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Roasting Process
Talk to three different coffee professionals and you’re likely
to get three different perspectives on roasting coffee. In our opinion
this is what makes coffee unique. Techniques in roasting vary widely.
Many variables come in to play and the slightest change in any of these
can turn out an inconsistent product. Roasters that are passionate about
their products, (as we are) keep extremely detailed logs of each and
every roast. Because we only roast small batches by hand it is especially
important for our roasters to pay close attention to each and every roast.
This passion and attentiveness to the roast is evident in our products.
A typical roasting session of Masterpiece Coffee lasts approximately
15 minutes with temperatures ranging between 400 and 450 degrees depending
upon the roast profile we are trying to achieve.
Key milestones in the roast process are identified by temperature, sight
and sound. During this process the beans are exposed to very high temperatures
which cause them to “crack” and expand. During the roast,
there are two distinct cracks that take place. The first crack taking
place around the 10 minute mark and the second crack taking place around
13 minutes into the roast. Typically the second crack is more pronounced
than the first.
Along with the audible signs of the “cracks”, the coffee
progresses though several stages of brown, (very light, to very dark)
and depending on the roast profile will begin to show small droplets
of oil giving the beans a very shiny surface. This oily appearance is
actually starch that has been released from the coffee beans.
By managing the temperature our roasters are able to keep the 26 different
types of coffees we roast across the several profiles we offer, in the
roaster for approximately the same amount of time. This ensures that
all of our distinct taste profiles are consistently achieved.
Blending Basics
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Blend coffees that compliment one another |
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Learn to taste coffee and recognize flavors and nuances, (Read our
Product description pages) |
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Understand what qualities you prefer in a coffee |
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Get to know the coffees you are blending and the taste profile you
are trying to achieve. You can do this by glancing through our well-organized
taste profiles on each Product Detail Page for each coffee. |
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Stay away from blending coffees that offer the same profile, or taste |
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Look for what your favorite coffee is missing and try to add to it
with what you think it is missing. |
Basic Profiles of Coffees
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For brightness, briskness, and acidity: Guatemala,
Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Panama |
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For body and richness: Sumatra, Java |
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For body and sweetness: Mexico |
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For flavor/aroma: Kenya, Guatemala, Arabia
Mocca Sanani, Ethiopia |
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To add wine or fruit notes, make the acidy/highlight
coffee an Arabia Mocca Sanani, an Ethiopia or a Kenya. |
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Mix decafs and non-decafs to reduce coffee
content. |
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Dark roasts for those smoky overtones with
the bright, winey tones of a light roast. |
Brewing Coffee
Brewing coffee is simple! Just remember:
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Start with fresh, cold water. Tap water is
fine! |
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Never start with Hot Water. That’s what
the brewer is for! |
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Grind your own coffee just before brewing.
Most home users use a blade grinder. Depending on your brewing
method, the length of time you grind the coffee will differ slightly. |
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Brewing Method
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Level of Grind
|
Length of time
|
| Drip Coffee, Flat Filter |
Medium |
15-20 seconds |
| Drip, Cone Filter |
Fine |
20-25 seconds |
| Percolator, Plunger, French Press |
Coarse |
10 seconds |
| Espresso |
Fine |
20-25 seconds |
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Measure your coffee. It’s subjective
to your taste. You can add as much or as little as you like. General
guidelines suggest you use 2 ounces of coffee for every quart of
water. |
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Enjoy it while it’s fresh! Avoid warmers
and re-heating your coffee. Pouring your coffee in a thermos, or
airpot just after brewing is recommended. |
Caring for Coffee
Taking care of your coffee is important!
If you remember a few things
about coffee you’ll be just fine.
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Coffee is porous. This means it easily absorbs surrounding
odors. If you store your coffee in the freezer or refrigerator, make
sure it’s properly sealed. |
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Arch enemies of coffee are heat, air and light. Keeping
your coffee properly sealed will ensure its longevity. |
Glossary of Common Terms
Acidity: Usually you will notice on the front-end of the cup. The point where you initially taste the coffee and it sweeps across your mouth. Think brightness. Short, snappy taste that initially hits your mouth and senses.
Aroma: How the coffee smells to you. The odor it shoots into the air while brewing is a great indicator.
Bitter: Not necessarily a negative term in the coffee world. Some folks are looking for this quality, (others will say this is a taint) in their coffee. Usually shows up on the bottom end of the cup, (after taste)
Body: The fullness of the coffee. How much, or how little does the taste overwhelm your mouth.
Earthy: Another term that can either be a taint or quality. Generally this is a grainy, almost musty taste. Common in Sumatra.
Fruity: Believe it or not, many coffees have fruity tones to them. This is most evident in fresh roasted coffee, (still in whole bean). When drinking your coffee, think of the fruits it may remind you of. Berries, peaches…..
Nutty: Another completely subjective term. While other flavors
such as fruity or earthy notes may not be present, or understated, a nutty, texture
like quality may prevail.
Round: How the coffee finishes. Does it simply drop off, or does it trail off nice and smooth. A coffee with a round finish is said to close the tasting loop.
Smoky: Where there is smoke there is almost a fire in the coffee world! Smoky to us is common in a darker, French or Italian roasted coffee. Pungent, snappy and borderline bitter.
Spicy: Any hints of spice? Say cinnamon or chocolate, or how about pepper? Coffees are known to carry a few of these. Can you find them? You need to really test your senses.
Wild: A very subjective term. Possibly a coffee overwhelms your senses and it’s tough to figure out what’s going on. That could tell you this coffee is a bit wild!
Winy: Bright, acidic. An aroma that is possibly a bit sour?
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