ABOUT : ROAST LEVEL
ABOUT : ROAST LEVEL
About roast degree
This time, we will provide a simple and concise explanation of roasting and the roast level, which determine the flavor of coffee, as well as THE WORD COFFEE's roast level notation.
What is roasting and roast degree?
Roasting is the process of applying heat (roasting) to raw beans to make them ready for extraction as coffee. There are as many approaches and profiles to roasting as there are roasters, so it is difficult to generalize, but basically, the degree of heat applied to the raw beans and the degree of roasting, which changes depending on the time, are called the degree of roasting.
Roast level is generally expressed in eight stages as follows:
1. Light 2. Cinnamon 3. Medium 4. High 5. City 6. Full City 7. French 8. Italian
As the number increases, the coffee is roasted deeper and the aroma and components change from predominantly sour to predominantly bitter.
Differences in taste depending on roast level
The acidity of light to medium roasted (light to high) coffee is the natural fruity acidity of the coffee cherry. Therefore, it can be said that the flavor of high-quality raw beans is best experienced in light to medium roasted (acidic) coffee.
At THE WORD COFFEE, we recommend a light to medium roast, which allows you to best experience the flavor and terroir of high-quality specialty coffee.
Of course, since the taste desired in coffee varies from person to person, we also offer dark roasts with a predominantly bitter taste. (On the other hand, there are specialty coffees from some regions that develop a special character and aroma when roasted darkly. For such brands, we offer them at a roast level of medium-dark or higher.)
How to read roast degrees
At THE WORD COFFEE, we use a simple, easy-to-understand 5-level roasting scale as shown below. (The menu in our physical store also uses the same 5-level scale.)
1. Light roast/light to cinnamon 2. Medium-light roast/medium 3. Medium roast/high 4. Medium-dark roast/city 5. Dark roast/full city and up
On the brand page, you will see an image like the one above, where the roast level of the brand is indicated by a check mark next to a number. For example, if number 3 is checked, the roast level of the brand is medium/high roast .
I have explained it quite simply above, but to summarise it even more simply:
・Roast degree refers to the degree to which the coffee is roasted, which changes depending on how much heat is applied.
・Light to medium roasts (1 to 3) have a predominantly fruity acidity.
・From medium-dark roast (4 and above), the taste is dominated by bitterness.
If you like or don't mind sour flavors, we recommend coffee with a roast level of 1 to 3. If you don't like sour flavors and prefer coffee with a more bitter taste, we recommend coffee with a roast level of 4 or higher.
Although there are definitions for roast levels, in reality, it is normal for each shop to have slightly different understandings. Therefore, the roast levels explained here should only be considered as a guideline.