Influence on the taste of different types of roasting of coffee beans. How to choose the right coffee? Types of coffee roasting Coffee roasting temperature

Coffee roast level- one of the most important factors that determine taste. To roasting coffee beans soft, with fresh herbaceous scent and almost without taste. IN During the roasting process, raw beans are transformed into aromatic, full of flavor, crunchy grains that called "coffee".

The most common way to determine the degree of roasting- By grain color. The longer the roasting lasts, the darker the beans become. At high temperatures at Oil appears on the surface of the grains. Due to the fact that coffee beans differ from each other different depending on the variety and countries of cultivation, color- Not the most accurate indicator of the degree of roasting, but in combination with With typical temperatures for the roasting process that produce the desired chocolate tone, color becomes a useful way to determine the level of roast.

Often preferences in roasting depends on place of residence. For example, on On the West Coast of the United States, darker roasts are popular than on Eastern Europeans also love strong coffee, which is why there are French, Italian and Spanish dark roast.

There are three most common roast types: light, medium and dark.

Light roast coffee

Appearance: light brown color, no oil on grain surfaces

Taste:pronounced sourness

Smell: rich coffee

Temperature: 180-205°C

When the internal temperature of the beans reaches 205°C, the beans crack and increase by size. This process is known as "first crack" (from English — "first crack") Light roasting involves processing the beans until first crack.

Contrary to popular belief, light roasts retain more caffeine than medium or medium roasts. dark. Caffeine concentration is related to ratio of coffee to water in grain: the more water, the stronger the coffee, the more no caffeine. IN Light roasts evaporate the least amount of water. In addition, in the grains retain their original taste and aroma characteristic of the climate and soil, in which coffee was cultivated.

Some of the most popular varieties:

  • Cinnamon roast - the lightest. Produced by slow roasting low temperatures.
  • Light city - higher temperature, fries a little longer than cinnamon.

Medium roast coffee

Appearance: chocolate color, no oil on grain surfaces

Taste: balance of sourness and bitterness

Smell: coffee with haze

Temperature: 210-230°C

This degree of roasting is achieved in the interval between the first crack and second. Medium roast coffee has a noticeable toasty flavor balanced with noticeable sourness.

The most common:

  • American (American roast) - traditional degree of roasting. Processing of grains lasts up to the end of the first crack.
  • City roast pharaoncasinos - the most popular roast. Emphasizes sourness, not blocking it toasty taste.

Dark roast coffee

Appearance: dark chocolate, almost black color, oil on grain surfaces

Taste: bitterness

Smell: coffee-roasted

Temperature: 240-250°C

Dark roast is obtained after the second crack. At the same time, the original aroma characteristic of the grains is covered by the smell of the roasting process. The beans are rarely processed above 250°C because the taste is almost charcoal.

Dark roasting is most easily tolerated by the stomach due to the absence of a shell, which causes an increased release of acid in the stomach. body. The shell covering the grains is burned during prolonged processing at high temperatures.

This type of roast is usually added to espresso blends.

Varieties:

  • French roast - Bittersweet flavors dominate. On Western USA is the leader among dark roasts.
  • Viennese - obtained when processed until second crack. On surfaces have oil in places
  • Spanish - also called dark French roast. Duration of temperature treatment- up to the end of the second creek. Almost charcoal taste, lack of original coffee taste.

So in how What are the differences between the three degrees of roasting, besides different colors?

The darker the roast, the less original taste and the aroma of the grains is felt in drink On roasting tones appear in the foreground.

  • Light roasting is characterized by sourness, dark roasting or - more tart taste.
  • In light and medium roasting, the beans remain dry, in That time as for dark roasting their oil is released on the surface.
  • The darker the roast, the lower the caffeine level.

IN Ultimately, the difference between coffee roasts is taste and aroma. Many people prefer light roasts in the morning (from high caffeine content), and dark roasts later in during the day. The optimal degree of processing depends on preferences.

