Why are coffee beans roasted? Everything you wanted to know - Café do Norte (2023)

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roast coffeeit is in fact one of the coffee production processes intended for human consumption. But before the beans reach your cup, their life began as seeds and has gone through many transformations. And roasting is one of the most important parts of your journey.

But have you ever wondered why coffee beans need to be roasted and why this part is so important in the making of your beloved coffee?

Basically,coffee beansThey need to be roasted before adding them to your everyday cup to develop all the flavors needed for a perfect coffee.

In this article, we will talk about the reasons why we need to roast coffee beans before brewing them in the morning. There are many things behind it, but we will try to provide you with the most relevant information.

Index

What is the difference between roasted and unroasted coffee beans?

  • Unroasted coffee beans

Green green coffee is very different from what you would normally recognize in its preparation. If you don't like buying green coffee beans, you might think that these unroasted beans are a different type of coffee. Of course, not everyone can characterize it more than the distinctive brown or dark beans that people see most often.

However, technically, green coffee beans and brown coffee beans are the same thing. But in some cases they differ from each other. For example, they are the same because they come from a single tree or fruit, or they are simply said to be made of the same element. However, they differ in that raw beans are flavorless while roasted beans are flavorful.

  • roasted coffee beans

On the other hand, the coffee beans we see most often are the kind of beans we are used to grinding and brewing. They are brown or dark brown in color depending on the desired degree of roasting, which usually results from the roasting process. Heat converts them to these color preferences, forcing a change in structure and composition. In other words, they are baked, roasted or boiled.

Depending on the roast level we want, we can get a preferred roast bean. The toast level refers to the level at which you want to bake, whether it is light, medium or dark toast. You can read more about it.Here.

Why do coffee beans need to be roasted?

This time we already have a bit of knowledge about the coffee bean. The question now is, why do we have to bake it?

As mentioned above, you need to roast your coffee to get all the flavors you need. There may also be other limitations related to a person's affection for the art and science of coffee roasting.

1. Become the product we all know

In short, you need to turn those raw beans into the kind of beans we typically know or recognize as "Café."There is no point in preparing green coffee as it has a mild taste; They say it tastes like shit. Natural coffee cannot be made into your everyday cup without completing the roasting process.

The beans are processed from coffee production in the wet and dry process and then roasted for grinding and brewing. Also, they are roasted in various batches until they turn brown or darkened so that they develop good chemical and physical properties. In this case, they are making a product intended for human consumption.

2. Develop the flavors we want

We also need to roast the coffee so the beans release all the flavors we need in our cup: sweetness, bitterness, and acidity, including smoky and chocolatey. This great variety of flavors and aromas is contained in the grains and it is not possible to obtain them in vegetables. You need to develop these compounds first before roasting them into your cup.

Regarding the roasting process, we said that the coffee beans will go through several stages. Each step helps the bean move towards successful development and the desired flavor at the end of the process. Once you see exciting transformations, it may mean you're extracting the most authentic flavors from the bean.

3. To make it soluble

In addition to the taste, another reason is the structure or composition. of course you can'tMake yourself a good cup of coffee at homewithout coffee grounds, made from roasted beans. However, you cannot convert raw beans into typical coffee beans.

And the coffee beans need to be roasted so the soluble compounds easily dissolve in the water when you brew them later. The soluble substances in the roasted beans are already developed and can be extracted quickly. However, these compounds in raw green beans are difficult to break down due to the cellulose composition of the beans. But again, if you don't bake it, the cellulose structure on the outside of the grain will break down.

4. Coffee roasting is an art

Making coffee is a passion and an art to be cherished. But turning your green beans into delicious roast coffee is also an art form; that a small mistake in roasting can easily ruin a batch of beans.

For a normal person like me, we might think that roasting is just a simple process that is usually performed to make a coffee. But for others it can be more than that. Some appreciate the carefully roasted coffee beans, special techniques, etc.

Master roasters and even brewers have put their effort and love into roasting the perfect coffee to captivate people's hearts into the world of coffee lovers. The result is judged by the final taste of the coffee, which is related to the way the beans are roasted. So they treated it like an art, not only because it has a significant impact on the final taste, but also because of the intention to let us enjoy our cups of coffee with the same care that they were made with.

5. Coffee roasting is a science

In fact, there is a science behind the art of coffee roasting. Transforming the body and composition of a raw pod is a science. But I bet it's more than interesting.

