Of the many processes that coffee must go through, one of the processes that greatly affects the flavor of coffee is the coffee roasting process. This process involves various aspects such as drying, developing the coffee beans, and characterizing the flavor and aroma of the coffee.
Coffee roasting is generally divided into three roasting levels: light, medium, and dark. These three levels are differentiated by the length of processing time as well as the degree of maturity of the coffee beans when roasting.
To know more about coffee roasting levels, in this article we will specifically discuss one of the roasting levels called dark roast coffee. What level of roasting is that?
Level dark roast coffee
Compared to light or medium levels, dark roast coffee usually requires a longer roasting process time and a higher roasting temperature of around 240 degrees Celsius.
Dark roast coffee is also known for its thickbody. This level of roasting is usually used in commercial coffee. This is because at this level of roasting, the flavor defects in the coffee can be masked through the roasting process.
Read also: Get to Know Roasting Levels for You Coffee Lovers
Flavor characteristics of dark roast coffee
With its high degree of maturity, dark roast coffee can also bring out some of the flavor and aroma characteristics of coffee.
This level of roasting is not merely about the bitter taste of the coffee. If processed correctly and appropriately, dark roast can also provide a delicious flavor with just the right amount of bitterness from the coffee.
Some of the flavor characteristics that can be brought out at this roasting level are sweet (creamy caramel, maple syrup, fresh cola, dark chocolate), spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, anise), and nuts (peanut butter, praline, hazelnut).
In addition to these flavor characteristics, dark roasts are also known for their acidity, which tends to be lower and harder to detect.
Coffee beans with a dark roasting level are best served with the Espresso brewing method. To enhance the flavor value of dark roast coffee, some additional components such as milk or cream can also be added.
Read also: Looking to Buy a Roasting Machine for Your Coffee Business? Check out this article first
The caffeine content of this coffee
Some people think that the level of roasting can affect the caffeine level of coffee. The higher the maturity level of the coffee beans, the higher the caffeine content. This assumption turned out to be incorrect.
The caffeine content of coffee is in fact not directly related to the roasting level of the coffee. Whether the roasting level is light or dark, the difference in the caffeine content of the two coffees is not that noticeable.
In some studies, it is mentioned that dark roast coffee has less caffeine content than light roast coffee. However, this is mostly due to the different volume of coffee beans during the test.
When the two roasting levels were compared with the same weight, the difference in caffeine content was not so significant anymore.
Things to look out for when doing brewing dark roast coffee
When brewing dark roast coffee, there are a few things to pay special attention to. The first thing is the brewing method used.
Compared to manual brewing, the espresso method is usually recommended for dark roast coffee beans. This is because at the dark roast level, the coffee beans become more soluble and absorb water during brewing.
By using an Espresso machine, brewing coffee usually takes less time than manual brewing. The length of brewing time is interrelated with how much coffee juice is extracted. If brewing coffee for too long, the coffee will be over-extracted and have a very dominant bitter taste.
Another thing that needs special attention when brewing is the grind size of the coffee and the temperature of the water used during brewing. For dark roasts, the recommended grind size is coarse .
For brewing water temperature, dark roast coffee is also recommended to be brewed with water temperature that is cooler than the recommended water temperature from SCA(Specialty Coffee Association).
If SCA recommends water for brewing around 90 – 96 degrees Celsius, then in dark roast the water temperature for brewing is better at around 91 degrees Celsius. This is done to prevent over extraction of the coffee.
Also read: How to Store Roasted Coffee Beans Well to Stay Fresh
Benefits of drinking this type of coffee level
Apart from its distinctive taste and aroma, dark roast coffee also has a positive impact on the health of the drinker’s body. One of the positive effects of dark roasting levels is the reduction of acrylamide compounds.
This compound is found in many types of food and beverages. Acrylamide appears as a result of the reaction of sugar and amino acids cooked at temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius. If consumed in excess, these compounds have the potential to increase the risk of cancer.
Also read: Light Roast Coffee: One of the Roasting Levels that Presents the Complex Flavors of Coffee
For coffee itself, the content of acrylamide compounds will usually decrease depending on the length of the roasting process and the temperature during roasting. In some studies, it is known that the content of acrylamide compounds decreases after coffee goes through the first phase of crack….
This is why dark roast has a lower acrylamide content than coffee with other roasting levels.
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