Often in a cafe that claims to be gourmet or knowledgeable in the coffee world, you can hear the question - do you want coffee with sourness or bitterness? At first I couldn't understand this question. Coffee for me! What is it like? Well, it’s strange what happens with sourness, and sometimes with bitterness. I couldn't decide for a long time which one to order. Like most people, I ordered it with bitterness. It was believed that such coffee was more “coffee-like.” How wrong I was!

We have already discussed that coffee should be as fresh as possible. Now another very important topic is the degree of coffee roasting. And here we will try to use a minimum of theory, although without it it is very difficult. So, what roast level should coffee be?

Coffee has an unlimited number of roast levels from very light to very dark. There are certain gradations of coffee roasting, which indicate one degree or another. But, unfortunately, the names of these degrees of roasting, like the degrees themselves, are very arbitrary. There are a lot of different names, for example, it is customary to call the lightest degree Scandinavian, then, from light to dark: Viennese, French and Italian. Someone else singles out Spanish as the darkest. In general, whoever wants to call it that way.


For simplicity and the concept and accuracy of definitions, I always take the so-called City Light as a basis - this is a conditional “average” degree. And when I name a roast, I say lighter or darker than City Light. Everyone understands this and understands it as correctly as possible. But this is purely my approach.

And now to the point. This is not unambiguous, but relatively speaking, in light roasting we have the maximum aroma and the maximum amount of flavor oils when preparing the drink. But, on the other hand, it has a less dense body (flavor intensity of the drink) and a less expressive and weak taste. Simply put, in light roasts the taste sensations, the taste of the drink itself, is subtler, but much richer, there is a larger range of flavor shades, but the aftertaste is short-lived. In dark roasts, the taste is intense, strong, long aftertaste, but the spectrum of taste is much narrower, it is more pronounced and specific.


Why is this happening? Everything is simple and logical. During roasting, coffee oils, which carry the taste of the drink, are directed to the upper walls of the grain depending on the temperature. If the grain is light roasted, then most of the oils remain in the grain. If the grain is dark roasted, then a certain part of the oils evaporates, leaving the grain; some may remain in oil spots on the grain. The aroma of “burnt” grain is also mixed into the taste.


In this case, I am describing properly roasted coffee. But let's be honest, most coffee is sold over-roasted. In this case, we have that very bitter taste that everyone orders. Bitterness is nothing more than an indicator of “over-roasted” coffee. The bitterness comes from the charring of the grain. There's nothing tasty about it. And, having tasted such coffee, brewed by a “professional” barista in a famous cafe, you may forever hate this luxurious drink.

Once and for all - coffee is never bitter. Bitter is not coffee! The bitter drink called coffee is just slop, nothing more. All restaurants, bars and cafes that prepare such coffee hate their customers and are only interested in making money. It's like serving a client a burnt piece of meat, all charred. This is simply unacceptable.


How to recognize over-roasted coffee? The taste is understandable. Such coffee will have a pronounced bitterness, sometimes accompanied by subsequent heartburn. In appearance it is very simple - in color. It is very dark, even black. This is often accompanied by oil spots on the surface of the grain. If you see an oil stain on a coffee bean, run away from that place and never return there! Take care of your precious taste buds and stomach.

In fairness, I note that very minor specks of oil on a small amount of grain are acceptable, under certain conditions. But only very rarely and only in exceptional cases.

In the next issue we will talk about which degree of roasting is best suited for which cooking method.

Coffee is made from ground beans, but they are roasted before grinding, otherwise the drink will not work. This is both a complex and simple process, since you need to know the theory and monitor the temperature. There is a misconception that the bitterness of coffee comes solely from caffeine. In fact, caffeine is “responsible” for only 10–15% of the bitterness, the rest depends on the degree of roasting of the beans. You can even roast coffee at home, but the barista must follow certain technologies so as not to spoil the taste of the product and preserve its beneficial properties.

Story

The first evidence of coffee roasting came to us from the Ottoman Empire and dates back to the 15th century, when thin round sheets of metal or porcelain were used as utensils. They were equipped with a long handle so that it was convenient to hold the “frying pan” over a brazier with coals, periodically shaking and stirring the grains.

