perhaps some of what we enjoy in this cup is due to their old style of trade...: Technically,... MokhaThe Yemeni type of coffee, both in terms of the family of cultivars planted there, and the general trade name.: Mokha Yemeni type of coffee, both in terms... Ismaili $7.80 $14.82 $33.93
Yemen Mokha Mattari Al-Haj $7.00 $13.30 $30.45
Yemen Mokha Raimi 99-00 $6.90 $13.11 $30.02
Yemen Mokha Sana’ani -Saihi $6.90 $13.11 $30.02
ZambiaFrom the country formerly known as upper Rhodesia in a country now named for the Zambezi River, Zambian coffees range from Kenya-like brightness to subtle, balanced coffee with... AA Lilyvale Estate $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe, formerly known as lower Rhodesia until independence in 1980, has produced great coffee since production was introduced in the 1960s. Like Zambian coffees, these coffees are often... AAA Pinnacle $5.60 $10.64 $24.36
Indonesian- Indian 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Indian Monsooned Malabar AA $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Indian -Pearl Mountain Estate $4.90 $9.31 $21.32
Java
There are several types of Abyssinia variety coffee, but they are not from Ethiopia but rather Indonesia. Abyssinia 3 = AB3. PJS Cramer, a Dutch plant researcher, introduced this variety... Aged Old Brown $6.20 $11.78 $26.97
Java Gvt. Estate -Kayumas $5.10 $9.69 $22.19
Myanmar ArabicaArabica refers to Coffea Arabica, the taxonomic species name of the genus responsible for around 75% of the worlds commercial coffee crop.: Arabica refers to Coffea Arabica, the... -Rubyland $3.50 $6.65 $15.23
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the island it shares with the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya, part of Indonesia. The two primary areas for... A Org-Shade $5.20 $9.88 $22.62
Papua New Guinea Mile High A $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Papua New Guinea Purosa AA $5.60 $10.64 $24.36
SulawesiSulawesi coffees are low-acid with great body and that deep, brooding cup profile akin to Sumatra. The coffee is sometimes known as Celebes, which was the Dutch colonial... Toraja-Boengie Fat Bean $5.70 $10.83 $24.80
Sulawesi Toraja Gr.1 99-00 $4.80 $9.12 $20.88
Sulawesi Rantapao (Monsooned) $6.10 $11.59 $26.54
SumatraIndonesians are available as a unique wet-hulled or dry-hulled (washed) coffees. Giling Basah is the name for the wet-hulling process in Bahasa language, and will have more body... MandhelingA trade name used for wet-hulled Sumatra coffees. It is an area and a culture group as well (spelled Mandailing often) but there is not as much coffee... Gr1 DP $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
Sumatra Organic Gayo
Gayo is ethnic group from the area of Aceh Sumatra around Lake Takengon. They use the name Gayo Coffee to market their production. The Acehnese are a different... Mtn.Gr1 $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Sumatra Organic Gayoland.Gr1 $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Sumatra Blue Lintong Gr1 $5.30 $10.07 $23.06
TimorTimor-Leste (East Timor) is a tiny island between Australia and Sulawesi, annexed by Indonesia and liberated in a referendum several years ago. Small scale coffee farming was jump-started... Grade 1 -Aifu $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
Islands- Blends -Etc. 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
French ChicoryChicory was a popular coffee substitute and economizer for 2 centuries, back when coffee was more prized, and pure coffee was a luxury. : Chicory was a popular... -Roasted $6.00 $11.40 $26.10
HawaiiThe Kona district on the big island of Hawaii produces the best coffee from this state - clean, sweet and mild. : Ah, Hawaii... what a nice place.... Kona- Greenwell XtraFancy $15.20 $28.88 $66.12
Isle of Saint Helena $21.20 $40.28 $92.22
SM’s Moka Kadir Blend $5.80 $11.02 $25.23
SM’s EspressoA small coffee beverage, about 20 ml, prepared on an espresso machine where pressurized hot water extracted through compressed coffee.: In its most stripped-down, basic form, this is... Monkey Blend $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
Sweet Maria’s Fr.RoastBlend $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Malabar Gold Espresso Blend $6.00 $11.40 $26.10
Decafs 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Brazil Santos SWPSWP means Swiss Water Process is a patented water filtration decaf method, not a chemical solvent method. The plant is in Vancouver, Canada. Decaf $5.40 $10.26 $23.49
Colombian Natural Decaf $5.20 $9.88 $22.62
Ethiopian Sidamo Co2 Decaf $6.20 $11.78 $26.97
IndonesianOrg.KomodoBlend SWP D $6.20 $11.78 $26.97
MexicanEsmeralda Natural D $4.70 $8.93 $20.45
Papua New Guinea Org SWP D $6.00 $11.40 $26.10
Sumatra Mandheling C02 Decaf $6.20 $11.78 $26.97
Sumatra Org.GayoMtn SWP Decaf $6.30 $11.97 $27.41
Premium Robustas 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Indian Kaapi Royale Robusta
Ateng is a common name for Catimor coffees widely planted in Sumatra and other Indonesia isles.: Ateng, with several subtypes, is a common name for Catimor coffees widely... $5.15 $9.79 $22.40
PapuaNewGuinea Washed RobustaRobusta usually refers to Coffea Robusta, responsible for roughly 25% of the world's commercial coffee. Taxonomy of Robusta is debated: some sources use “Robusta” to refer to any... $3.90 $7.41 $16.97
Sweet Maria’s Coffee Roastery
9 E. 2nd Ave. * Columbus Ohio 43201
ph/fx:614 294 1816 * orders:888.876 5917
web: www.sweetmarias.com
email: [email protected]
