In the past, most people’s impressions of coffee were dark roasted, giving it a burnt, rich and bitter taste. Nowadays, with the introduction of the concept of specialty coffee, dark roasted coffee beans are no longer considered the best, and light roasted and medium roasted coffee beans have gradually become the mainstream of the third wave of coffee. FrontStreet Coffee has coffee beans from more than 50 production areas. The roasting levels of these beans are light roasting and medium-dark roasting. Next, Front Street will talk to you about the impact and difference of the roasting degree of coffee beans on the flavor.
If we talk about the simple classification of coffee beans sold on the market, they are basically light roasted if they are sour, dark roasted if they are bitter, and medium roasted if they are both sour and bitter. The industry will be further subdivided. Currently, the more scientific distinction is based on the Agtron color value (caramelization analysis value) as the basis for coffee roasting degree. According to the Agtron color value standard, the roasting degree will be divided into 8 categories. The higher the color value, the lighter the roasting degree. From shallower to deeper they are:
The lightest Agtron color value is 95, and the roasting degree is called light roasting (Light Roast), the roasting time is around the time when the first crack is intensive (the beans are roasted while they are still crackling). Generally, the flavor of coffee will show bright acidity.
The Agtron color value is 85, which belongs to Cinnamon Roast., the release time is around the end of the first crack (when the popping sound has just stopped, or when there are only sporadic popping sounds left). Generally, the flavor of coffee beans at this level will be mainly sour, with a sense of sweetness.
The Agtron color value is 75, which is called Medium Roast., the release time is about after the first crack is over (the popping sound has completely stopped). The flavor of coffee at this level will be mainly sweet, with a little fruity acidity.
Agtron color value is 65, called dark roast (High Roast), the release time is about after the first crack ends but before the second crack begins (about 1-2 minutes of quiet period), the flavor will show a nutty caramel tone, balanced and without sourness.
Agtron color value is 55, called City Roast, the release time is around the time when the second explosion begins (a period of silence followed by one or two weak explosions). The flavor at this time is more bitter and the caramel aroma is stronger.
Agtron color value is 45, called Full City Roast, the brewing time is about before the second explosion (before the crackling sound is heard), the coffee at this time is already very dark, and the taste will be more burnt, bitter and fragrant.
Agtron color value is 35, called French Roast (French Roast), the release time is around the time when the second explosion is intensive (the crackling sound is heard again, but it is heavier than the first time), and the coffee beans at this time have begun to leak oil.
The Agtron color value is 25, which is called Italian Roast., the release time is around the end of the second explosion (after the intensive sound). At this time, the coffee beans are dark and translucent, and the oil has penetrated out of the bean surface.
In fact, among these 8 roasting levels, coffee after the color value reaches 65 is mainly bitter, but the final consumers may not be exposed to all of them. For example, today’s coffee beans are no longer roasted until oil is produced as before. It is basically rare to see the two roasting levels of French roasting and Italian roasting. When it comes to the sales terminal, we will not directly move this set of roasting degree classification tables. In order to give everyone a better understanding, these cooked beans will be divided into several categories: light roast, medium light roast, medium roast, medium dark roast, and dark roast.
For example, FrontStreet Coffee does not directly indicate the degree of roasting on the information bar of the coffee beans. You can distinguish them based on the flavor of the coffee beans and find your own needs.
For example, if the flavor is described as "lemon, citrus, berry" and other relatively sour fruits, it can be judged as coffee beans that are lighter in the medium-light roast. The flavor of lightly roasted coffee beans is mainly acidic, with a thin texture and bright taste. FrontStreet Coffee generally roasts coffee beans from the Yirgacheffe region in Ethiopia using light roasting to highlight the unique lemon-citrus sourness and rich floral and fruity aroma of the Yirgacheffe region. Representative beans from Front Street include Yirgacheffe coffee beans, sun-dried red cherry coffee beans, etc. Light roasting gives coffee a more varied, vibrant, and unique flavor and is loved by the professional coffee industry. Light roasting is a roasting method that highlights the unique characteristics of the coffee’s origin.
Sweet fruits such as "melon, grapes, slightly sour fruits" described in the flavor can be judged as medium-light roasted coffee beans. For example, Front Street Costa Rica's Musician Series Mozart coffee beans highlight the full sweetness in the coffee while retaining a small amount of acidity, making the fruity flavor more three-dimensional.
Flavor descriptions such as "sucrose, maple sugar, chocolate" and other obviously sweet flavors can be judged as medium-dark roasted coffee beans. For example, the very popular Honduran sherry barrel coffee beans on the front street bean list retain the coffee essence of whiskey and vanilla, and the roasting degree is deepened to highlight the chocolate, caramel and other roasted aromas of the coffee beans.
The flavor description is "nuts, dark chocolate, caramel" and other bitter and sweet flavors, which can be judged as darker coffee beans in the medium-dark roast. The roasting degree is deepened, which reduces the acidity of the coffee beans and presents a more bitter and mellow taste. For example, the Indonesian Golden Mandheling coffee beans in Front Street are darkly roasted to restore the classic Mandheling flavor to the greatest extent.
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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
