Coffee Roasting: Learning the Fundamental Art of Making Coffee Can be Fun

Coffee roasting from light to very dark, is an art form in itself. Green beans have none of the flavor we are all accustomed to. Coffee roasting brings out the vibrant flavor from the coffee bean. It is true that before roasting, the 'green' bean contains all the complex acids, protein and caffeine, but just a yukky green-like taste that doesn't resemble coffee.

It is the heat from the roasting process that cause the coffee bean's carbohydrates and fats to turn into aromatic oils. During coffee roasting moisture and carbon dioxide are burnt away, thus breaking down and enhancing the acids and providing the wonderful coffee flavor.

Coffee roasting provides the flavor, but understanding your roast is important too

Coffee roasting is only part of the equation of a true connoisseur, we also have to consider the blend to really reach perfection. It is difficult, if not impossible to describe the taste of a particular roast, as there are so many variants, coffee bean types and roasting times. However as an approximate guide, the following will certainly help you get a better understanding of the coffee roasting basics:

Light Coffee Roasting

Also known as Cinnamon roast, or New England. Set your roaster to about seven minutes. The coffee beans will grow to almost double their size and your light roast is ready. This kind of coffee is very easy to find from mass market coffee roasters. The bean is dry to touch and offers a light bodied flavor that is rather sour to taste.

Medium Coffee Roasting

Your medium roast coffee is also known as Breakfast, American, full City and Regular. To obtain this level of roasting you'll need to set your roaster anywhere from nine to eleven minutes. Perhaps not quite as abundant as light roast in the stores, however it is not so difficult to find. The flavor is sweeter than light roast, and offers a more full bodied cup with a deeper more satisfying aroma.

Dark Coffee Roasting

Also known as French or Continental roast. In order to obtain a nice dark roast around thirteen minutes are necessary. the beans will start to hiss as the oils reach the hot surface of the beans. Dark roast coffee provides a nice deep taste, somewhat spicy and rather sweet.

Really Dark Coffee Roasting

This is about as dark as it gets before the quality of the beans start to deteriorate. Also known as espresso, or Italian roast. Depending on the coffee roaster fourteen to fifteen minutes will be enough to provide a nice Italian style roast. As with dark roasting, the beans will hiss (remember the oils?) and then start to smoke. The natural sugar content of the beans will start to carbonize and caramelize. The results will be a smokey, full flavor.

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Buying Coffee For Your One Cup Coffee Maker

When brewing your own coffee from how, you don't have the benefit of a corporate hand stepping in with all the information and pre-taste tested knowledge that you don't have. Not to say that Starbucks has the greatest coffee in the world, but they've tested it and it sells in thousands of locations all over the globe. You just ask for a cup of coffee and they know what they're doing, for the most part.

When you get your new single cup coffee maker home or fire up your old espresso machine, you'll be wondering what exactly you should go and buy to get the most out of it. You could always go the cheap route and stop at your local Starbucks and grab their brew of the season, but how often is blindly trusting Starbucks a good idea? No, you'll want a basic idea of where to start; what you're getting, where to get it, and how much to get.

First off, don't buy too much coffee. Try buying in bulk first and going for as small an amount as you can. If you have a grinder, all the better; just buy enough to brew a cup or two and give it a shot. If you do this with a few different varieties, you'll have a general idea in no time.

Know where you're going. If you stop at the local grocery store, you may or may not get the kind of options you're looking for. It depends on the size of the store honestly, but if you go to a specialty grocery store, a Whole Foods or Fred Meyer, where options are what make their brand name so important, you'll find a huge array of different coffees.

Don't be afraid to try the canned stuff. Folgers and friends don't have to be all bad for everyone. There are some people out there who are perfectly happy with their standard coffee bought in a four month tin can. But, don't buy a tin and stick with it. Give yourself some options by trying the better stuff too. You might find that you like the price of one but the taste of the other. Now, alternate a bit and give yourself a treat every now and then.

Try those Starbucks and Tully's brand coffees. They're not all gems, but occasionally a special blend (I personally enjoy the Starbucks Christmas blend) arrives that will sit well. If you fall for something seasonal, you may want to back up your supply by picking a few extra up before it's out of stock. The act of brewing coffee at home is a liberating one for the avid coffee drinker. You're left with the options to try what you want, when you want, without a corporation telling you what is "in" this season. Take advantage of it and you just might find that perfect blend of at home coffee.