What's in Your Cup!? Part 1: "The Roasting Process"

What is roasting and why do we do it?

Roasting is a heat process that turns coffee into the fragrant, dark brown beans we know and love. The process of roasting is what brings out aroma and flavor within green coffee beans. When coffee beans are sourced, they are typically stored in their green, raw state which keeps them from losing their quality and taste. A green bean does not have the same characteristics of a roasted bean. A green bean is soft and has an earthy/grassy smell.

When green beans are brought to high temperatures and get roasted, they undergo a chemical change. Different flavors can come from different roasts times. Once a bean reaches its desired roast, they are quickly cooled to stop the process. These roasted beans are what you find in your whole bean or ground bag of coffee. The biggest caveat with the roasting process however is that once roasted, the coffee should be used as quickly as possible before the fresh roast flavor begins to diminish! That’s why it is so important to have fresh roast coffee!