Spring is finally here and we thought it would be a good idea to brush up on some fundamentals of roasting and brewing your coffee. We tried to tackle some of the more common questions that new and experienced roasters are asking us.
SourSour is one of four basic sapid (in the mouth) tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter (and possibly a 5th called Umami which indicates savory flavors). In coffee, sourness... Notes- One of the common problems new roasters describe is sourness in their roasts. The most common reason for this an underdeveloped roast. There has been a trend in specialty coffeeSpecialty coffee was a term devised to mean higher levels of green coffee quality than average "industrial coffee" or "commercial coffee". At this point, the term is of... toward light roasted coffee lately, and we have seen some professional roasts so light that they are grassyGreenish flavor in the cup, usually indicating early crop, unrested coffee.: Greenish flavor in the cup, usually indicating early crop, unrested coffee. This is a fresh cut grass... and raw tasting. It seems that lights roasts are almost an over-reaction to the very dark roasts that predominated a few years ago.
Roasting your own coffee gives you the flexibility to achieve those nice lighter roasts, but how light is too light? It is important to roast ALL THE WAY THROUGH 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... for your beans to be palatable and to not run the risk of breaking your coffee millA coffee mill might mean a coffee grinder, but we usually use the term to refer to a coffee processing facility, either a Wet-Mill or a Dry Mill....! Coffee that has not roasted through first 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... will still be very dense, too dense to grind well. Coffee becomes more brittle as the roast continues. So how do you determine you have roasted through first crack?
First Crack is that initial loud popping sound and occurs in coffee beans at temperatures between 390-410 degrees fahrenheit. The beans will have gone through the initial browning stage which produces that toasty aromaAroma 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... of baking bread. The appearance is light brown, and mottled, with little expansion, no visible oils and few cracks near the bean tip.
If you cannot see the beans in the roaster try listening for those pops. If you cannot hear the cracks (maybe your air roaster is too loud) try using your other senses. Natural sunlight is best to get a visual idea of the roast level, but bright indoor lighting or even a flashlight can help. Notice the aromatics change throughout the different stages of the roast. If you were to bite down on a bean after it had been roasted through first crack it would be difficult to bite through but it shouldn’t be too difficult. If it is woodyGenerally a taste defect from age; old green coffee, perhaps yellowing in color. This is due to the drying out of the coffee over time, and as the... and almost impossible to bite through it is likely you ended your roast too early.
Stopping the roast at the end of first crack is considered a 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.... This is the first point where you can end the roast and your beans will be developed. A city roast enhances brightnessA euphemistic term we use often to describe acidity in coffee. A bright coffee has more high, acidic notes. : A euphemistic term to describe acidity in coffee.... and the 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... of the coffee will be light. This roast can work well to enhance floralFloral notes in coffee exemplify the connection between taste and smell. Describing the taste of a specific flower is near impossible...we always default to “it tastes like it... or citrus notes but is not ideal for every coffee. In fact many origins don’t taste that great at City roast levels. To be on the safe side focus on stopping your roast after first crack is entirely completed but before 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... begins. If your roaster is not making it to first crack check your ambient temperatureThe temperature in a given room or space: This term is used to describe the overall temperature in a given environment, and is an important variable in coffee...; all coffee roasters, and especially air roasters, are susceptible to low temperatures. Low voltage or using an extension cord can lower the power to the roaster and lower the temperature. Does the roaster need to be cleaned or filter need to be changed? Check your manual to make sure you are maintaining your machine properly. With some roasters, like a Freshroast, you can snake a thermoprobe through the top to make sure you are hitting your target temperatures. If the roaster is not getting hot enough, try plugging directly into the wall (no extension cord) and try a different outlet. The Sweet Maria’s Forum is a great resource to find out what other folks are doing to achieve good results even with these issues.
BitterBitterness is one of 5 basic tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter and Umami (savory flavors). There are many types of bitterness, hence not one avenue to tracking down... Notes– The other biggest problem for home roasters can be bitterness. This often is a result of the opposite problem – over-roasting. Try lightening up a bit. How do you know if you are roasting too dark? If your beans almost double in size, if they are dark with an oily sheen and the roast looks and smells smoky then you are roasting too dark. The bite test will reveal a bean that breaks easily and crumbles to dust. Grinding will produce many fine particles. This loss of soluble solids can lead to a thin bitter cup with overly roasty taste and lots of sediment. Most of our beans do not benefit from such dark roasting.