Around 1650, a cylindrical roaster was invented in Cairo that could roast large batches of coffee. Soon the innovation was adopted in France, Holland, Italy and other European countries.


Cylindrical roasters for roasting coffee beans

In the 19th century, many commercial roasters were patented for mass roasting of coffee. At the same time, lovers of the invigorating drink continued to roast the grains by hand on baking sheets and stoves. For such enthusiasts, a home spherical roaster appeared in Ohio in 1849. However, by the 1900s, it became much more profitable to buy pre-roasted coffee: thanks to developing technologies, it cost only slightly more than raw coffee.

In 1903 and 1906, electric roasters were patented in the USA and Germany, respectively, the problem of smoke affecting the taste of the product was solved. In 1976, they learned to fry grains with hot air without the risk of burning them into embers. Nowadays, there are many devices for roasting coffee, ranging from banal metal meshes that must be placed over an open fire, to high-tech “smart” devices.

The boom of coffee shops in the 1970s made home roasting of coffee beans almost meaningless, turning it into the lot of fine connoisseurs - commercial roasters installed in coffee shops allow you to quickly and efficiently roast beans to any degree, you can program the roasting style, while the barista does not must stay vigilantly at the stove and stir the coffee so that the beans do not burn.

Coffee bean roasting technology

Raw coffee beans are green in color. In principle, you can eat them this way - for example, add them to a salad or infuse them with strong alcohol, but they won’t make coffee as a drink.

The industrial roasting process is divided into the following stages: sorting, roasting, cooling, packaging.

When roasting, coffee beans change color first to yellowish, then to brown, double in size (but lose weight due to evaporated water), and acquire a characteristic aroma. If everything is done correctly, tannins will decompose in the beans, the fruits will no longer be so tart and astringent, B vitamins will be retained in them, caffeine will be formed (this substance is responsible for the taste and aroma characteristics of coffee), and essential oils will be released.

Roasting temperature varies from 200 to 250 degrees Celsius. The grains must be roasted evenly, so they must be stirred constantly. A heat that is too low will not allow the flavor to fully develop, while a heat that is too high will burn the outer layer of the grain, leaving the core raw.

In industrial conditions, finished roasted coffee is cooled with air, or less often with water. Cooling is necessary because if you leave the beans to cool naturally, they will continue to roast “from the inside” due to the temperature already reached.


Industrial roaster

At approximately 196°C the beans begin to crackle, this sound (“first pop”) marks the beginning of the light roasting phase. At 224°C, a “second pop” occurs, meaning that the previously expanding grains began, on the contrary, to dry out.

In some countries, a bit of local flavor is added to the classic process. For example, in Vietnam, raw coffee beans are brushed with butter and sprinkled with sugar, so that by the end of roasting they are caramelized.

After the First Pop, the grains acquire a roasted aroma. After the Second Cotton, essential oils begin to be released.

Coffee roast levels

Weak (~ up to 205 °C). Dry grains are light brown in color with a sour taste without roasted notes; the individual characteristics of the variety are perfectly felt. Caffeine content 1.37%.

Medium (~ up to 219 °C). Dark brown grains, dry, sweet and sour taste, rich aroma. The drink is full-bodied, the acidity is muted. Caffeine content 1.31%.

Strong (~ up to 230 °C). Dark brown grains, with an oily film, almost no sourness, with a bitter-sweet taste, rich roasted aroma. The individual characteristics of the variety are almost not preserved. Caffeine content 1.31%.

Maximum (highest) (~ up to 245 °C). The color of the grains is black-brown, the taste is bitter, with a “smoke”.

Also, degrees of roasting are divided into “light” and “dark” (based on the color of the grain).

Coffee Roast Types

It is important to remember that other factors besides roasting influence the final taste and aroma properties of coffee: the type and age of the beans, the region where they are grown, the method of storage, etc.

