For centuries, coffee has remained one of the most favorite drinks globally for a large number of people. Since the late 1700s, the popularity, profit, and revenue of coffee shops have been soaring high.
With the industry steadily booming, there is a rise in the expectations of the consumers as well. The only way to keep your customers happy, attract new prospects, and stand out from the competition is by roasting the beans perfectly with a good coffee roaster machine.
If you are new to the coffee business, then you are at the right place. Here is everything you should know about roasting and how it can affect the coffee business.
Coffee Beans – The Basics
Coffee beans are the seeds matured in the coffee cherry. In other words, they start as the pit of the coffee cherry, and once the pits are removed, they are left to dry before the export process. The milled pits are regarded as green coffee beans. After the green coffee is exported, it will be ready for the roasting process. Roasting is considered to be the most critical step in coffee production.
Why Is Roasting Done?
When the coffee beans are roasted, it brings out the aroma and flavors present in the green coffee beans. The coffee beans are usually stored green to retain the freshness without loss of taste and quality. If you wonder whether there are any similarities between green and roasted coffee beans, the answer is no.
Green beans have none of the characteristics of roasted coffee beans. Contrary to beans roasted using a coffee roaster machine, they smell grassy and are spongy and soft to bite. As the beans are rapidly introduced to very high temperatures during the roasting process, it naturally causes chemical changes.
Once the beans are perfectly roasted, they are immediately cooled down to halt the process. Roasted beans usually weigh less because of the loss of moisture, and they smell exactly like coffee.
As a business owner in the caffeine industry, you should know that coffee roasting is both a form of art and science. It takes many years of practice and training to become an expert coffee beans roaster. The ability to read the beans and make spontaneous decisions is not an easy task. You must remember that merely a few seconds can turn perfectly roasted coffee beans into a ruined batch.
How do you think it will not take a toll on your daily business?
Why Are Roast Levels Important For A Business?
The roast level of a coffee determines the taste, aroma, flavor, and pretty much everything in a coffee mug. It is the roast level that decides the quality of coffee. Imagine serving a coffee made from poorly roasted beans. Yes, roasting and roast levels can even impact your business.
Not everyone prefers the same type of coffee. For instance, some may like dark roasts while others may be addicted to the lighter ones. All roasts do not taste the same, and as a business owner, you must understand the importance of roast levels and the customers’ preference before serving them coffee.
Importance of Coffee Roast Levels
So, what is in a roast? What makes perfectly roasted coffee beans?
Different roasters have specialized names for different roasts, and there is not much industry standardization when it comes to terms. The perfect roast is mostly a personal choice that is sometimes influenced by geographical location or national preference. Being a business owner, only when you understand the roast selection of your customers will you fare well in the area.
In general, roasts fall into four major categories – Light, Medium, Medium-Dark, and Dark.
Light Roasts
Lightly roasted beans are light brown, and they display an acidic and lighter flavor. The beans should be heated in the coffee roaster machine until the first crack at 375-400° F to obtain this roast level. Lightly roasted coffee beans offer an authentic and original flavor that mirrors the soil and weather conditions from the place it was grown.
Medium Roasts
These are slightly darker in appearance compared to the light roast. They have a sweeter characteristic, with less acidity and a balanced flavor. The caffeine level is lesser than the light roast and higher than the dark roast.
Dark Roasts
Dark roasted beans have an oily and shiny appearance and display a less acidic taste. The flavor can be a little on the smoky and bitter scale due to the roasting process. In many cases, this smoky flavor may overwhelm the original flavors of the beans.
Roasting the coffee to perfection will be worth the effort and time. After all, remember that no one can turn away from a freshly brewed, flavorful coffee. Invest in a good coffee roaster machine and treat your customers with the best brews.