To achieve a good coffee roast you have to start with beans that have been skillfully selected and dried.
Some bean processors use a wash to remove the fleshy fruit from the bean and to separate different kinds of beans. Density differences in the bean will cause some to float higher, making for easier removal or separation.
Others use a slower, more expensive dry-process.
Dry-processed beans will have a more subtle acid profile, while the acidity of wet-processed beans is more striking. Some acidity in coffee is desirable. The alternative is a flat, lifeless cup.
What happens to beans as they heat up during roasting?
During the process aromatics and acids, along with other flavor compounds, are produced in varying concentrations.
During the first stage the beans absorb heat and the green beans are slowly dried to a yellowish tinge. ‘Green’ doesn’t refer to the color, per se, but simply to the beans being unroasted or raw. Properly done, the beans will have an odor reminiscent of toast or popcorn.
From about 170°C-200°C (338°F-392°F) sugars in the bean will begin to caramelize, aided by the increase in temperature of the moisture enclosed by the skin. That’s just one reason it’s important that beans have the proper moisture content, which comes from correct drying. Caramelized sugars are less sweet, so reaching the proper amount is important for the final brew.
At about 205°C (400°F), beans will expand to about double their original size and become light brown, simultaneously losing about 5% of their original weight. As the temperature rises to about 220°C (428°F), beans will lose about 13% more weight and release some CO2.
When the temperature increases to around 230°C (446°F), the roasting beans become medium-dark brown and take on an oily sheen. Often there will be a loud pop as the beans enter the ‘second crack’ phase.
Here roasters have to be very cautious not to overdo it. Volatile aromatic compounds are boiled off and the oils on the outside of the bean can combine with oxygen in the air. That process can strip the bean of desirable flavors and lead to a burnt taste.
The goal is to arrive at just the right balance of bitterness, acidity and a host of other attributes making up the final flavor profile.
In tasting guides coffee connoisseurs will sometimes see the term ‘body’, as if its meaning were self-evident. ‘Body’ despite what it suggests, does NOT refer to the actual thickness or viscosity of the liquid. That attribute is the result of the kinds of proteins and fibers in the brew.
Used as tasters do, it refers to the feel on the tongue when rubbed on the roof of the mouth. It’s the result of the fat content in the drink and that – apart from growing conditions that home roasters can’t control – is determined largely by the roasting.
Too light a roast will leave too high a concentration of bitter compounds in the final product. Too dark will produce an excessively chocolatey, burnt taste. Experiment until you find the balance that suits your taste.
Here is another interesting article about Light Roast Vs Dark Roast Coffee
Whether you are just beginning the journey to your relationship with coffee, or are a coffee aficionado who wants to understand the process more fully, roasting of the coffee bean certainly impacts flavor and intensity of brewed coffee.
What does the roasting process involve? And when it comes to light roast vs dark roast coffee, which will you prefer?
The process of roasting coffee transforms the chemical and physical properties of green coffee beans into roasted coffee products.
Coffee acquires its characteristic flavor by virtue of the roasting process. The green coffee beans expand, and then change in smell, taste, color and density.
A roasted bean has very similar caffeine, protein and acids as an unroasted bean, but it lacks one very critical characteristic…taste.
How is that taste acquired? By the use of heat which causes the chemical reactions that develop and enhance the flavor.
As the bean absorbs heat, the color of the bean changes first to yellow and then to varying shades of brown.
During the later stages of roasting, oils appear on the surface of the bean, making it shiny. This oil is what gives coffee its distinctive aroma and taste.
The roast will continue to darken until it is removed from the heat source.
So again, when discussing light roast vs. dark roast, how is the length of the roasting process going to affect the taste of the brewed coffee?
At lighter roasts, the bean will retain more of its original flavor; the flavors created in the bean by the soil and weather conditions in the location where it was grown.
Some locations where the coffee beans are typically roasted lightly to retain their signature characteristics are regions like Java, Kenya, Hawaiian Kona, and Jamaican Blue Mountain.
As the beans roast for a longer period they darken to a deep brown. The original flavors of the bean are minimized and the flavors created by the roasting process itself become more prevalent.
At darker roasts, the “roast flavor” is so dominant that it can be difficult to distinguish the origin of the beans used in the roast.
