As I talk about "roasting styles" I thought it might be helpful if I explained them a bit.
The image to the right shows all coffee beans begin as raw green beans. Coffee in this state can be shelved in a dark closet for up to two years before it begins to stale. In this raw state the coffee bean is the most stable.
Although the spectrum that a coffee bean will roast through is much more extensive than the chart to the right shows I feel this chart is simple enough for me as I roast by hand. If I had a computer controlled roasting apparatus I would be able to be more exacting but then where would the fun be? Once roasting has taken place the coffee bean destabilizes and the intrinsic flavor begin to degrade.
So the first stage of roasting produces a roast called City. This is a very light roast that will taste more like the raw bean portraying the intrinsic qualities given it by the environment in which it was grown. Although I prefer darker roasts I do like to experience each new bean at this stage in order to taste it as God made it.
The second stage of roasting produces what is called a Full-City roast. Sometime at this point begins what is called the "First Crack" where the moisture in the beans begin to expand the bean and escape. This is a very good roasting point for most beans as the sugars in the bean have just began to caramelize and the intrinsic flavor of the beans is still present but with a less than raw or grassy taste.
Once the "First Crack" has been accomplished a "Second Crack" occurs as the sugars in the beans begin to carbonize. This level of roasting produces the aroma and flavors of the most popular coffee roasts from Starbucks, Caribou, and now even McDonalds. At this level these mass producers do not need to worry about which type of bean they use because all intrinsic flavors have been roasted out of the beans and replaced with the burned taste. During this "Second Crack" the coffee beans pass through what is called the French and Espresso roasts respectively.
After the completion of the "Second Crack" their is nothing left to roast but the ashes. I have roasted beans (by accident) to this point and my wife said that it tasted like "camp fire in a cup". I had to agree.
Well these are the major categories that I use when I roast coffee. My standard roast is a Full-City roast, it takes all of 7-9 minutes on the fire and then another 4 hours to cool and cure.
Coffee tasting has as much to offer the enthusiast as does wine tasting so if you like to experience God's creation, and the world in which we live, get a bit of fresh roasted coffee and enjoy it for all of its wonderful glory.
The image to the right shows all coffee beans begin as raw green beans. Coffee in this state can be shelved in a dark closet for up to two years before it begins to stale. In this raw state the coffee bean is the most stable.
Although the spectrum that a coffee bean will roast through is much more extensive than the chart to the right shows I feel this chart is simple enough for me as I roast by hand. If I had a computer controlled roasting apparatus I would be able to be more exacting but then where would the fun be? Once roasting has taken place the coffee bean destabilizes and the intrinsic flavor begin to degrade.
So the first stage of roasting produces a roast called City. This is a very light roast that will taste more like the raw bean portraying the intrinsic qualities given it by the environment in which it was grown. Although I prefer darker roasts I do like to experience each new bean at this stage in order to taste it as God made it.
The second stage of roasting produces what is called a Full-City roast. Sometime at this point begins what is called the "First Crack" where the moisture in the beans begin to expand the bean and escape. This is a very good roasting point for most beans as the sugars in the bean have just began to caramelize and the intrinsic flavor of the beans is still present but with a less than raw or grassy taste.
Once the "First Crack" has been accomplished a "Second Crack" occurs as the sugars in the beans begin to carbonize. This level of roasting produces the aroma and flavors of the most popular coffee roasts from Starbucks, Caribou, and now even McDonalds. At this level these mass producers do not need to worry about which type of bean they use because all intrinsic flavors have been roasted out of the beans and replaced with the burned taste. During this "Second Crack" the coffee beans pass through what is called the French and Espresso roasts respectively.
After the completion of the "Second Crack" their is nothing left to roast but the ashes. I have roasted beans (by accident) to this point and my wife said that it tasted like "camp fire in a cup". I had to agree.
Well these are the major categories that I use when I roast coffee. My standard roast is a Full-City roast, it takes all of 7-9 minutes on the fire and then another 4 hours to cool and cure.
Coffee tasting has as much to offer the enthusiast as does wine tasting so if you like to experience God's creation, and the world in which we live, get a bit of fresh roasted coffee and enjoy it for all of its wonderful glory.
Red 
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