A roast profile refers to the specific temperature and time settings used to roast coffee beans. It is a detailed chart that shows how the temperature of the beans changes during the roasting process and how long the beans are roasted at each stage.
Canterbury Coffee’s Assistant Roastery manager Tim Cole explains:
To create a roast profile, roasters will adjust various roaster settings such as airflow and burner strength to manipulate the roast curve, the graphed plot of bean temperature during the roast to optimize flavour.
The roast profile is used to control the final flavour and aroma of the coffee, and different roast profiles can be used to produce different types of coffee.
A roast profile can be divided into several stages, such as drying, yellowing, first crack, development, and second crack.
The drying stage is the initial stage of the roast where the beans are heated to remove moisture. The yellowing stage is when the beans begin to change colour and start to release their own heat. During the first crack stage, the beans will start to make a popping sound, similar to popcorn, as the internal pressure of the beans increases.
The development stage is when the coffee starts to develop the flavours and aromas that are characteristic of the final product. And in the second crack stage, the beans will make a second set of popping sounds as the internal pressure continues to increase.
Roast profiles are used by roasters to control the final flavour and aroma of the coffee, and different roast profiles can be used to produce different types of coffee. Some roasters prefer a light roast for a more acidic and fruity coffee, while others prefer a darker roast for a more complex, smoky flavour. The roast profile is a key factor in determining the final flavour of the coffee, and it is important to find the right balance between the different stages of the roast.
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