In general, lighter roast coffees are sharper and more acidic than the darker roast coffees.
Darker roasts have a fuller flavor.Beans that have been over-roasted will take on a burned, smoky or charcoal flavor.
Also, there is less caffeine in the darker roasted coffees than in the lighter ones. The roast alone doesn’t determine the resulting coffee taste or quality. The origin of the beans makes a big difference.
Now that you have all of that knowledge in your head, here is some more detailed information to help you decide whether it will be light roast vs dark roast for you…or maybe some of both!
Light roast is also called Cinnamon roast, half city or New England roast. It’s flavor is dry, lighter-bodied, higher acidity, with no obvious roast flavor.
Medium roast, also called Full city, American, regular, breakfast, brown. The flavor is dry, sweeter than light roast; more body exhibiting more balance in acid, aroma, and complexity.
Full Roast, also called Dark, High, Viennese, Italian Espresso, Continental. The flavor is slightly shiny, somewhat spicy, heavier body/mouth-feel. The aromas and flavors of dark roast become clearly evident.
So there you have it…light roast coffee vs dark roast coffee. Which will you prefer? Might have to try them all and decide!
Candi Randolph is a coffee lover who enjoys brewing a great tasting, fresh cup of coffee! For more information, about coffee roasts, see Light Roast vs Dark Roast at Perfect-Cup-of-Coffee.com For more great information, help, tips and generally really cool coffee stuff, visit Perfect-Cup-of-Coffee.com
Tags: Aromatic Compounds, Coffee Roast, Flavor Compounds, Gourmet Coffee, Green Beans, Roasting Beans
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Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Both the Tassimo and Keurig brewing machines are excellent single serve coffee machines but which is the best of the two? The answer greatly depends on personal preference after carefully examining some key features.
Visually, both machines take up a similar amount of space, but the Tassimo models have a more modern, sculpted look to them.
Keurig Brewers:
Keurig brewing machines are generally the least expensive of the two brands and they utilize “K cups” that are single serve plastic containers filled with an exact amount of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. The plastic cups are sealed with foil to maintain freshness for long periods of time. The Keurig will brew K cups in less than a minute, but the miniature model takes a bit longer to brew a cup at around two minutes.
The coffee it produces is excellent, and the strength off the brew varies greatly on the intensity of the particular roast. The Keurig machines are not limited to using only K cup coffee manufacturers, a reusable filter accessory allows you to use any grind of coffee in the units.
Tassimo Brewers:
The Tassimo machines usually cost more money but they offer something the competing brand Keurig does not: the ability to make lattes and cappucinos. Tassimo offers a wide variety of coffees and their T disc technology is similar to the sealed Keurig K cups but there is a twist. Tassimo T discs have instruction codes on the sealed labels that is actually read by the computerized machine before brewing.
These instructions on the tops of the T discs enable the machine to decipher and control more intricate beverage techniques such as brewing an espresso at the right temperature and then adding frothed milk to make a cappuccino. This feature and the extra information it involves can come as an expense towards increasing the overall brewing time.
Tassimo brewers also make an excellent gourmet coffee. Their ability to make cappuccinos and lattes is certainly a plus if you are interested in these additional beverages. While K cups do offer some interesting alternatives to regular coffee such as chai, all of the contents are limited to being sealed within one single K cup.
There is great debate between which of these single serve coffee brewing manufacturers is the superior one. The very best choice for you likely boils down to whether or not you feel the need to include cappuccino, latte or espresso in addition to regular coffee brewing. Keurig brewers are dedicated to brewing coffee only and many believe thisto be a benefit in overall simplicity and reduced brewing time.
More information: K Cup Coffee See also the B70 Brewer.
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Tags: Braun Tassimo, Cappuccino, Disc Technology, Gourmet Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Keurig K Cups, Single Serve Coffee Machines, T Discs
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Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
One of the many advantages of drinking a beverage both ancient and international is the delightful variety of recipes for enjoying coffee in different ways.
Caribbean, Mexican mocha, Cuban cubano and Grog are only a few out of an endless list of possibilities.
