Most coffee aficionados recommend light roasts. They say that it maintains the subtle flavors of the geographical origin in which the coffee was grown. The darker the roast is, the more the subtle flavors are roasted away.
Now let me explain some basics about roasting coffee beans. The two points of reference are the “first crack” and the “second crack.” The “first crack” marks the real beginning of the roasting process. The art of roasting is knowing when to best stop the process after the “first crack” has occurred. Stop soon after the “first crack” you have a light roast. Continue to the beginning of the “second crack” you have a medium roast. Let the beans roast after the “second crack” has begun, you have a dark roast.
I’ve been home roasting since January. The first set of beans that I began to roast and enjoy was a mixture of Kenya AA and Brazilian beans. Individually the Kenya AA beans were too “bright;” the Brazilian beans were sweet, but too boring. Together they seemed to compliment each other.
I typically roasted my blend of Kenya AA and Brazilian beans just up to the beginning of the “second crack.” So it was basically a medium roast. I liked this roast but after a while I began to use less and less Kenya AA beans in my blend. The “brightness” of the Kenya AA started to irritate me. I liked coffee that had more flavor and richness, rather than just the sensation of brightness. Finally, I ended up with a bag of Kenya AA beans and no more Brazilian beans. So now, what to do?
This past Sunday, I decided to roast the Kenya AA beans darker than usual. I actually let the beans roast 30-45 seconds into the “second crack.” I wondered what it would taste like – burnt Starbucks coffee?
Monday morning I made myself a cup of this fresh roast.
Mmmm. The “brightness” was slightly muted, but still there. The coffee also had a nutty taste. The best thing though, was this cup of coffee was real “sticky” in my mouth. I drink my coffee black, without sugar or milk. But the stickiness of the coffee was as if I had added a tablespoon of sugar to it. Now that was a good cup of coffee!
Tags: coffee roasting, Coffee Tasting, dark roast, medium roast
