Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
About Coffee Roasting Levels
Coffee Roasting Levels
Confused? Don't feel bad there is a lot to learn here:
- American Roast: The lightest of the Medium Roasts. This is where most feel drinkability begins.
- City Roast: Developing sugars in the bean.
- City + Roast: A little deeper roast, more sugars developed.
- Full city Roast: Just starting into the dark roast.
- Full City + Roast: Developing the dark smoke flavor.
- Vienna Roast. (Light French Roast): Developing the Dark Roast.
- French Roast: Deep into the Dark Roast.
- Italian Roast: Almost on fire!
Coffee Roast Defined
Medium Roast: Medium roast coffee is medium brown in color with a non-oily surface. Traditionally, a medium roast is the most preferred type of coffee roast in America. If you prefer a flavorful, traditional cup of coffee you'll enjoy a medium roast.
AKA: City, American, Breakfast
Medium-Dark Roast: Medium-dark roast coffee beans are a rich, dark brown color with a semi-oily surface. This type of roast produces a modest bittersweet aftertaste. If you prefer slight bittersweet notes and deep flavors, you'll enjoy a medium-dark roast.
AKA: Full City
Dark Roast: Dark roast coffee beans are nearly black, oily and produce a noticeable bitterness. The darker the coffee bean, the less acidity will be present in the coffee. If you prefer a heavy mouthfeel and strong flavor, you'll enjoy a dark roast coffee.
AKA: High, Continental, New Orleans, European, Espresso, Viennese, Italian, French (Note: Espresso is not necessarily always a dark roast.)
Coffee to Water Ratio
- 1 Cup of Coffee = 5 oz
- 1 Spoon of Coffee or Weight (0.3 oz or 8.25 g)
- Water Amount (5 oz or 150 ml)
About Electric Hot Air Roasting
Why Hot Air Roasting
Hey! What do you like in your Coffee? Honey, Cream, Half and Half, Hydrogen Sulfide..... WHAT!! Hydrogen Sulfide?? Most coffee is roasted over open flame natural or propane gas. When that happens Hydrogen Sulfide is infused into the bean. If you let it off gas for 4 to 7 days at room temperature the government says that only a safe trace is left in the bean (ugh, ok, they never get anything wrong). A fluid bed, hot air roaster, uses clean electric heat to roast the bean to perfection! Next time skip the Hydrogen Sulfide and order your fresh roast from Shermans Valley Coffee Co.!
About How Fresh is Your Coffee
Keep your coffee fresh
Almost all of the coffee you have bought in the past is stale coffee. Buying coffee with a "Roasted on date" is the most important item on your list. Don't fall for "best if used by" date, that means nothing. Coffee stored in airtight containers is critical! Oxygen and light speed up the staling rate of your coffee.
About Grinding Coffee
Finding the Correct Grind
Finding the correct grind for you coffee is critical for maxim flavor extraction of the bean. Too coarse and it will be weak, too fine and it will be bitter. Looking at the chart will give you a visual guide to the size of the grind and for which type of coffee maker you have.
About Swiss Water Process
Amazing no Chemical Process
Enjoy you Coffee just a little bit more after reading this!
Coffee Tree Facts
- Each coffee tree has an annual yield of about 5 pounds of coffee before processing. By the time the beans are sent to me we now have about about 1.5 to 2 pounds per tree. During roasting we lose another 20-25% of the weight. Putting that into perspective, it takes 2,000 cherries (5 lbs.) to produce one pound of roasted coffee. In one year, a two-cup-a-day drinker of coffee will consume the annual harvest of 18 coffee trees.
- Coffee fruit ripens at different rates and so has to be selectively picked by hand.
- It takes four to five years to produce the first crop of a coffee plant, while the land on which it grows will produce fruit for about 25 years.
About What Happens When You Roast Coffee
For those who want to know a little bit more.
A lot happens when heat is added to your coffee bean! The complete process is amazing and fun to watch. This is one reason I love my job , it so satisfies the "Mad Scientist" in me. Those of you not proficient in converting Celsius to Fahrenheit, the Maillard Reaction takes place from around 300 F to around 390 F. Caramelization begins around 340 F . First crack around 400 F and second crack from 440 F to 445 F. All of these numbers depend on the type of bean, humidity, roast beginning temperature, etc. So to help you understand different styles of roast, the finish temperature determines the style of coffee you like. Finishing before "second crack" gives you your medium roasts, anything after that gives you your dark roast.