Last week, Front Street briefly introduced the Nordic "very light roast coffee". I believe everyone has a basic understanding of this roasting style. Today, we continue to fill in the gaps and talk about another roasting level that roasts coffee beans until they are black and shiny - Japanese dark roast.
What is Japanese dark roast? Why is it called Japanese dark roast?
Whenever we talk about the degree of roasting of coffee, we will mention its taste and aroma. If the Nordic light roast is compared to the "little freshness" in coffee, then the Japanese dark roast, which also exists as an independent noun, can be understood as one of the typical representatives of "heavy taste".
Today, almost all specialty coffees are heading towardsIn the world of "light roasted fruit acid", more than half of the single-origin beans list in Front Street are medium-light roasted, such asThe scent of jasmine is obviousFront Street Panamanian Geisha, Front Street Ethiopian beans with citrus and acidity, Front Street Kenya cherry tomatoes with berry flavor... In order to perfectly highlight their iconic characteristics, roasters need to avoid the loss of those light aroma substances at high temperatures, so coffee beans generally do not reach second crack.
Dark-roasted coffee is just the opposite. It deliberately keeps the green beans at high temperatures for a longer time, allowing the citric acid and malic acid in the cell walls to begin thermal cracking, and form more intense caramelization reactions and Menard reactions. As the roasting reaches the second explosion stage to the end, the water inside the beans is almost completely evaporated. No matter which production area the coffee is roasted under, it will inevitably tend to have a taste: the acidity is almost gone, bitterness dominates, the taste is extremely rich, and even more "burning flavor" is generated.
(light roast and dark roast)
When it comes to popular science baking depth levels, Front Street will finally talk about French Roast and Italian Roast. French roasting means that the coffee beans are not released until after the second explosion. The surface is almost dark brown, shiny, exudes a burnt aroma, and the bitterness is relatively obvious. Among the traditional European coffee flavors, France is the most popular. Italian roasting will cause the coffee beans to continue roasting after the second explosion. When they are released, the coffee beans are almost carbonized to black and exude a strong burnt smell. The bitterness is strong and the smoke is prominent.
In the dark roasting range of French and Italian styles, the Japanese roasting industry took the lead in breaking the traditional European method and using "low fire and slow roasting" to extend the heating time of coffee.Roast the beans until they are dark and translucent.pursue "Deep but not burnt, thick but not turbid, sweet and bitter coexisting"The ultimate experience.
Japanese dark roasting is like our Cantonese soup. It uses direct fire and slow pace to heat the coffee beans steadily. By extending the development period, the green beans are gradually pushed to the level of French dark roasting, which amplifies caramelization and reduces the acidity. The bitter sweetness and mellowness produced by roasting become the dominant flavor of coffee. In the end, the coffee beans will be dark brown all over, and even have a clear "oil sheen". This roasting method is often found in Japanese independent cafes or tea shops, and is often paired with flannel, dripping or siphon pots and other ritualistic utensils for brewing.
Why do Japanese prefer dark roast coffee?
Japan’s earliest exposure to coffee can be traced back to the Edo period in the 17th century. The Dutch brought it to Nagasaki Dejima, allowing this dark drink to be tasted by the aristocracy. During the Meiji Restoration, Zheng Chenggong's grandnephew (Zheng Yongqing) opened Japan's first coffee shop, "Kanbu Tea House" in Tokyo. "Kanbu" was the literal translation of "coffee" at the time. He not only introduced coffee to the public, but also laid the foundation for the popularity of coffeehouses in Japan.
Many people think that dark roasted coffee means "bad", but this is not the case. Although there are indeed many operations in history to cover up defects in coffee beans, in the past when the concept of specialty coffee was not yet born, all coffee beans were darkly roasted, and Japan was no exception. The coffee at that time tasted bitter and rich, and what people drank was the "coffee flavor" accompanied by a burnt aroma. This had nothing to do with the quality of the beans, but was mainly affected by the market and people's drinking habits.
Japanese dark roasting was only formed around the end of the 19th century. Influenced by the European and American coffee culture at that time, Japan gradually developed a coffee trend centered on tea shops. They appeared in the streets and alleys and specialized in producing dark roasted black coffee with a strong and bitter taste. This is in line with the traditional Japanese style."Heavy mouth"The eating habits are very coordinated and perfectly balance the taste of Japanese desserts, so they are very popular among consumers.
Later, in order to make dark-roasted coffee beans present a softer, sweeter and smoother taste based on the caramel aroma, and to ensure stability, early practitioners combined their experience to figure out a set of roasting techniques: slow roasting on low heat to achieve a deeper roasting level of coffee beans, while avoiding excessive smoky and burnt flavors, so as to achieve better body and cleanliness.
In order to maximize the charm of Japanese roasting, the same period also appearedBrewing methods such as siphon pot, flannel, and KONO filter cups generally combine low-temperature and soft extraction techniques. Most of the brewed black coffee is inseparable from the characteristics of "rich, mellow, and sweet aftertaste." It is not irritating or choking, and sometimes has the taste of black chocolate and charcoal roasting. For example, Front Street Indonesian Mandheling is often the first choice for this type of baking in Japan.The wet planing method brings unique herbal, woody, and spice characteristics to the coffee. After Japanese deep roasting, it will be transformed into the sweet aroma of herbs and cocoa, as well as the sweetness like brown sugar.
Over time, this unique "low fire and slow roasting" style gradually became an important part of the local coffee culture, and has been continuously developed and passed down with the passage of the coffee wave, such as someThe "home-baking" emphasized by long-established Japanese bakeries refers to the local traditional dark roasting technique.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