Bitterness can also be a result of too fine a grind, over-extraction, or dirty brewing equipment (use a coffee-specific cleaner to break down those rancid oils). Make sure that the water you are brewing with is between 195-205 degrees for proper extractionRefers to the process of infusing coffee with hot water. Hot water releases or "extracts" the flavor from the roasted, ground coffee. The term is used mostly with.... Be sure your grind isn’t too fine and that your brew time isn’t too long. Earlier today we were troubleshooting a bitterness issue with a customer. He brought in his nice medium roast and we brewed it for him using a filterconeFiltercones, as the name implies, are simply cones that hold a coffee filter. The cone fits on to the top of a coffee cup, grounds and a filter.... He said it was completely different from what he experienced at home. It turned out he had been leaving the coffee in the Moka PotMoka Pot stovetop brewers produce a dense concentrated cup that's something between espresso and Turkish coffee. Coffee is placed into a filter between the lower chamber (that you... too long and the brewed coffeeBrewed Coffee refers to all coffee preparations produced by adding non-pressurized water to coffee grounds. Contrasted with espresso coffee, which is produced under pressure, brewed coffee is primarily... was boiling in the pot, creating a bitter taint. This will also happen if coffee is left on a hotplate too long.
Still not getting the cup you want? Make sure you are using the appropriate roaster [or brewer] to achieve your desired roast level. Many roasters can do a full range of roasts with a few exceptions. For instance achieving a medium roast on a whirley pop can be difficult, some of the beans are likely to get scorched or at least roast unevenly. Some roasters have safety features so they do not get too hot, consult the specifications of your roaster if this might be the issue. Also make sure the brewer you are using is appropriate for the cup you want to achieve; for example, a french pressA simple coffee brewer also called a Press Pot: grounds and hot water are added to a carafe, allowed to sit for several minutes, and then a filter... will give you very different results than a Chemex. Both have their appeal but might not suit you.
The upside of sourness and bitterness
Some flavor characteristics can be difficult to describe and culturally we are not well versed in communicating sensory experiences. I have noticed that occasionally people confuse the term acidityAcidity is a positive flavor attribute in coffee, also referred to as brightness or liveliness. It adds a brilliance to the cup, whereas low acid coffees can seem... with sourness. There are beans that are acidic, which is a flavor attribute (rather than a high PH level). Here we are referring to a flavor attribute of a bean, e.g. Kenyas will often have wonderful citric acidity, which could be described as nippy or piquantMeaning pleasantly pungent or zesty in taste, spicy, provocative, sapid.. Sour is a term used to describe a flavor taint from underroasting or under-extraction when brewing. Bitter flavor characteristics can be the result of too dark a roast, or a flavor taint from brewing. There are bitter flavor characteristics (such as bitter chocolateA general flavor or aroma term reminiscent of chocolate. But what type? Usually described with more specifics.: Chocolate is a broad, general flavor or aroma term reminiscent of...) that are desirable. Think of arugula or balsamic vinegarA defective flavor taint in coffee, resulting perhaps from poor processing, fermentation, sanitation.: Vinegar-like qualities are a defective flavor taint in coffee, resulting perhaps from poor processing, fermentation,... for desirable bitterness. You might be doing everything right but you just need to pick coffee that is more suited to your tastes.
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,... is a personal preference, of course. If you are unsure about how dark to roast, try sticking to a City+City+ roast is an ideal roast level that occurs roughly between 425 and 435 degrees Fahrenheit in many coffee roasters with a responsive bean probe where First Crack... through Full City roastA coffee that has been roasted to the brink of second crack.: A coffee that has been roasted to the brink of second crack. The internal bean temperature..., which is usually a safe bet for well defined body, 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 acidity. You will notice that stopping the roast in between first and second crack, drawing out that roast time, or stopping just into second crack works for most coffees. The most important thing to remember is to roast completely through 1st crack.
