Key indicators of coffee bean roasting

Key indicators of coffee bean roasting

Coffee bean roasting is one of the important steps in making delicious coffee. During the roasting process, there are many key indicators that need to be paid attention to and controlled to ensure that the final coffee has the ideal flavor and taste. This article will introduce several major key indicators and explain their impact on the quality of coffee beans.

1. Roasting degree

The roasting degree is an indicator to measure the degree to which the coffee beans are affected by the heating time and temperature during the roasting process. Different degrees of roasting will bring different flavor characteristics of coffee. Generally, there are three levels: light, medium and dark.

Light: This roasting method is usually used for single-origin coffee beans or for special processing. The edges of the fruits are dehydrated and picked before they are formed. The beans are directly dried and selected. The color edge lacks luster and is slightly yellow or close to grayish white. It is rich, fragrant and juicy, with a fresh taste and high acidity, because the internal moisture content of the coffee beans is higher during the roasting process.

Medium: This roasting method is the most common roasting degree on the market. It retains a certain acidity and aroma, and has a balanced taste. The color is dark brown, and the surface is smooth but not shiny.

Dark: This roasting method makes the coffee beans very black and shiny on the surface. It is usually used to make strong and bitter coffee. Due to long-term high-temperature heating, the internal moisture of the coffee beans is almost completely lost, so the taste is spicy, bitter, low in acidity and accompanied by obvious bitterness;

2. Coking degree

The degree of caramelization refers to the degree to which the coffee beans are heated during the roasting process to produce carbonized substances and form black spots or pure black color. Excessive or uneven carbonization spots will have a negative impact on the flavor.

Lightly caramelized: This level of caramelization is usually desirable and will give the coffee beans some additional sweetness and aroma.

Over-caramelization: Over-caramelization can cause the coffee beans to taste bitter and burnt. In this case, large black spots may appear on the surface of the coffee beans.

3. Moisture content

Moisture content refers to the percentage of water contained in coffee beans. Proper control of moisture content is very important to maintain the quality of coffee beans.

High moisture content: If there is too much moisture in the coffee beans before roasting, a lot of shedding will occur during the roasting process and the flavor will be unstable.

Low moisture content: If there is not enough moisture in the coffee beans before roasting, they are prone to breakage or deformation during heating. In addition, low moisture content may also lead to monotonous flavor and rough taste.

4. Boiling point

The boiling point is the temperature required to bring a certain amount of water to a boil. This indicator can help us determine whether the coffee beans are fully roasted.

Low Boil Point: If the coffee beans do not reach a high enough boil point, then it may mean that they have not fully developed the desired flavor and aroma.

High boiling point: If the coffee beans reach a boiling point that is too high, it may result in excessive caramelization and a bitter taste.

Summarize

The above are several key indicators that have a great impact on the quality of coffee beans during the roasting process. Different degrees, different colors, and different moisture contents will bring different experiences to the final drinker; by reasonably controlling these indicators, we can adjust delicious coffee that suits our taste.