Choosing the Right Coffee
One of the most common questions we get as coffee roasters is about choosing the right roast for our customer's distinct taste. There are many factors that go into such a decision, and we thought it would be helpful to provide this guide to help you choose!
Roast Level
Perhaps the largest impact on taste is the roast level. The basic rule of thumb is the lighter the roast, the more of the natural flavors of the bean will be in the coffee. The darker the roast, the more smokier and full-bodied. As the heat breaks down the sugars in the bean, the flavor is lost, but you might be able to hide imperfections in the coffee.
A light roast might have sharper flavors and a tea-like body, with more fruity notes and greater acidity. Dark roasted coffee will have more dark chocolate notes and greater bitterness.
Most customers new to specialty coffee are used to darker roasted coffee, so we generally recommend easing your way into light roasts. Our El Sur Blend is a great medium-dark roast that provides a smooth ramp to lighter roasted offerings.
Origin
Many people are unaware that the region of the world coffee is grown can affect the flavor of the coffee. We will go into further detail in a later newsletter but much like wine, coffee flavors are impacted by the soil quality, climate and elevation.
Many African coffees are vivid, floral and fruity in flavor. They are also more tea-like in mouthfeel. For this reason, we often roast our African coffees light to medium to best bring our the inherent qualities in the coffee bean.
South American coffees can vary widely based on elevation. For example, Brazilian coffees grown at lower altitudes will tend to be nutty, chocolatey and low in acidity. This makes them ideal for dark roasts and espresso. Colombian high-elevation coffees are more acidic with strong caramel notes.
Many African coffees are vivid, floral and fruity in flavor. They are also more tea-like in mouthfeel. For this reason, we often roast our African coffees light to medium to best bring our the inherent qualities in the coffee bean.South American coffees can vary widely based on elevation. For example, Brazilian coffees grown at lower altitudes will tend to be nutty, chocolatey and low in acidity. This makes them ideal for dark roasts and espresso. Colombian high-elevation coffees are more acidic with strong caramel notes.
Strength
The most frequent question we get when customers ask about our coffee is "is it strong?" Unfortunately, when it comes to coffee, the word "strong" means different things to different people.
Some customers really want to know if it's high in caffeine. As it relates to roast levels and origin, we answered this topic here, but the short answer is that it depends on how you measure your coffee dose. If you measure y weight, a dark roast has more caffeine, but if you measure by volume, go with the light roast.
Other customers measure strength by taste. Does it pack a punch? Again, this depends. Some people equate strength with bitterness; others simply with strong flavor notes or acidity. If you like a strong, bitter coffee, it is best to go very dark. If you want to be hit with a ton of flavor, err on the side of lighter roasts.
But when all else fails, it matters less about the coffee and more about how you brew it. The less water and/or more coffee you use, the stronger it will taste. Even the bitterest coffee can taste relatively weak if you add enough water. The colder the water you use, the less extraction may occur and thus less flavor.
We hope this guide made it a little easier for you choose your next roast. But if you are still unsure, just do what we do and try them all!