During the roasting process, the chlorogenic acid contained in coffee decomposes into quinic and caffeic acid, and bitter chlorogenic acid lactones are formed along the way. During intense roasting, lactones decompose, resulting in the quintessence of bitterness - phenylindanes. Therefore, the more the coffee is roasted, the more intense the bitterness.

Roasting degreeTemperatureAppearance of grainsTaste and aroma
Cinnamon Roast+195 °CDry, light brownDelicate, with the aroma of freshly baked bread and pronounced sourness
New England Roast, Light+205 °CDry, slightly darker than in the previous caseThere is still sourness, but without bread notes
American Roast+210 °CDry, rich light brown colorSourness combines with delicate bittersweet notes
City Roast+220 °CDry, rich brown colorBittersweet notes are felt more clearly, the sourness weakens. This roast is good for coffee tastings
Full City Roast+225 °CRich brown color, with the first drops of oil on the surfaceShades of chocolate and caramel appear in the taste
Vienna Roast+230 °CSurface oily, color dark brownThe sourness disappears, the caramel tones become more intense
French Roast+240 °CColor – dark brown, more oil on the surfaceBurnt tones are woven into caramel shades, and astringency appears. This roast is considered optimal for making espresso.
Italian Roast+245 °CThe color is getting darker, there is more oilThe bitterness is felt more and more clearly. Roast suitable for espresso
Spanish Roast+250 °CBrown-black color, oily surfaceSharp bitter taste with notes of burnt coffee. Not all varieties can withstand this degree of roasting: some grains simply become charred.

Roast markings from coffee producers

Each coffee manufacturer has its own roasting scale. Some simply indicate intensity with numbers from 1 to 5:

  • 1 – Cinnamon (Light);
  • 2 – American or Urban (Medium);
  • 3 – Full city or Viennese (Medium-dark);
  • 4 – Italian (Dark);
  • 5 – French or Spanish (Very dark).

Other manufacturers distinguish 3 degrees:

  • weak (usually corresponds to American or Urban);
  • middle (Viennese);
  • strong (French or Italian).

Roasting coffee at home

At home, coffee can be roasted in a frying pan/grill, in an oven, in a popcorn machine, or in a special roaster. The first two methods are the cheapest and simplest, the latter are the most effective. In theory, even a microwave oven will do. In practice, this method has not proven itself to be the best, since the grains are roasted poorly and unevenly.

  1. Frying pan or grill. Pros: fast, convenient, cheap. Cons: It is difficult to maintain an accurate temperature if roasting over an open fire - the smoke affects the taste of the grain.
  2. Oven. Pros: cheap. Cons: slow, difficult to achieve uniform roasting of coffee beans.
  3. Popcorn machine. Pros: simple, the beans are mixed automatically, it’s easy to achieve uniform roasting. Cons: not intended for roasting coffee (if it breaks, the warranty will not be valid), high price.
  4. Roaster. Pros: designed for roasting coffee, easy to use. Cons: expensive.

After the first pop, beans for weak light coffee are obtained. After the second – medium-roasted grains. If you want a deep roast, wait 30 seconds after the second pop.

Immediately after roasting, you need to cool the beans - this can be done by pouring the coffee into a colander and directing a stream of cold air at it.


The pan must be completely dry and clean

When coffee is roasted, carbon dioxide is released, a process that continues even after the beans have been removed from the heat. Therefore, freshly roasted beans should be allowed to sit for about 12 hours, and only then poured into a container or sent for grinding.

If too much gas accumulates in the coffee, the lid of the container may be knocked off, and the gas will negatively affect the taste of the drink. To fully “mature”, gain taste, body and aroma, the grains need about 24 hours. On the other hand, you shouldn’t forget about roasted grains for longer than a week either - the taste will become musty and stale.

How to Store Roasted Coffee Beans

It is best to keep it in an airtight container in a dark and cool place. Coffee can spend several months or even a year in such conditions.

