Gene Cafe CBR-101 - Roasting Guide

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10. ROASTING GUIDE
About Coee Roasting
Roasting Levels*
Green unroasted beans have a very grassy fragrance and are essentially devoid of the avor that we
associate with coee. Green coee beans can last for several years when stored in a cool, dry place.
Roasting the beans for between 12 and 23 minutes at a temperature of 392º - 482ºF (200º - 250ºC),
develops the characteristic avors that we associate with brewed coee. During the roasting process,
several changes take place to create a familiar coee taste. As the beans start to turn brown, water
content drops from 10% to 1%; fat increases from 12% to 16%; sugar decreases from 10% to 2;,
chlorogenic acid is reduced from 7% to 4.5% and trigonelin lowers from 1% to 0.5%. Caeine,
cellulose, pectin and ash remain unchanged but the physical volume of the bean increase from 1.5 to
2.0 times while the bean’s weight drops by 20%. As roasting time is increased, acidity is reduced and
bitter notes become more pronounced. There are eight levels of roasting characteristics commonly
associated with coee.
* Times given for roasting stages may vary depending on the type of green beans being roasted,
household voltage and other variables
Roasting Level Approximate Time*
Actual
Temperature
Characteristics
Light Roast
Cinnamon Roast
Medium Roast
High Roast
City Roast
Full City Roast
French Roast
Italian Roast
12 minutes
13 minutes
14 minutes
15 minutes
17 minutes
19 minutes
21 minutes
23 minutes
446ºF
(230ºC)
455ºF
(235ºC)
455ºF
(240ºC)
464ºF
(245ºC)
482ºF
(250ºC)
482ºF
(250ºC)
482ºF
(250ºC)
482ºF
(250ºC)
Strong acid, yellowish-brown color. Slight
grain smell. Weak avor
American style. Slightly acidic. Cinnamon
color.
Acidic characteristics and sweet avors.
Nut-like color. American style.
Bitter notes more pronounced than acid.
Good for iced coee.
Standard well-balanced taste and avor.
New York City origin.
Bitter characteristic slightly more assertive
than acidity. Good for iced coee.
Pronounced bitter notes; rich unique taste.
European style. Good for iced coee.
Strong and bitter but not acidic. Almost
black in color. Good for espresso or
cappuccino.