Why does coffee taste different at home than in a café?
That has to do with many things, such as the coffee bean you use, the grind of the coffee, and the brewing method. You can not compare filter coffee to espresso. But the environment and even the color of the cup from which you drink the coffee also influence the taste. Another essential element is how the coffee is roasted. How does the roasting process work, and what does that do to the taste? We will discuss that in this article.
Roasting the coffee
An unroasted coffee bean looks different from the coffee you make at home. It’s green and doesn’t taste or smell like coffee at all. Only when you roast the bean gets its characteristic smell and color. By roasting in different ways, it is possible to get a specific taste of the coffee.
During roasting, during which the sugars from the bean caramelize, the green bean slowly changes color, first yellow and then increasingly brown. The heat, which can reach 240ºC, causes the bean to swell. On and on, until crack! And then the bean is seasoned.
Aromas
Each bean has its unique flavor, but roasting brings it out. During roasting, more than 800 aromas determine the taste and smell character. A different branding gives a different taste. In addition, the roaster can blend various beans; the possibilities are endless.
From light to dark: what suits you?
Light roast, medium roast, dark roast; when you look at coffee packaging, you often read all kinds of things about the roast. But what does that mean for the taste? In short, the roast indicates how long and at what temperature the beans have been roasted. The beans are briefly roasted and light in color with a light roast. A dark roast takes longer and produces darker beans.
- Light roast – this is where the character of the bean comes through. The coffee you make with this has a soft taste and a bit fruity.
- Medium roast. Burning a little longer produces a darker color and fuller aromas – this gives the coffee its ‘body,’ that full, round feeling in your mouth when you drink coffee.
- Dark roast. The beans get a beautiful, dark, deep color by roasting even longer and at a higher temperature. Dark roasted coffee tastes a bit stronger and has intense aromas. Perfect for espresso.
Floral, nutty, or sweet
Aroma and taste are the most essential factors that determine coffee preference. For example, you can describe coffee aromas as floral, nutty, or spicy. And the taste of the coffee as bitter, sour, or sweet. Sometimes, you can smell or taste these characteristics; sometimes, only the coffee expert recognizes them. But the most important thing is finding a coffee that makes you happy.