The first is one of the more unusual, but be daring. Start by baking a coconut for thirty minutes at 300F (134C). Remove and allow to cool, then break open the shell and remove the inner flesh and grate. Mix the meat, coconut milk and a half cup of cow’s milk in a pan and heat until it thickens. Then strain the mixture to remove the coconut granules. Mix the mixture with a cup of coffee and sip. Hmm…
Like any mocha, the Mexican is a delicious blend of coffee and chocolate – two natural partners. Take a teaspoon of your favorite chocolate syrup and add a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour in one cup of coffee and add white or organic sugar to taste. You can mix with whipping cream, or top with whipped cream, too. Mmm…
Cubano is drunk like tequila, straight and like a shot. For the Americano, you might want to dilute with rum or hot milk. Add rum to taste, but any more than a tablespoonful of milk will really spoil the effect. Be adventurous!
Grog is a traditional English holiday treat. Carefully peel a large orange and separate into slices. Do the same with a lemon. Put a peel about the size of one orange slice into the bottom of the cup. Mix in one-third tablespoon of butter, a tablespoon of brown sugar, a pinch each of ground cloves and nutmeg. Then throw in a pinch of cinnamon. Pour in a half-cup of coffee and stir. Add heavy cream to taste. Happy holidays.
There are other international delights, such as Viennese, Turkish and Vietnamese.
For the Viennese, melt one-eighth cup dark chocolate into a sauce pan and stir in one tablespoon of light cream. Slowly add a half-cup of coffee and whip until frothy, then let settle. Sprinkle cinnamon and cocoa across the surface and taste with pinky raised. Now you’re an aristocrat.
The Turkish is simple. You’ll benefit from obtaining one of the special “džezva” pots used to boil the coffee. Yes, boil! Turkish coffee is strong. Start with finely ground Turkish coffee. Pour a cup of water into the pot, then add a half teaspoon of sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add a teaspoon of the coffee, then stir and replace onto the heat. Remove after a layer of foam appears, then allow to settle and cool.
The iced coffee drink of Vietnam is not to be missed. Acquire a Vietnamese coffee press. The hard part is now over. Put the ground coffee in the press, then pour a tablespoon of condensed milk into the bottom of a cup. Pour boiling water over the press and let drip. Stir and add ice. Wow!
Of course, you could save yourself the trouble and simply take a little world tour, letting the locals do all the work. Not a bad idea actually.
Tags: Chocolate Syrup, Coconut Milk, Coffee Recipes, Dark Chocolate, Gourmet Coffee, Whipping Cream
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Monday, March 8th, 2010
There are over 35 different k-cups available from Green Mountain Coffee. A great cup of java jump-starts the day and fuels creativity. When you brew up one of the Green Mountain k cups, you get an award-winning coffee in less than 60 seconds. You won’t leave the house to find great coffee and tea anymore. Once you have tried the Keurig Premium coffee brewing system, you will never go out to an expensive coffee shop again.
Top Green Mountain K cup choices + Costumer Reviews
Green Mountain Coffee Mocha Nut Fudge
 Smooth Taste, Aroma, Finish, Full Body
This is a great after dinner coffee, as well as mid day “snack” coffee. Great taste, one of my favorites. I am happy Keurig [...] came up with this blend.
Yummy!!!
By Forrest from Tulsa, Ok. on 5/9/2007
Pros: Aroma, Smooth Taste, Finish, Full Body
I love this coffee. It has two of my favorite flavors in one. I couldn’t ask for more taste and or better aroma.
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Green Mountain Nantucket Blend – Medium
The melange of roast styles and beans from Central America, Indonesia and East Africa is at once worldly and familiar,
hearty and… well, complex. The African beans lend berry and wine flavors, the Centrals add zest; the Indonesian beans provide
ample body, and just a touch of French Roast offers a smoky, sweet finish.
 Really Nice Flavor
By Gary from Edison, NJ on 9/10/2008
Pros: Good With Sweetener/Whitener, Attractive Mouthfeel/Body, Balanced Acidity, Pleasing Aroma, Pleasing Roast
I just bought my Keurig B70 last weekend, this is one of the coffee’s that I tried from the variety pack. I was really impressed with the flavor and balance, not too light not too dark. I prefer the coffee I buy, not too bold, this is a great match for my pallet. This will surely be one that I need to keep a lot of in house. Try it, you’ll love it.
