Why do coffee beans need to be roasted?
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and roasting is an important step in making delicious coffee. So, why do coffee beans need to be roasted? Below we will answer this question from several aspects.
1. Enhance flavor
After the original coffee beans are roasted, they will release a variety of complex and attractive aromas and tastes. During the roasting process, the moisture inside the beans is evaporated and a series of chemical reactions occur. These reactions lead to the generation of aroma and flavor substances, making the coffee have a strong, rich and complex taste.
Different degrees of roasting will bring different flavor characteristics. Light roasting usually retains more of the floral and fruity aromas unique to the original origin, with bright acidity; medium to dark roasting will produce more rich, sweet, cocoa-like or nutty flavors.
2. Remove the sour taste of coffee beans
Before roasting, coffee beans contain a certain amount of acidic substances, such as citric acid, malic acid, etc. These acidic substances will give the coffee a distinct sour taste. Through roasting, these acidic substances will be decomposed and volatilized, thereby reducing the overall acidity of the coffee.
Of course, not everyone likes to remove all the sourness. Some people with special flavor and taste preferences may prefer to retain a certain degree of the original high-quality origin flavor formed under the high altitude and climatic conditions.
3. Improve preservability
Unroasted beans have a high moisture content and are easily contaminated by mold and bacteria when stored for a long time. After roasting, most of the moisture inside the beans evaporates, and the surface forms a hard and sealed state to protect the inside from external contamination.
As a result, roasted coffee beans have a longer shelf life, retaining their flavor and quality for longer.
4. Adjust the caffeine content
Caffeine is a natural substance in coffee, which brings people a refreshing effect. Different degrees of roasting will cause changes in caffeine content.
Light roasting usually retains a higher level of caffeine, while dark roasting will decompose some of the caffeine. This means that drinking light roasted coffee may be more stimulating and exciting, while dark roasting is relatively less bitter.
Summarize
From the above aspects, we can conclude that in order to enhance the flavor, remove the acidity, increase the preservation and adjust the caffeine content, we need to roast the original beans to an appropriate degree. Only in this way can we make delicious and high-quality cup or brewed coffee that meets personal taste preferences.