But it is best not to store roasted coffee at all, but to immediately consume it for its intended purpose, grinding it a maximum of 2 hours before brewing.

Roasting coffee is a technological operation, the value of which is comparable to the process of fermentation of grape juice at the time of wine maturation. Characteristics such as the quality of the bean, its presentation and the degree of coffee roasting used are the main features that affect the taste of this raw material.

For true admirers of the aromatic drink, it makes sense to understand in more detail the methods used for roasting coffee, because the taste of the finished product directly depends on the technology of processing the raw materials.

Selecting an original and tasty drink is not an easy task. When visiting online portals or stores with a large assortment of coffee, it is easy to get confused by the symbols on the packages, the decoding of which is not known to everyone. You can use the help of a specialist or independently study more detailed information about the preparation of coffee raw materials.

Before the cup reaches us, the coffee goes through a preparatory stage. Before crushing, the raw material must undergo proper heat treatment. Thanks to different roasting methods, a tandem of interesting flavors and aromas has become available, which determine the main taste of the drink. Based on personal preferences, the choice of suitable coffee is made.

Roasting and its types

Ultimately, after heat treatment of the grains, their color and, in some cases, their sizes change. There is no generally accepted classification of the degree of roasting of coffee raw materials. Therefore, any country can use its own gradient values.

The most common designation method used is a scale, numbered from 1 to 5. Sometimes, the following names are used to indicate the degree of heat treatment of raw materials:

  • French;
  • Italian;
  • Scandinavian;
  • Viennese;
  • American;
  • cinnamon;
  • urban.

Before heat treatment, the skin of the coffee beans has a smooth texture and a dull olive tint. At the end of roasting, the color changes dramatically.

French roast – one of the most popular methods of preparing coffee. As a result, the grains acquire a gloss, and the drink becomes a rich brown color. Roasting is carried out upon completion of the “second crack” (lumbago). The drink has a rich taste, which is inherent in well-processed grains, and has a thick consistency.

Italian roast involves the highest degree of thermal influence on the grains, as a result of which the grains become almost black in color. During the process of intense roasting of coffee, the most valuable oil compositions and the unique aroma of the drink are lost.

Applying Scandinavian roasting method the grains swell and acquire a light brown tone.

During the Viennese roasting of coffee , the grains also become bright brown with a surface covered with an oil film. During the roasting process, smoke comes from the coffee beans and they “shoot.” The grain drink has a slight acidity and a slightly sweet taste. Remnants of the aroma are still perceptible, but the bitter notes are already present. Quite often, raw materials that were amenable to Vienna roasting are used to make espresso.

American roast – This is one of the fastest types of heat treatment of coffee beans. The treatment is considered complete after the first crack (a quiet shooting, which is typical after the evaporation of gases). During the cooking process, the grain becomes visually larger and acquires a deep brown color, the stage of sugar decomposition goes into crystallization, the acid is at its maximum.

Cinnamon (light) roast is a thermal process in which coffee beans are processed until the “first click”. The product takes on a matte light brown tint, its structure becomes dry and does not have a glossy sheen. There is a refined taste with a sour and tart undertone.

City (medium) roasting of beans involves heat treatment of raw materials to a rich brown color, while oils are released onto the surface, which create a glossy effect. Most of the natural characteristics of the drink are retained here: the sweetness of caramel with a penetrating aroma.

Types of coffee bean roasting

The color scheme of the beans, the subtlety of the aromatic notes and the quantitative indicators of essential oils are determined by the degree of roasting of the coffee beans. Used bean roasting level values:

  • weak (light);
  • average;
  • strong (dark)

Light roasting prevents the raw material from becoming saturated with a strong aroma and acquiring a deep color during the cooking process. Due to the short time of exposure to high temperature, the grains do not evaporate essential oils, and the redox reaction does not occur. The raw material has a creamy brown color.

The medium degree of roast already has a more nourishing hue, with a bitter aftertaste. The average level of heat treatment is characterized by the sound of secondary cracking. The grains separate the essential oils and the sugar caramelizes.
Strong roasting brings notes of bitterness, with a nutty-chocolate aftertaste.

