Did you know that in 1995, coffee became the world’s most popular beverage with over 400 billion cups consumed each year?
What are the different taste profiles of coffee?
The amount of time coffee beans spend in the roaster and the way in which heat is applied during the process, impacts the flavor of your coffee.
Here are the main roast profiles:
LIGHT ROAST
Light roast beans produce a milder-tasting coffee with low acid. The beans are not roasted for as long — until the first crack — so the color is much lighter with no surface oil. Light roast coffee is slightly more caffeinated than darker roasts and retains a lot of the bean’s original flavors.
MEDIUM ROAST
This roast takes the flavor up a notch and may be the roast you’re most familiar with, as standard brands choose medium roast for their beans. The beans are a medium-brown color with minimal or no noticeable surface oils. The aromatic flavor is more acidic and strikes a balance between retaining the bean’s original flavor and adapting some of the roast flavors the bean absorbs until it’s pulled just before the second crack.
DARK ROAST
You can recognize dark roast beans by their dark brown or blackish shiny surface and oily texture. These beans are perfect for robust coffee flavors and make exceptional espresso, thanks to their bold, deep, and smooth flavor with minimal acid. Dark roast beans roast until the end of the second crack, infusing them with a smokier flavor.
FLAVORED COFFEES
Flavored coffee is coated with delicious flavor compounds that enhance its natural taste. Added flavor can also help extend the shelf life of your coffee beans. Flavored coffee is great as an after-dinner refreshment and is often used for holidays and special occasions.
Roasters add flavor to the bean by spraying a specially formulated flavored oil to the mixture after the beans are done roasting. These manufactured flavors, like cinnamon or chocolate cake, soak into the beans and complement the existing natural flavors, like cherry or almond notes. The end result is a delicious blend you can tailor to match the seasons, holidays, and other customer wants.
Today, coffee can be produced with almost any flavor imaginable.
Some of the most popular gourmet flavored coffees include:
• Hazelnut
• French vanilla
• Salted caramel
• Pumpkin spice
• Peppermint
• Chocolate