How to Achieve Different Flavor Profiles by Adjusting Roasting Techniques for Black Honey Coffee?

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Previously, FrontStreet Coffee mostly shared methods for adjusting brewing parameters and techniques to extract different flavors from a single coffee bean. Today, FrontStreet Coffee wants to share with everyone how to roast a Roca Negra Honey bean to achieve different flavors.

Bean Information by FrontStreet Coffee

Costa Rica Roca Negra Estate

Country: Costa Rica

Estate: Roca Negra Estate

Grade: SHB

Processing Method: Black Honey Process

Altitude: 1700-1800m

Varieties: Caturra, Catuai

Roca Negra Estate by FrontStreet Coffee

Costa Rica has two seasons throughout the year. The dry season runs from December to April, which is the coffee harvest season, while the wet (rainy) season is from May to November. In recent years, many micro-mills have been established. Since water consumption is only 5% of traditional washed processing mills and they don't require large water tanks and drying patios, the required investment is relatively small. "Honey processed coffee" with low acidity, improved complexity, and rich sweet aroma has become a sought-after target in the coffee industry in recent years.

Roca Negra Estate is located in the Brunca region of southern Costa Rica. Due to the terrain connecting to Panama, it has diverse microclimates. Near the estate, stone carvings created by indigenous people between 200 BC and 1500 AD have been discovered, known as mysterious stone spheres, which is why the estate was named "Roca Negra" (Giant Stone).

Roasting Comparison by FrontStreet Coffee

This Roca Negra Honey is an SHB (Strictly Hard Bean), with relatively hard beans and medium moisture content. We roasted it using two different curves:

Curve One by FrontStreet Coffee

Roasting machine: Yangjia 800N (Roasting amount: 550 grams)

Charge temperature: 190°C, damper opened to 3, heat reduced to 130 after 30 seconds of flame-off; Temperature recovery point at 1'45", when temperature reached 140°C, damper opened to 4, heat unchanged; When temperature reached 146.4°C, bean surface turned yellow, grassy smell completely disappeared, entering the dehydration stage; When temperature reached 176°C, heat reduced to 80°C, damper at 4;

At 8'51", ugly wrinkles and black spots appeared on the bean surface, toasted bread smell clearly turned to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'45", first crack began, damper unchanged, development after first crack for 1'45", discharged at 193°C.

Agtron bean color value: 76.7 (left image), Agtron ground color value: 86.6 (right image), Roast Delta value: 9.9.

Curve Two by FrontStreet Coffee

Roasting machine: Yangjia 800N (Roasting amount: 550 grams)

Charge temperature: 190°C, damper opened to 3, heat at 130; Temperature recovery point at 1'46", when temperature reached 140°C, damper opened to 4, heat unchanged; When temperature reached 146.4°C, bean surface turned yellow, grassy smell completely disappeared, entering the dehydration stage; When temperature reached 176°C, heat reduced to 80°C, damper at 4;

At 8'13", ugly wrinkles and black spots appeared on the bean surface, toasted bread smell clearly turned to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'25", first crack began, damper unchanged, development after first crack for 2 minutes, discharged at 195°C.

Agtron bean color value: 73.7 (left image), Agtron ground color value: 84.6 (right image), Roast Delta value: 10.9.

Observing both curves, Curve One had a development time of 1'45" and discharge temperature of 193°C; Curve Two had a development time of 2 minutes and discharge temperature of 195°C.

Curve One extended the Maillard reaction time before first crack to develop more flavor layers, while shortening the development time after first crack to preserve flavor complexity at a lower discharge temperature.

Curve Two was roasted to a relatively darker degree, with two minutes of development after first crack, discharged at 195°C. This approach extended the bean's development time and increased the discharge temperature to enhance balance and sweetness.

Cupping Comparison by FrontStreet Coffee

Curve One smells of fermented fruit aroma, strawberry fragrance, and light floral notes. When slurping, it reveals flavors of citrus, strawberry, lime, preserved plum, grape, cream, and caramel, with overall rich flavor layers.

Curve Two smells of fermented fruit aroma and sweet preserved fruit fragrance. When slurping, it reveals flavors of citrus, strawberry, grape, cream, and nuts, with overall good balance and noticeable sweetness.

Summary by FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee believes that if you want to get a cup of coffee with rich flavor layers, you can try extending the Maillard reaction time before first crack + shortening the development time after first crack and using a lower discharge temperature for roasting; if you want to get a cup of coffee with noticeable sweetness and overall balanced flavors, you can try extending the bean's development time and increasing the discharge temperature for roasting!

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