Roast Flavours

Lightly roasted beans will exhibit more of its "origin flavour" (the flavours created in the bean by its variety, the soil, altitude, and weather conditions in the location where it was grown etc). As the beans darken to a deep brown, the origin flavours of the bean are taken over by the flavours created by the roasting process itself. In darker roasts, the "roast flavour" is so dominant that it can be difficult to distinguish the origin of the beans used in the roast.

Trial and error is the best way for you to distinguish how long to roast your beans. If you like a strong coffee, a darker roast then fits your pallet, however if you prefer a softer, smoother coffee (generally known as an Americana), then don’t over roast your beans. A soft brown colour will do.

 *Note:

• On average, the beans lose about 18% of their weight once roasted.
• Beans swell during the roasting process, but lose weight.
• You require approximately 25g of green beans per 2 cups of coffee. This equates to about 10g of ground coffee per cup (depending on your brew method).
• You will hear the beans crack a couple times during roasting. These are known as the first and second crack. They all crack at different times though, so don't base your roasting time on the cracks if you are a beginner.
• The lighter the roasts, the more of its "original flavour" will be tasted.  As the beans darken, the less you can taste these ‘origin flavours’ and the more you start to taste the ‘roast flavour’. If roasted too much, they start to taste burnt.