Dark or light roast coffee? Which is better?

How do you roast coffee?

Coffee roasting is the process of changes in the coffee bean. The purpose is to develop the best (flavour, aroma, extraction ability) for a quality cup of coffee. Thus, coffee roasting must be done with precision. Even the best coffee beans can be rendered unusable by a poor roasting process.

Coffee roasting technology has undergone a long evolution and each roaster tries to put their own creativity and, above all, their roasting know-how into the process. This they have laboriously acquired through a lot of experience.

Theroasting process produces 700 volatile substances that affect the taste and aroma of the coffee. Thearomatic substances are soluble in water and thus provide the best coffee drinking experience.

Thebreaking point for coffee roasting is 201-206 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, so-called pyrolysis, a chemical process that degrades the carbohydrates and fats in the coffee bean, takes place . This releases gaseous substances and produces delicate oils.

How do you know the best roasted coffee?

Thecoffee should be characteristic of its place of origin, have specific and clear flavours that can be distinguished and not be too light and excessively acidic, but nottoo dark and burnt. It must also be balanced and rich in flavour.

What is the difference between roasting for filter coffee and espresso?

Filtered coffee and espresso differ fundamentally in the way they are prepared. Medium and dark beans are quicker to extract andare more suitable for espresso than light roast beans .

Shades of coffee range from unroasted green coffee to dark over-roasted coffee.

Light roast coffee

Light roast coffees give the most prominence to all the original notes and flavours that are not found in coffee. With further roasting, these flavours are lost more and more. Light beans are rich in caramel and fruity notes. In general ,light roasting works best with a slower extraction method such as filter coffee.

Itis often said that light roast coffee has more caffeine. However, changing the roast level does not significantly change the amount of caffeine in the coffee.

Dark roast coffee

There are cases where darker roasts provide a better coffee experience. However, as the coffee darkens, it gradually loses subtle flavour nuances. On the other hand, the body of the coffee becomes much fuller. The advantage is that the coffee is less acidic. It is therefore particularly suitable for espresso.

Omni roast or roasting both ways

This style of roasting can be used to prepare coffee using either method. However, this does not mean that the coffee will taste the same. Espresso, for example, will bring out the acidity and Aeropress the body of the coffee. Above all, this roasting has a commercial advantage. It saves labour, packaging costs and eliminates a large logistical burden on roasters.

With omni roasting, the beans must become roasted enough for espresso (the substances from them must be well soluble when extracted in the coffee machine). At the same time, the beans must retain many of the aromatic compounds for a balanced flavour in drip or other alternative coffee.

Most baristas or roasters are of the opinion thatomni roasting does not give the espresso a balanced flavour, and filter roasting does not give it a fruity flavour. Thus, coffee can lose its best quality this way. For example, the light flavour profile that represents the floral notes and pleasant acidity of filter coffee can be unpleasantly sour in the machine.

This is due to the different roasting speeds. Generally, coffee that endures a longer development phase will have a more sweet, caramel to chocolate flavour. If the coffee is fruitier, the roasting phase is shorter.

And what type of coffee roast do I recommend?

I encounter omni roast coffees on a daily basis. And I'm of the opinion that with the omni roasting method, you don't get the most out of your coffee. The taste is not bad at all, it's just that the universal roasting reduces the chance of enjoying the full potential of the coffee with a particular brewing method.

So if you ask me what roast to choose, I would definitely recommend reaching for an espresso or filter roast. Depending on how you prepare your coffee at home.

It's very interesting to taste the same coffee but in a different roasting style. You'll find out the roasting process and, above all, the skill of the roaster. And you can literally enjoy your cup of coffee. Whether with espresso or filter coffee.

Decide on the style of coffee brewing when choosing your beans. The specific roasting styles for espresso and filter coffee differ so that you can enjoy their magical flavours as much as possible. Because each coffee brewing method means a different technology, a different coffee extraction style, simply has different requirements for preparing the beans by roasting.

Coffee roasting for filter coffee

Filtered coffee emphasises individual flavour notes, so roasting for filter coffee should preserve the specific characteristics of this coffee. The longer the beans have a longer roasting process, the more body the coffee will have, but at the same time it will lose fruitiness and acidity.

The coffee beans are lighter. A shorter roasting period will leave more pronounced fruity and caramel notes in the flavour. Such beans release their flavours more slowly, making them suitable for filter coffee.