The finished product is saturated with natural aroma, and the caffeine scale is at a high level. The grains acquire a dark brown color. A coffee drink made from such raw materials will have not only a deeply rich taste, but also an aroma.

The highest degree of heat treatment of grains is not often used. This roasting evaporates almost all the moisture contained in the grains, due to which their solid consistency becomes thinner. Coffee made from such raw materials will be strong, with a pronounced pungent taste.

Is there a relationship between the strength of coffee and its roasting?

The strength of coffee does not depend on its level of roasting. Darker roasting of beans only determines the lower content of guaranine (caffeine). For example, coffee beans processed to a light shade contain 1.37% guaranine, dark – 1.31%.
The strength of coffee depends on the following factors:

  1. Water to coffee ratio
  2. Type of grinding of coffee beans.
  3. Preferred method of preparing the drink

As a result, the same type of coffee, depending on the degree of influence of these factors, may have differences in strength.

Coffee roasting: technologies, types and methods

There is another subspecies that classifies coffee roasting. It depends on the technologies used. Today, enterprises use the following technological processing methods:

  • DIELECTRIC COFFEE ROASTING . The process itself is similar to the problem statement for microwave ovens: exposure to superfrequency waves helps to roast the coffee inside. The thermal effect on grains is minimized. As a result, the ground raw materials will have a uniform taste. This is the most practical type of heat treatment of the product.
  • THERMAL ROASTING. This method uses a specialized mechanism that is equipped with a huge drum that can hold up to two tons of raw materials. During continuous rotation, air heated to 200°C enters it. Thanks to this technology, the grains are evenly fried, evaporating any foreign impurities.
  • INFRARED HEAT TREATMENT. This method involves the use of a programmed machine that maintains a set temperature. The result of this treatment is a significant “bloating” of the grains in volume. During the process, complete combustion of foreign impurities occurs.


What happens to the grain during the roasting process?

Green, unroasted coffee beans have a weak taste and virtually no aroma. By roasting the beans, fermentation of the raw material occurs, which leads to the release of essential oils, as well as the activation of many processes that help to release the elements characteristic of this drink.

For example, the roasting process activates the release of more than 400 carbon-containing substances, collectively called coffeeols. This tandem of volatile components provides the characteristic aroma of the drink. Due to enzymatic hydrolysis, the fiber contained in the grain is destroyed, glucose levels decrease, and tannins are destroyed.

The main thing is the fact that the process of roasting beans does not destroy vitamin B.
Roasting time also matters. The amount of caffeine in the finished product depends on these indicators. The longer this process, the less caffeine, and, accordingly, the more pronounced bitterness in the drink.

The roasting process is not the last stage in the preparation of finished raw materials. After exposing the grains to high temperatures, they are cooled with a stream of cold air. Next, the raw materials lie for a certain time and only after the required time has passed are they suitable for consumption.

What you need to know about roasting coffee beans

Coffee connoisseurs, whether professional or amateur, can experiment with this drink using different combinations of preparation or roasting, while radically changing the taste of the same type of coffee.

For example, a low roast will bring out the sour notes of the drink. Its strength will not be high, but the smell and taste will be exquisite. Medium roast will help create interesting recipes, as well as combinations that will make the coffee product even more sophisticated.

Strong roasting will give the drink density, strength and a dark hue. Due to the highest degree of heat treatment of the beans (Italian roasting), you can achieve the perfect espresso, which has a dense consistency and a strong, invigorating taste.

Roasting using special devices

Coffee roasting can also be done at home. There is no need to purchase expensive equipment. You can use the following kitchen utensils:

  • cast iron frying pan with a thick bottom;
  • oven

It is worth considering that the frying pan should only be used for roasting coffee beans, because the raw material absorbs various odors well. At the preparatory stage, raw grains are washed and then dried. Then coffee is poured into a heated frying pan in a thick layer.

