Guangzhou Fresh Roasted Coffee Bean Specialty Store Recommendations_How to Introduce Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans

Introduction to Coffee Knowledge Exchange

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Understanding Coffee Roasting

Simply put, roasting is the direct heating of coffee beans. Unlike cooking, roasting doesn't require oil, water, salt, or sugar. Simply place green coffee beans in a heat-resistant container, then heat them over fire. While heating, continuously stir the coffee beans to ensure even heat distribution. Once they reach the desired level, stop heating. The entire process is somewhat like roasting meat, except what's being roasted are coffee beans.

Through the process of fire combustion, coffee beans release their aromatic fragrance, bringing out the unique characteristics of each bean – acidity, sweetness, and bitterness – to their fullest expression. From tasteless green beans to the fragrant, mellow flavor with endless aftertaste in your cup, roasting is the most crucial station in every coffee bean's long journey, defining its character and nurturing its aroma.

Whether in a professional roaster, on a home stove, or in an oven, coffee beans undergo multiple chemical changes during this approximately 12-16 minute process, with temperatures reaching up to 450°F (232°C) in an intense dialogue with heat. They must produce two crisp, popcorn-like cracking sounds and lose 15-25% of their weight in moisture.

The Dehydration Stage

Before roasting, coffee beans have a raw grassy smell, and some dry-processed green beans even have a fermented odor! At this point, green coffee beans typically contain about 10% moisture. When roasting begins, this moisture is the first thing to escape from the coffee beans, so this initial stage is called "dehydration."

Simultaneously, the coffee beans begin to "caramelize." During this caramelization process, substances like sugars, fats, proteins, and amino acids within the coffee beans begin to interact and combine. As a result, the initial 200+ substances transform into over 800 different compounds. The familiar coffee aroma we all know comes from the melanoidins produced during this caramelization process.

The First Crack

As the temperature gradually rises, gases and moisture inside the coffee beans begin to exert pressure on the cell walls as they try to escape. When the pressure accumulates to 20-25 atmospheres, it breaks through the cell walls, producing a cracking sound. We call this stage the "first crack," which occurs at approximately 190-200°C. Since each roast is done in batches, some beans will crack earlier while others will crack later. Therefore, it starts with sporadic cracking, gradually becomes more frequent, and then slowly tapers off and ends (it's recommended to record the start and end times). At this point, the coffee beans' color has changed from the original earthy yellow to a lighter coffee brown. Most coffee beans are at least roasted to this degree before being removed, and we call this roast level "light roast."

The Second Crack

The temperature at the end of the first crack is typically around 205°C. As heating continues and the temperature rises further, the coffee beans gradually darken. When the temperature reaches 230°C, the coffee beans produce another cracking sound – this is the "second crack." The second crack sounds smaller and has a higher frequency, different from the first crack. Simultaneously, the membrane on the coffee beans' surface begins to peel off. Coffee beans entering the second crack become darker and start to develop an oily sheen on their surface.

Dark Roast Stage

After the second crack ends, the beans enter the dark roast stage. At this point, the coffee beans become oily black and emit large amounts of smoke. If you have a smoke detector at home, it's best to turn it off first, lest the entire building knows you're roasting coffee!

At this stage, the temperature typically hasn't exceeded 240°C. If you want to achieve an even darker roast, you need to raise the temperature above 240°C. At this point, the coffee beans' surface becomes almost completely black and appears very oily. This is also approximately the limit of coffee bean roasting depth. Continuing to roast further will definitely cause the coffee beans to burn, becoming truly roasted coffee beans.

The Transformation of Coffee Beans

The process of coffee transforming from green beans to roasted beans through roasting is quite dramatic. The roasting process is like popcorn, filled with fragrance and pleasant cracking sounds. From green beans to light, medium, and dark roasts, moisture is released time and again, weight decreases, yet volume slowly expands and swells. The coffee beans' color deepens, aromatic oils gradually release, and the texture becomes crisp. Without roasting, coffee wouldn't develop the familiar aroma we know, nor would it unfold complex flavors on the palate, and of course, it wouldn't be as popular as it is today!

Recommended Fresh Roasted Coffee Bean Brands

FrontStreet Coffee's single-origin fresh roasted coffee beans, such as Yirgacheffe Coffee, Kenya AA Coffee, and Panama Geisha Coffee, are fully guaranteed in both brand and quality, suitable for brewing with various equipment. More importantly, they offer extremely high value for money – a half-pound (227g) package costs only around 80-90 yuan. Calculating at 15g per pour-over coffee, one package can make 15 cups, with each specialty coffee costing only about 6 yuan. Compared to café prices that often reach dozens of yuan per cup, this represents exceptional value.

About FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small storefront but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473