Simply The Best
By gotmud13613 from upstate NY on 2/8/2007
Pros: Full of Flavor, Aroma, Smooth Taste
I just can’t imagine waking up without it. Simply the best tasting coffee I have ever had. I gave a cup to a relative and they thought it was some exotic coffee and when I told them who made it they made a special trip just to get some !!!
The favored coffee in our office
By Debbie, CT on 9/7/2008
Pros: Smooth Taste, Aroma
It is the favorite coffee in our office of 30 people.
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Dark Magic – Extra Bold Dark
 Dark Magic is magical!
By Sheri from Oklahoma on 1/14/2009
Pros: Not Bitter, Smooth Taste
I had discovered the Keurig coffee pots when on a trip to New England, and thought it was a wonderful concept. But as I always use Starbucks coffee and a cone filter, I thought the Keurig would be impractical for me. I love a really dark roast, so that when I put all my “foo foo” creamers and sweeteners in it, it still tastes like coffee!
I got a Keurig for Christmas,
and had a sample of Dark Magic. It is perfect, every single time! It is rich and strong, but never bitter. I realized one big benefit to the Keurig is that my coffee is consistent every time; with do-it-myself drip coffee, I often got it too weak or too strong. Now every day is a “good coffee day”!
Full of flavor but not too strong
By Lucy Ambrose, RI on 11/3/2007
Pros: Smooth Taste, Full Body
This is a bold coffee but not bitter. I put my cream in before adding the coffee (usually using the larger size setting on my machine) and it makes the cream very frothy. It reminds me of the chicory blend at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans! Very satisfying.
Close second to Starbucks
By Ricardo, Orlando, Fl.
Pros: Full Body, Smooth Taste, Finish, Aroma
I’m a huge Starbucks fan, but this coffee is a pretty close second. If they would add just a little more coffee to their k-cup, it would be just about right.
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Tags: Coffee Brewing, Dinner Coffee, French Roast, Gourmet Coffee, Green Mountain Coffee, Keurig B70, Pleasing Aroma, Smooth Taste
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Monday, March 8th, 2010
We have really been putting the Keurig Platinum B70 K Cup Single-Cup Brewer through it’s paces. We tried coffee from all 4 different models – the B40, B50, B60, and the Keurig B70 and found the coffee all to be the same when brewed at the standard 7.25 oz setting. We also used the K Cup reuseable coffee filter in all the models with some Colombian Fair Trade coffee from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and also found the coffee to be nearly the same.
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Product Features
1500-watt single-cup home brewing system with one-touch controls
Uses patented K-Cups; 4 brew-size options; Quiet Brew technology
24-hour digital clock; programmable LCD message center
Removable 60-ounce water tank; removable drip tray for quick cleanup
Measures 13-1/4 by 10 by 13 inches; 1-year limited warranty
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Keurig B70 Platinum Brewing System Costumer Reviews
 Best Single Cup Brewer On The Market
By D. Peterson (Portland, OR USA)
I recently purchased the new Keurig B-70 Gourmet Single Cup Home Brewing System that was released on October 1st, 2006 and have been very happy with it. The machine is extremely well designed, simple to operate, aesthetically pleasing, and most importantly, brews an excellent cup of coffee. I am very impressed with how quickly it is able to brew a cup of coffee, the selection of brew
sizes, and how simple clean up is.
There are a variety of single cup brewers on the market now, many utilizing pre-packaged coffee “pods” for brewing. Personally I was not comfortable purchasing a product where I would be locked into the selection and pricing of a specific manufacturer, or one that would only brew coffee and not tea and cocoa. This is just one area where Keurig really shines above their competition.
Keurig has gathered support of a variety of gourmet coffee, tea, and cocoa manufacturers and there currently there are over 140 different types sold pre-packaged in K-Cups including Green Mountain Coffee K Cups, Diedrich, Gloria Jean’s, Timothy’s K Cups, Tully’s, Coffee People, Newman’s Own, Van Houtte, Celestial Seasonings, Bigelow, Twinings, and Ghirardelli. Not only is there a large selection to choose from, there are a variety of resellers online offering K-Cups, and pricing is extremely competitive.