The heating temperature of the product must be at least 200 °C. The beans must be constantly stirred to achieve the perfect all-round roast. During the process, you will be able to hear clicks, as well as visualize changes in the color of the product - the lighter it is, the milder the taste will be.

For lovers of strong espresso, you should wait until the beans darken to brown. This method of roasting beans will give the drink a pronounced, intense taste with bitterness.

The grains are processed in the oven in a similar way. This method is a little simpler because... It is possible to set a stable temperature regime.

After frying using the chosen method, the raw material should cool in an airtight container. For the first 10 hours, the lid should be slightly open. In this way, excess gases will leave the grains. Coffee can be ground after 24 hours.

Video: coffee roasting

If you are wondering how to understand the difference between different degrees of coffee roasting, then we congratulate you - now you belong to the society of true coffee gourmets who have looked further than McDonald's or Starbucks for another cup of coffee. Let’s try to tell you, without abstruse words, what is the difference between coffee of different degrees of roasting.

The most important thing to note is that different types of roasting the same coffee produce drinks that are completely different in taste, smell, and characteristics. Without going into serious detail about coffee gradations, roasted coffee can be divided into three main groups: light roast coffee, medium roast coffee and dark roast coffee. Knowing the differences between these three groups is more than enough to help you decide which roast level is best for you.

Let's take a brief look at each of the degrees of coffee roasting and start with light or light roast(in the first picture there are options 3, 4 and 5). This option maximizes the subtleties of the character of a particular grain - it will be much easier for you to distinguish Colombian coffee from coffee from Kenya. The light roast produces an often weak, light coffee that tastes like a sip of spring or summer with flavors of fruit, nuts, or flowers, depending on the variety. The aroma is quite transparent. The taste in the mouth does not last long. It has quite a strong acidity. The lightly roasted grain drink is very different from what many of us are used to drinking.


Dark roast produces “strong” coffee (options 13 - 16 in the first picture of the article). The darker it is, the stronger, deeper, brighter and denser the taste. The aftertaste is long, the aroma is rich and thick. There is practically no sourness in the taste, and instead of floral and fruity notes, there is a taste of chocolate, smoke, earth, nuts and even tree bark. Extra-dark roasts may have some charcoal flavors and a tart bitterness, but some people find the flavor just right.


Medium roast- golden mean (roast types 6 - 12 in the picture at the beginning of the page). It is used in most cases in the production of roasted grains. This coffee combines the characteristics of both dark and light roasts, but in lighter and softer versions: medium sourness, medium depth of taste, preserving unique flavor nuances. As a result, the taste is quite balanced.


What degree of roasting should I choose?

Choosing the right solution is quite simple if you keep in mind the following - the stronger the roast, the more different coffee varieties become difficult to distinguish. The taste is becoming more and more the same. Therefore, when choosing, we invite you to answer the question for yourself - what is coffee for you?

Do you want to feel all the subtleties of a particular variety, feel the spring notes in roasted coffee? Then choose a light roast. Most often it will be called an "English roast". It is she who will give the maximum details.


Do you prefer a rich coffee taste with a very bright (strong) aroma? Pay attention to the dark (black) roast. Most often, this roast will be presented on the websites of online coffee stores as “French roast” or “Italian roast” (the latter is darker).

Do you want balance in taste? You want a medium roast. May have the following names: American (lighter), City roast (the most common roast level) or Vienna roast (slightly darker than the standard medium roast).

And in conclusion, we will give you advice: since you are wondering about the differences in degrees of roasting, note to yourself that only freshly roasted coffee (up to one month from the date of processing) will allow you to get exactly the taste sensations that you expect.

P.S. We received several responses to our article (thank you, dear readers!) and decided to include one question that you ask most often: “What is the best roast level for Espresso?” To prepare Espresso, we recommend using degrees from medium-dark (Fulcity), Viennese (slightly darker), French (dark) and Italian - the darkest of those indicated. It is in a darker roast that expresso coffee reveals itself better.

Sincerely yours,
"Sun of Vietnam"

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