You would expect this to be an obvious answer, generally speaking, but coffee roasting and coffee brewing are two fundamentally different processes. It’s time to talk about something that’s been on our minds for decades.
Finally, here is the answer that everyone has been eagerly anticipating. Roasting coffee beans starts with heating the beans before grinding and brewing. Brewing coffee with hot water is necessary to make a drinkable beverage. That should be correct, right? Is that everything, or do I need to know anything else? This is certainly not the case.
Here’s a quick explanation:
For obvious reasons, brewing and roasting are two different aspects that create the important drink that helps us function daily. Roasting coffee beans would be the initial process for you to brew them. You can’t simply brew raw coffee beans and expect the sweet sensation and aroma that we know and love from the get-go.
One example of roasting versus brewing coming into play is the art of roasting green coffee beans. The natural flavors in those delicious beans are improved or concealed when roasted. The darkness of the roast can be judged by the method used. Roasting can be broadly divided into four levels: light, medium-light, medium, and medium-dark.
The natural flavors you can taste are more abundant when using lighter roasts. Used coffee beans retain their natural flavor even after they have been lightly roasted. Fruity notes featuring peaches, strawberries, or cherries, as well as citrus fruits like grapefruit or lime, can be found in coffees brewed with a light to medium roast. Nevertheless, even though these flavors may be nuanced, the lighter roast will be able to coax them out without dominating.
Black coffee tends to lose its natural flavors when the roast level is darker. More of the toasted flavors will be revealed to you. Rich, bold flavors like cinnamon, nuttiness, caramel, and chocolate can be found in these drinks.
Roasting is a technique that influences the overall flavor of the coffee.
During the brewing process, pouring hot water over roasted and ground coffee beans determines the amount of caffeine in your cup. When water is in contact with the coffee beans for a longer time, more caffeine is produced.
To get a good cup of coffee, there is a fine balance to be found. If the water is in contact with the grounds for too long, the coffee can taste bitter. If water has remained in contact with the coffee grounds for an insufficient amount of time, the coffee will taste sour.
The more water that comes into contact with the bean’s surface, the more concentrated the caffeine will be in your beverage. It can happen during the brewing process, rather than during roasting.
Is roasting and brewing under the same umbrella?
While it is true that the two steps are required to produce our beverage of choice, it is also accurate to say that they help accomplish that goal because they work together.
The darker the roast, the less caffeine is found in the beans. Caffeine is said to be burned off when it is metabolized, while bean volume is said to have been reduced. That will be dealt with later.
It is important to note, however, that while the brewing process might affect the flavor of the coffee, it does not necessarily follow that it will. Do you think extracting more or less has a real impact on the taste? This is certainly not the case. They are errors in the drink, which are made during the production process. Through this method, it’s possible to conclude that the flavor of your coffee is negated by proper brewing techniques.
Stop debating on whether roasting and brewing are of different entities, simply accept the idea that they are part of the overall experience to bring us the drink we certainly deserve in the morning.
Have a cup today and let’s become productive!