Have you ever wondered how the roasting process came about? How did people discover that in order to literally become coffee, coffee had to go through a heating process called roasting?

When it comes to the preparation method, good flavors take time to develop. The same goes for frying, you have to wait for the aromas and flavors to develop. And we all know there's a science behind it.

We roast coffee beans for a reason: to add flavor to our cups of coffee. However, roasting is the result of the reaction of various components. One of them (the volatile component) mainly contributes to the full development of the aroma. At the same time, the other (non-volatile compound) helps to intensify the flavor through the combination of warmth, time and patience.

While we know that the most basic reactions occur during coffee roasting, a lot could still happen. We just don't know yet. Understanding the science behind roasting coffee beans will help you enjoy your coffee more. Try it out and discover the world of coffee specialties.

How is coffee roasted?

Why are coffee beans roasted? Everything you wanted to know - Café do Norte (1)

You roast the coffee bean by applying heat until it turns brown or darkened. The amount of heat and frying time are some of the most important factors that contribute to a good result. This means knowing how to properly control the heat and timing to prevent your beans from burning or overcooking.

In fact, roasting itself has always been practiced by individuals in the olden days. However, in different ways. When it comes to roasting coffee, using a metal pan is probably the oldest, most practical, and most preferred technique for achieving your desired roast profile.

While there are many ways to roast coffee, the beans are typically roasted in a machine known as a "roaster." It is a necessary equipment into which the batch of coffee beans to be heated is introduced. Today the standard is a large roasting drum, usually made of cylindrical steel, in which the beans rotate.

What happens when roasting?

During this process, the beans go through the three main stages of coffee roasting known as:

  • drying step
  • Verdunkelungsphase u
  • stage of development

Expect many transformations and reactions. Here is an important step, how the coffee bean is roasted and what happens to it.

  1. The first step is to load the coffee beans into the roaster or chamber (batchwise) to perform the drying technique. This usually takes 6-8 minutes at around 160 degrees Celsius. The beans then turn from green to yellow.
  2. At this point the blackout stage occurs. Wait for it to start producing different flavors and also the blackening of the beans. It is at this stage that the Maillard reaction takes place, where reactions between sugars and amino acids take place and various flavors are released. Also, you will hear a clicking sound at the end of this step. Probably the first crack.
  3. The final step is the final roasting step. If you are satisfied with the roast level of your coffee, you do not need to roast it any further. But if you want to heat it further, you can do so and wait for the beans to reach a medium or dark color. You should pay attention to the second crack, which indicates that you should go no further.
  4. Because the work is minimal, you simply control the flame, time, and transformations of your roast. It also requires a lot of concentration; so you have to feel everything. After all, at this point it all depends on your personal preferences.
  5. The last step is cooling. All you have to do is take the coffee beans out of the roaster and let them cool down to room temperature. After a few hours, it's ready to be ground and fermented.

Is it better to roast your own coffee beans?

I think it depends, it's better and makes more sense to roast your own coffee if you put taste and freshness above all else. And if you're willing to put in the effort.

Coffee is not a durable product. Coffee can only retain its full flavor for a week after roasting, so it seems best to roast it at home to get the best out of it.

Remember that there are many techniques to achieve the perfect roast profile. It's not limited to what's popular and best. As long as you have a rough guide and a baseline for the roast you want, it's easier to roast the beans that work best for you.

But on the other hand, roasting can just be a time-consuming process. You also have to work to make sure you don't spoil the beans. You'll also need a home roasting machine or equipment to get started. So if you can't roast your own coffee, but want the freshest, best-tasting coffee, leave it in the hands of experienced roastmasters who understand the nuances and intricacies of roasting.

There are many coffee roasters that roast their coffees with care and skill.Volcanic coffee, for example, is one of my main sources for coffee as they are committed to only offering the best quality coffee. They roast coffee every week in their state-of-the-art Atlanta facility and ship it within one business day to ensure freshness.

Do the coffee beans need to be roasted?

Yes! You can't make coffee from coffee beans without roasting them first. Ultimately, the need to roast the coffee beans plays a crucial role in the flavor of the coffee you brew every day. Keep in mind that we roast coffee beans to develop different flavor compounds that can make or break the coffee's final flavor.

But while the most common reason for roasting coffee beans is the most important, there is another reason behind it which involves a love of making coffee.

So, in summary, we need to look at other aspects of why other people pay more attention to you. Of course, roasting coffee produces the product we love... the sip of paradise. But it's also an art and a science. There is something behind it that few people can see and appreciate.

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