Naturally Roasted, Roasted And Mixed Coffee: How Are They Different

Coffee is one of the most consumed products in the world. Today, it is living a new golden age with the so-called third wave, state-of-the-art trends, and expansion to countries that traditionally have not had a coffee culture. There are certain concepts that any coffee grower should know, starting with roasting. What does it consist of?

What are the differences between natural, roasted and mixed?

A coffee professional does not speak of roasting in these terms. Any good coffee starts from a natural roast, whose specific characteristics depends on the expertise of the master roaster to get the best out of each variety of bean. The average consumer faces three types of coffee: natural, roasted and mixed.

 What is coffee roasting, and why is it so important?

Getting a really good cup of coffee is not that simple and depends on many different factors. We will not get into very complex questions, but anyone who regularly drinks coffee should at least understand why the roasting phase is essential and how it influences the drink.

 What is green coffee

Green coffee is the original form of the beans before it is prepared to make the infusion. It is the “raw” coffee, collected, extracted from its shell and dried. It has a smooth, fresh texture and little to no aroma. When it is roasted, chemical processes completely transform the grain, developing its organoleptic characteristics.

Roasted coffee

Roasted coffee is dark, hard and crunchy. It gives off complex aromas and can be more or less bright. This coffee is ground to infuse, and the less time that passes from roasting to brewing, the better. As soon as it has been roasted, the beans lose flavor. So, it is advisable to buy coffee beans in roasters or specialized stores that indicate the exact date.

There is much debate about how the perfect roast is, and the secret of a good roast is knowing how to choose the most suitable type for each variety of coffee and for each form of preparation.

Therefore, totally different coffee infusions can be obtained from the same raw material thanks to the roasting game. The machine, the way of applying the heat and its temperature, the time or the volume are some of the variables influence the roast. And, therefore the final coffee. In this way, we get more intense or smooth coffees with more or less caffeine.

Roast types and their characteristics:

We can distinguish between three main types of roast, with intermediate degrees between them. They differ in color and depend on the time and temperature of toasting.

• Light, light or cinnamon roast. The grains are very light in color because hardly any oils have been released. The aromas are fruity and somewhat herbaceous, the natural ones of the plant.
• Medium roast. The coffee has bitter notes and a darker shade of brown. The aromas are intensified thanks to the caramelization of the sugars. It is often used to make espresso coffee.
• Dark roast. The beans are more toasted, almost reaching black in the case of a very dark roast. It is a coffee with little caffeine, less aroma, and less acidity, but with a more pronounced and “strong” taste, bitter, smoky, and spicy notes. It is not recommended for filter coffee machines or cold brew techniques.

Let’s be clear: roasting is a crime against good coffee.