There are many ways to make a cup of coffee, and true aficionados are always looking for that extra degree of control. A cup of coffee can taste quite different depending on whether you’ve used a pour-over, an espresso machine, or a French press. With all that said, roasting your coffee beans can provide you with a much higher degree of control over your cup of coffee. In this article, you will learn about different coffee roasters and the different flavors to choose from for a delicious cup of coffee.
You can leave the roasting process to a professional or do it yourself at home. Either way, different types of roasting techniques can add an entirely new dimension to your coffee experience.
What Happens During the Roasting Process?
So, what exactly is the point of roasting coffee, anyway?
First, the coffee bean is a shade of green before it’s roasted. At this point, it is pretty much tasteless. Those subtle notes and flavors are only released once the coffee beans go through the roasting process.
During the roasting process, the coffee beans lose moisture and inflate, and they also turn varying shades of brown.
The most crucial part of the roasting process, however, is that it creates a chemical transformation in the beans. Certain chemical compounds break down, releasing flavors in the beans.
Sounds pretty complicated, right?
Even though it might sound rather scientific, these chemical processes aren’t really that groundbreaking. In fact, they’ve been in use for a very long time.
The first chemical reaction involved is called the Maillard Reaction, which was named after a French chef. This reaction occurs between reducing sugars and amino acids and is used to make cookies, dumplings, and even toasted marshmallows.
The other primary chemical reaction involved in coffee roasting is the Strecker Degradation Reaction. This is what creates the foam we see from espresso machines and also releases CO2.
The roasting process can be broken down into a few steps:
- The coffee beans are first heated in a cylindrical broiler
- The cylindrical broiler spins as the beans are heated
- Spinning lets the beans roast without touching a hot surface for too long
- The broiler is heated automatically for the first few minutes
- After some time has passed, the roasting expert checks the results
- Judging by smell, taste, and sight, the expert decides what to do next
- After controlling the temperature of the broiler, the expert finishes the process
- The beans are released onto a tray, where they are cooled by a fan.
How Does Roasting Allow You to Control the Flavor?
While the roasting process can be a little complex, the taste of the beans is affected by a few simple factors:
The longer you roast the beans, the darker they become. The darker the beans, the stronger the flavor.
Of course, the taste of the coffee also depends on the beans themselves. Beans from certain areas of the globe have distinctive tastes and smells. The process of harvesting the beans also affects the final product. Even the altitude and slope of the soil can drastically alter the flavor of that final cup of coffee.
What Are My Options for Roasting My Own Coffee Beans?
If this process intrigues you and you’d like to give it a try, then there are a few options available to you:
First, you could visit a coffee shop nearby that roasts its own beans. By tasting the different types of roasts and beans, you can get a sense of your personal taste. Even if you want to roast your own beans one day, this is a good first step to learning what you really like. Understanding how to select a coffee roast can greatly enhance your coffee experience, whether you’re purchasing roasted beans or planning to roast your own.
If you’d like to roast your coffee at home but are unsure about investing in a real roaster, there are other options available. Believe it or not, you can roast coffee using a stovetop popcorn maker. While this isn’t exactly a professional-grade solution, it gets the job done.
Finally, you can go the whole nine yards and get yourself a commercial coffee roaster. There are a few units out there that won’t break the bank, and they can provide you with the ultimate level of control over your coffee beans.
Our Top Picks For Coffee Roasters
- KALDI Coffee Roasters
If you want to approach your coffee roasting like a seasoned pro, this top-of-the-line unit from KALDI is a solid option.
You’ll feel like an expert in no time as you use an included thermometer, hopper, and probe rod to control the roasting process completely. There’s even a chaff holder, too. It’s a little industrial, and you might need a fair amount of counter space, but its stainless-steel design is a nice touch that’ll give any kitchen a little extra flair.
- Nuvo Eco Coffee Roasters
While the previous option is pretty complex, this coffee roaster is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.
And you know what? That’s not a bad thing.
The simplicity of this design is winning over roasters all over the globe, and it’s easy to see why. There are no moving parts on this one, and the internal design of the ceramic roaster allows the beans to be heated equally. A waffle-like grid on the inside makes sure that the heat is distributed evenly, while heat and noise can escape through a couple of well-placed holes.
- Gene Cafe CBR-101 Coffee Roasters
If you need to roast a kilo of coffee quickly and easily, you might consider this option from Gene Cafe. Its user-friendly design makes it a no-brainer for coffee-roasting newbies, and it’s easy on the eye as well.
- Fresh Roast SR500 Automatic Roasters
This option is perfect if you’d like to take advantage of some of the most technologically advanced features available. In addition to giving you a range of controls, you can even connect this roaster to your computer.
- Nesco Pro Series Coffee Roasters
The Nesco coffee roaster is another smart choice, and it could be perfect if you don’t have much space. Its compact design makes it a welcome addition to even the most cramped kitchen counters, and it’s still more than capable of delivering excellent coffee beans.