Kaldi.com Roasting Styles - Understanding The Degrees of Roast
City Roast or Light Roast: City Roast coffee is characterized by its light brown color and dry surface texture. It is roasted for a shorter amount of time than medium (Full City) or dark roast (Italian and French), which allows the unique flavor notes of the coffee beans to remain more intact. This results in a coffee that is lighter-bodied and has a bright, acidic taste. Some common flavor notes found in light roast coffees include floral, fruity, and citrusy flavors, as well as a subtle sweetness.
City Roast coffees tend to work best with coffee beans that have a naturally bright acidity and delicate flavor notes. Coffees from regions such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Colombia are known for their bright acidity and are often roasted light to highlight these characteristics. Additionally, light roast can be an excellent choice for single-origin coffee beans, as it allows the unique flavor profile of the specific coffee to be showcased.
Overall, light roast coffee can be an excellent choice for those looking to experience the unique flavors and aromas of a specific coffee bean, as it allows for the most pronounced expression of the coffee's natural characteristics. However, it is worth noting that light roast coffees may not be the best choice for those who prefer a bolder, more full-bodied coffee.
Full City Roast adds a little more depth and complexity to the coffee bean, while still allowing its unique flavors to shine through. The roast level is achieved by allowing the coffee bean to roast for a slightly longer period of time than a Light Roast, which imparts some of the smokiness and roast flavors into the coffee. However, it is still a relatively light roast compared to darker roast levels, which means that the coffee's natural characteristics are still able to be tasted.
In terms of taste, Full City Roast is known for having a balanced flavor profile. It has a slightly lower acidity than Light Roast, but still maintains some of the bright notes found in the beans. Additionally, Full City Roast can bring out some of the nutty, chocolatey, or caramel-like notes in the coffee bean, which can add a layer of sweetness to the cup.
Full City Roast tends to work best with coffee beans that have a balance of acidity and sweetness, as the roast level will allow both of these characteristics to shine through. Coffees from regions such as Brazil, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua are often roasted to Full City Roast, as they have a balance of acidity and sweetness that can be highlighted by this roast level.
Overall, Full City Roast is an excellent choice for those who want a well-balanced coffee with a little more depth than a City Roast. It allows for the unique flavors of the coffee bean to be tasted while still adding some of the roast flavors that are characteristic of a medium roast.
Italian Roast or Dark Roast: Italian Roast, also known as Dark Roast, is a roast level that is significantly darker than Full City Roast and results in a coffee bean that has a dark brown color with a slightly oily surface.
Italian Roast adds a bittersweet characteristic to the coffee beans, which is due to the longer roasting time and higher roasting temperature used to achieve this roast level. This roast is considered one of the more challenging degrees of roast, as it requires a roastmaster to keep a very close eye on the time and temperature of the beans at all times. Any slight variation in the roasting process can greatly impact the final taste of the coffee.
In terms of taste, Italian Roast is known for having a bold and intense flavor profile. It has a low acidity, which allows the darker, smokier flavors to shine through. The longer roasting time also brings out some of the nutty, chocolatey, and caramel-like notes in the coffee, adding some sweetness to the cup. Additionally, Italian Roast can have a slightly bitter aftertaste, which can be easily balanced by adding milk or sugar to the coffee.
Italian Roast tends to work best with coffee beans that have a full body and a low acidity, such as Java or Papua New Guinea. These beans have a natural earthiness and richness that is complemented by the bold flavors brought out by the Italian Roast.
Overall, Italian Roast is an excellent choice for those who prefer a strong and bold coffee with a smoky and slightly bitter flavor. It is a challenging roast to master, but when done correctly, it can produce a rich and complex cup of coffee.
French Roast or Extra Dark Roast: French Roast is the darkest roast level that a coffee bean can properly achieve, and it is well known for its bold and smoky flavor. The beans are roasted until they are almost black and have a glossy sheen due to the inner oils rising to the surface from the high temperatures required for this roast. The natural oils give the coffee a more robust and full-bodied flavor, with hints of bitterness and sweetness.
When it comes to French Roast, the roasting process itself has a significant impact on the flavor of the coffee. It requires a skilled roast master to delicately and evenly roast the beans to capture the true bold characteristics of the coffee beans. The roast master must be careful to monitor the time and temperature of the beans closely to avoid over-roasting or under-roasting.
French Roast tends to work best with beans that have a lower acidity level, such as Indonesian coffees. In general, Indonesian coffees tend to have a lower acidity level and a fuller body, with flavors ranging from earthy and spicy to sweet and chocolatey. This is due in part to the unique growing conditions and processing methods used in Indonesia, such as the wet-hulling method. These beans are typically more robust and full-bodied, making them ideal for the French Roast process. The longer roasting time results in a lower caffeine level in the coffee, making it a popular choice for those who want a stronger flavor.
In summary, the longer the coffee is roasted and the higher the ending temperature, the darker the coffee beans will become. Darker roasts allow the natural oils of the coffee to rise to the surface, which makes the coffee bean appear shinier. When you have a darker roast, the roast itself tends to impact the taste of the coffee more than a lighter roast would, and the darker the roast the more rich it will become in flavor. Also, the longer you roast your beans, the lower the caffeine levels will be in your coffee.
At Kaldi Gourmet Coffee Roasters, we take pride in the precision and accuracy of our roasting styles, guaranteeing you delicious and freshly roasted coffee according to order, every order. We also have same day roasting and shipping for your order to make sure your coffee is as fresh as possible upon delivery. So, whether you’re a City Roast style drinker or more of an Italian, browse our website or give us a call to try out our different roasts today!