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Green / Unroasted beans.
The beans are very dense and very hard. |
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Yellow Stage - The first
stage in roasting. The beans turn from green to a yellowish color. |
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Brown Stage - The second
stage in the roasting process. The beans begin to brown. |
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First Crack - At this
stage the beans begin to expand releasing water and gasses trapped
inside. This expanding makes a "cracking" noise. Also at this stage, the
papery membrane surrounding the beans begin to peel off. This is called
the coffee "chaff". At this stage, the beans have a very uneven brown
color. |
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City Roast - The beans have a medium
brown color. They have all expanded, reducing their weight, but nearly doubling
their volume. This roast is good to taste varietal character of a bean. |
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Full City Roast - Medium dark brown
color with some slight oily drops, good for varietal character with a little
bittersweet, carbony flavor. |
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Vienna Roast / Second Crack
- At this stage the beans turn a dark brown and begin going through
a second crack. During the second crack the beans begin breaking apart
due to the weakening of the cellulose structure. The beans begin to
develop a carbony flavor, and you cannot taste as much of the beans
natural flavor. |
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French Roast - The beans
turn very dark brown, nearly black. They are very oily and shiny. At
this stage you can only taste the carbony, burnt flavors of the coffee
bean. |