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Alaska Coffee Roasting Techniques And Information About Them

By Krystal Branch


Different types of coffee have different tastes, something that can be attributed to the process used in roasting. While varieties of beans also play a key role, it does not do so as much as roasting. The beans can be roasted using an oven, gas, on a stove top, using hot air popcorn popper or using a roaster that uses hot air. During the process, approximately 10 to 20 percent of the water weight of green beans comes off. In Alaska coffee roasting can be done in various ways.

After they have been roasted, beans are either dried using air or quenched with a spray. In case a package of coffee beans indicates that it is water added, then it means that in the course of quenching, 12 percent or more of the weight was absorbed back into the beans. Loss of flavor in beans can be attributed to evaporation when flavors mixed with gases leave them.

The question of the best time to have coffee differs depending on different individuals and is dependent a great deal on personal taste. Generally, it is believed that the best time to do brewing is just after the beans have been roasted, up to after 24 hours. Grinding on the other hand is best done before the beans are roasted. There are a number of methods used to roast.

There is the use of fluid bed roasters that utilize convection to cook. Rather than the use of direct heat, hot air permeates into the interior, facilitating the process whereby beans get roasted. Cooking for a lengthy period will produce heavy flavors. Controlling the temperature is very crucial because beans are supposed to be roasted and not burnt.

The use of fluid roasters never involves the use of water as the name may imply. The term fluid is used to refer to the way in which beans moves. The beans float on a bed of air since they put in a chamber used to facilitate their getting roasted. Here, all the beans are subjected to the same temperature simultaneously. This will ensure there is consistency and it is rare to get inconsistent roasts.

The resultant flavor from drum roasted beans is very strong. On the other hand, when they are roasted for extended periods, they will develop a burnt taste. Convection is used in this technique, just like in fluid bed roasted ones. Conduction is used as well. Drum roasted beans have flavor that lingers for longer.

Drum roasters require more time than fluid bed roasters. This is the reason why they are rarely purchased for light purposes. Their preference is because of the fact they are durable and will not need to use very high speed fans. Airflow is also easily controlled, albeit with some reduction in consistency.

For people that reside in Alaska coffee roasting could also be done individually from home. Pan roasting is the best technique to use because it requires no training, plus the equipment needed is affordable. Individual roasting has the shortcoming of requiring a lot of time and precision. This explains why some people would rather not roast coffee individually.




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