The Coffee Bean Roasting Process

Coffee Roasting

Coffee roasting is the process of transforming raw, green coffee beans into the fragrant, dark brown beans that are used to brew coffee. Roasting coffee beans involves heating them to high temperatures to bring out their flavour and aroma. This is a skill that the coffee roasters will have learnt through trials and tests, with information handed down. While it takes skill to roast the coffee beans perfectly, you can also roast them at home. We have our coffee roasting at-home guide here.

First Step

The first step in the coffee roasting process is selecting the right beans. This involves choosing beans from specific regions or countries and ensuring they are of the highest quality. We have a post here describing the different coffee beans. The right beans are the ones that will give the final flavour that the coffee roasters want to produce, and they rely on their experience and knowledge to achieve this. Once the beans have been selected, they are cleaned and sorted to remove any impurities or defective beans.

Roasting Beans

The beans are placed on a coffee roaster. This is a machine that uses heat and motion to roast the beans. The coffee roaster has a drum that slowly rotates the beans as they are heated, allowing them to roast evenly. The temperature and length of time to the roast can be controlled. Different roasts from varying times and temperatures will produce different flavours and aromas in the final product.

During the roasting process, the beans will go through several stages. First, they will lose moisture and become dry and brittle. As the temperature increases, the beans turn yellow and emit a grassy aroma. As the roast continues, the beans will turn a light brown and emit a sweet, toasty aroma.

While the roast progresses, the beans will continue to darken in colour and develop deeper flavours. The beans will reach the “first crack,” which releases gases and oils, causing them to crack or “pop.” The roast can continue beyond the first crack, resulting in a darker roast with a more intense flavour.

Cooling

Once the desired roast has been achieved, the beans are cooled rapidly to stop the roasting process. They are then bagged and shipped to coffee shops and stores, and this is when they can be ground and brewed to create a delicious cup of coffee.

Skill

The coffee roasting process is an art that requires skill, experience, and attention to detail. Combining the right beans, roast profile, and brewing method creates the perfect-tasting cup of coffee.