Directions
The duration of time coffee beans are roasted is a critical step in determining how a cup of coffee will taste. It may surprise you to learn that before being roasted, coffee beans are actually a soft bean with a greenish-yellow color. It is the process of roasting the beans that transforms these flavorless beans into either a sweet, fruity, acidic cup of coffee or a dark, bitter, strong cup of coffee—depending on how long they are roasted.
Steps
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Light RoastDuring the roasting process, the coffee beans crack once they reach an internal temperature of about 400°F. Generally speaking, light-roast coffee beans are those that have not yet reached their "first crack." Because the beans are not roasted for very long, a cup of coffee made from a light roast would have more fruity, floral, and acidic flavor notes. Light-roast coffees are often referred to in stores as "Half City Roast" or "New England Roast." Color: Light brown |
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Medium RoastMedium-roast coffees are generally those that have been roasted between the first crack, at an internal temperature of about 400°F, to before the second crack, or an internal temperature of 428°F. A cup of coffee made from a medium roast would exhibit a smoother, more balanced flavor with a mildly intensified degree of bitterness when compared to a light-roast coffee. Medium-roast coffees can often be referred to as "City Roast" or "Breakfast Roast." Color: Brown |
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Medium-Dark RoastsBeans roasted to medium-dark reach an internal temperature of 437°F – 446°F. This is during or just after the second crack. This roast will also start showing the oils on the beans’ surface because the temperatures are high enough. These roasts have a richer, fuller flavor, more body, and less acidity. Vienna Roast and Full-City Roast are some examples of a medium-dark roast coffee blend. Color: Dark Brown |
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Dark RoastDark-roast coffees are roasted past the second crack, to an internal temperature of roughly 464°F, which is about as far as you can go without ruining a coffee bean. One quality worth noting is that dark-roast beans have an oily shine to them as a result of the roasting process, which pulls oils from inside the coffee bean to the outside. A cup of coffee made from a dark roast would exhibit smoky, bitter, and burnt flavors. Dark-roast coffees are often referred to in stores as “French Roast” or "Italian Roast." Color: Black |
