Coffee Roasting Methods
The key to the unique taste and aroma of coffee is its high-quality roasting. This process is quite complex and requires adherence to special technological processes. But this does not mean at all that it cannot be reproduced at home. Together with Coffiery we will discuss the types and methods of roasting coffee.
Coffee Roast Degrees
The taste and strength will largely depend on the degree of roasting of the beans. Roasting coffee is of such types as:
Scandinavian – With this treatment, there is an increase in the volume of the coffee beans. At the same time, their color becomes light brown. This freshly roasted coffee will have a light, bready aroma.
American – When the coffee beans reach this stage, a slight clicking sound can be heard. This sound is gas coming out of the beans. At the same time, they acquire a pleasant brown tint.
City Coffee Roasting – This type is your average type of coffee bean roasting and likely the most familiar to us all.
Vienna – At this stage of the coffee roasting process, more than half of the gases are released from the beans. You’ll also notice small droplets of essential oils beginning to stand out.
Espresso – The sugary coffee smell is replaced by a light, slightly bitter aroma. At the same time, the amount of emitted essential oils increases.
French – At this stage, the beans become dark brown. The ground coffee will lose acid. The aroma will acquire bitter notes.
Italian roast – This is the strongest degree. The grains become almost black. At the same time, ground coffee loses its usual aroma. Italian roast is used only by real coffee lovers.
Roasting Technology
Dielectric – This technology involves the use of a technique similar to that used in microwave ovens. Thanks to the effect of ultra-frequency waves, coffee is roasted from the inside. This means that the time of heat exposure is significantly reduced.
Therefore, the ground product will have a uniform taste. This type of processing is currently considered the most practical.
Thermal – A special machine is used for this method. It is a metal drum, into which up to two tons of coffee beans can be loaded at a time. Air is preheated to 200°C inside. In this case, the drum continuously rotates. The beans are evenly roasted and this process completely gets rid of any impurities.
Infrared – This method requires a specialized machine with a special program. Maintaining the set temperature plays an important role. As a result of such processing, the coffee beans increase significantly in size. Impurities are completely burned out.
Roast Coffee With A Roaster
The best way to roast coffee is with a roaster. This machine is used in many modern industries. There are microwave, infrared and universal units.
The entire roasting process is controlled by a large number of special sensors, the types of which can be different. Despite the complete automation of the process, the master closely monitors the operation of the unit.
With the help of a ladle, he constantly takes samples. As soon as the required degree of roast is reached, the machine switches to cooling mode. A jet of cold air is blown into the drum.
Recently, roasters for roasting coffee beans at home have appeared on the market. They are quite compact since they do not hold a large volume of beans (only enough for at home use, not commercial use), but these nifty appliances can make you freshly roasted coffee at any time.
Recommendations For Using A Home Roaster
If you are very fond of freshly roasted coffee and decided to purchase a personal roaster, then here are some recommendations to make sure you use your appliance safely and get the most out of the process of roasting your own coffee beans at home:
The unit should be used near your rangehood or in a well ventilated area. This is due to the fact that a fairly large amount of smoke will be emitted during the processing.
Do not roast more coffee at a time than is recommended in the instructions for your device. If there are too many beans, then it will not produce an even roast.
Check the operation of the device at all times. Keeping a close eye on the roasting process enables you to roast coffee to your desired degree.
Roasting Without The Help Of Special Equipment
You can roast coffee at home without using any machines. But this process will require a degree of specialised knowledge and skills. Remember, different types of coffee should not be roasted together.
If you want to get a bouquet of flavors, then you should mix the coffee once it is already ground. The entire coffee roasting process can be divided into the following stages:
Unroasted coffee must first be rinsed thoroughly. The best way to do this is to use a colander. Remove any existing husks and other impurities. Spread the beans on a soft, lint-free cloth to dry. If you want to make this process faster, you can use a fan.
Before frying, open the window and turn on the rangehood, as a large amount of smoke will be released during processing.
Pour the coffee beans into a heavy duty skillet. It should be wide enough and have thick walls. It is best to fry in a cast-iron skillet. Pour the coffee beans into the pan in an even layer.
Stir the beans constantly with a wooden spatula throughout the roasting process. The higher the heat, the less time it will take to fry them. But you will have to mix more intensively.
To cool the beans, sprinkle them on a piece of plywood or metal baking sheet. You can use a fan to help to cool them off. After cooling the coffee beans, pour them into a container and leave them to “rest” for 15 hours.
During this time, seemingly magical chemical processes will take place in the beans, helping to give them that awesome taste we all know and love.
Conclusion
Roasting coffee is a complicated process. It is possible to roast grains your own way at home if you know a few of the tips and tricks we’ve mentioned here.
Alternatively, you can purchase an appliance that is purpose built just for roasting coffee beans. Either way, you’ll be able to enjoy your own homemade coffee, knowing you’ve made it just the way you like it.
