The content you feel after taking that first sip of coffee every morning travels a long way to reach your cup. Coffee beans are harvested from trees and collected together. Then they are segregated according to quality and packaged off to different places. These green beans are then roasted to perfection to produce the brown and aromatic coffee bean that most of us are familiar with. Coffee roasting is an integral part of the coffee making process. That’s where the magic takes place.
What is Roasting?
Coffee roasting is essentially the careful application of heat to green coffee beans. This causes chemical and physical changes within the coffee beans, transforming it into the aromatic coffee that we enjoy. Now, depending on how far you take the heating process, the water content of the beans continues to decrease, making the roast ‘darker’.
The entire process of roasting is both an art and a science which takes years to hone. We have a detailed coffee roasting guide in the works for you to learn about this fascinating process in detail.
Since the 1950s, coffee consumption in India has risen tremendously. Regardless of the instant coffee vs ground coffee debate, a staggering 53.51% of the population became regular coffee drinkers (as of 2018). This amounts to over 1.5 Lakh tonnes of coffee beans being used, roasted to different levels as per demand.
This popularity of coffee has given rise to different varieties that different people prefer. Taste and aroma are the basic parameters based on which people make these choices. That is why people gravitate towards certain artisanal coffee brands which produce particular roasts. The notes that you discover in your coffee are also influenced by the origin of that coffee so sourcing becomes very important. Then comes the roasting.
Different levels of roasting bring forth different roasts - mild, medium, and dark. But what Is the difference between light, medium roast, and dark roast coffee?
3 of the Most Popular Types of Roasted Coffee in India
Mild Roast
Mildly roasted coffee features a light texture and brown colour. In terms of flavour, it is mild and sublime. Aroma wise, it’s on the lighter and mellow side. Compared to the other two varieties, this coffee will have a subdued flavour and aroma.
To get a mild roast, coffee beans are roasted at a temperature ranging from 350 °C to 380 °C. The whole process is carried out till the first cracking sound in the bean is heard.
Overall, mild roast results in a more acidic coffee with lighter coloration.
As a third-wave coffee roaster, we don’t work on mild roast coffees. Our collection of roasts begins from Medium Roasts.
Medium Roast Coffee
This coffee packs a brownish colour along with a light blackish highlight. The flavour tends to be more balanced and well-rounded.
Coffee beans are roasted at a temperature of around 420°C. The beans are left to be roasted a little longer after the cracking. Medium roast results in a mid-tier acidity content with a lighter coloration than the dark roast.
Notable examples of our medium roasts include Breakfast Blend, Thogarihunkal Estate, and Drip Blend.
Bonus Roast!
Many artisanal coffee roasters, such as ourselves, take this one notch higher to reach medium-dark roasts. Coffee in this band acquires a stronger flavour, while being smooth on the palate.
Our medium dark roasts include Bynemara Estate, Espresso Blend, Immersion Blend, and Cold Brew Blend.
Dark Roast Coffee
Dark roast coffee refers to the blackish colour of this roast. Overall, the flavour is noted to be coarse, bold, and strong and robust.
Coffee beans are prepared by heating them to a very high temperature (approximately 465 °C) where the beans start to crack and begin to let out a popping sound. The roasting process is complete when the beans start to crack a second time.
Dark roast results in lower acidity content and richer coloration.
You can try a dark roast coffee with Mysore Nuggets Extra Bold, Vienna Roast, or Community Blend from our offerings.
Showdown - Light Roast vs. Medium Roast vs. Dark Roast
Over the past few years, the coffee market in India has grown exponentially. Consumers have seen the rise of third-wave coffee which focuses on artisanal coffee. With these changes, drinkers have been empowered to choose coffee on the basis of flavours and aroma profiles they prefer. So much so that third-wave coffee roasters like us have opened doors to drinkers and given them options. They choose the coffee roast, flavour, aroma they like, instead of the sparse variety (or lack thereof) available in cafes of the last decade.
When it comes to roasting, there is no right answer. Coffee roasts are subjective and the most we can do is provide you all the right information. The final decision rests with you. To make it easier, here’s a quick blow-by-blow comparison between mild, medium, and dark roasted coffee.
Different Roasts for All Shades of Life
Coffee is a drink which can be altered to any life situation. A steaming cup of hot coffee goes well with work and on a leisurely rainy day. Cold coffee can be a fun drink with friends or a needed energy booster before an all-nighter. Similarly, we have some coffee roast suggestions that pair up nicely with different life situations.
Long hours at work and you’re depending on the coffee to jumpstart you - Dark roasted coffee
The on-road traffic is hectic and you need something to calm your nerves - Medium roasted coffee
You are sitting down on your front porch and enjoying a relaxed drink - Mild roasted coffee
Which roast do you feel like having today? We have one for every occasion and taste. There is no superior roast out there, it all depends on what you like. If dark roast is more up your alley, we’ve got you covered. If you feel like having a mild roast, we’ve got that too. And if, like Buddha, you believe in taking the middle path with the medium roast, we are with you!
Until next time!