In addition to the pre-packaged offerings, Keurig offers the My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter allows you to use your own gourmet ground coffee in your Keurig home brewer. This option provided the extra level of comfort I personally needed to make the jump into a single cup brewer. Frankly I don’t find myself using it very often as I had originally thought, as there are so many options
available in pre-packaged K-cups.
The pricing of the Keurig brewers are extremely reasonable, and brews gourmet coffee in just a fraction of the cost of purchasing it from a Starbucks, Coffee People, or similar. I expect that my machine will pay for itself in savings in just a couple months of use.
The only suggestion I have for Keurig is that the My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter be included with the sale of the brewer, and not an optional accessory. It is such an inexpensive accessory that I am surprised it was not included. Overall the Keurig brewers are excellent value and quality and would recommend them to anyone interested in a single cup brewer.
Fast and Easy
On April 25, 2009 by Babs “Barbinator” (Minnesota)
I love this coffee maker. It is quiet and neat. There are so many different k-cups to choose from. It’s fun to find a coffee, tea or hot chocolate that I really love. One thing I found is that I don’t like flavored coffee very much. I like my cup of coffee with a drop of milk. The coffee maker is very simple to use and very quick in it’s brewing. Less than a minute and you can have a delicious cup of coffee. This machine is not cheap, but it is very well made and looks soo good on my counter! I’m happy with my purchase.
Great Coffee Maker
By K. McGraw (Bay Area, Northern California)
I absolutely love my Keurig, and I’ll tell you why…I’ll also tell you why I’m only giving it 4 out of 5 stars. I bought the Keurig when I decided to purchase a traditional electric coffee maker, but the good quality coffee makers were all the large 12-cup kind, and the smaller ones weren’t very good. Amazon reviews pointed me to the Tassimo and Keurig pod-type machines, which turned out to be the perfect solution.
First off, I think it is a well-built machine. After a couple of years of use (granted, I don’t use mine every single day), it’s still running strong. I like the aesthetic styling of it, and it fits okay into the tiny amount of counter space I have available. I like being able to make a single cup of coffee for myself easily (I can even set the timer to have the hot water ready when I get out of bed, so coffee is instantaneous), or fill up the tank and have guests each pick their own drink, tea and cocoa (haven’t tried the cocoa yet) included.
As for the quality of the coffee, I’ve had many good ones, but you have to find what works for you. Not all of the pods will brew to the same strength. If you like your coffee strong, or want to fill a giant commuter mug, try the “Bold” varieties. (Or maybe 2 pods for a huge mug). Personally, I went out of my way to find a smaller thermal container that is only about 12 oz., since I don’t drink my coffee by the gallon. But even the larger mugs were easily filled with a good strength of coffee when using the bolder blends. My current favorite is Coffee People Donut Shop, but I’m also a fan of the Green Mountain Bold varieties.
I have also bought and used the refillable K-cup, which is not bad, and I still think cleaning that out is easier than dealing with wet, drippy filters full of coffee grounds or even my old French Press. The trick is to find a coffee that works for your preference for brew in this size.
Now, for the reasons it gets less than a perfect 5-star review:
1. The less than “green” aspect of the Keurig: I hate throwing away another disposable plastic item each time you use a pod… I’m pretty conscious of the amount of consumer waste I generate, and this works against that. (The reason I bought the reusable K-cup). On the other hand, I’m still probably generating less trash than back when I went to Starbuck’s and threw away a double layered
cup, lid, and java jacket each day…
I saw one review complaining that it’s on all the time…well, turn the damned thing off, there is a power button. I actually unplug mine between uses, so I can’t say power-consumption is an issue.
2. I have a little trouble really cleaning the tank. I have found that if I have not used the machine for a while and left water in it, it will start to grow algae (?) in the little hard-to-reach corners of the water tank. These have proven difficult to clean out, and I finally resorted to buying pipe cleaners that I can bend and fit into the areas the sponge and bottle brush can’t quite get to. Not a deal-breaker, but kind of a pain.
That being said, I was still hard-pressed not to give it a full 5 stars, because I do love it so much. I have recommended this to others, and I’m pleased to see the popularity of these rising, as I can now find the cups more readily available, when I’m not filling my own.
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Tags: Fair Trade Coffee, Gourmet Coffee, Green Mountain Coffee K Cups, Keurig B70, Keurig Platinum B70, Single Cup Coffee Maker
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