First, let’s talk about the taste. When you buy coffee, many different words will come to mind. We’ll just focus on a few here: Light, MediumAnd dark Roast meat. Each roast is made slightly differently, but the longer they sizzle, the darker they become. There are other variables like roaster temperature, but for our purposes we’ll stick with the basics. Every second your beans are in the roaster, they change. Their aromas, their taste, their color profile.
Light roasts come out of the roaster light golden brown. These are usually roasted at a lower temperature or for a shorter time, and the result is a bean that produces a lighter color and flavor. Light roasts often taste a little floral, a little fruity, almost as if you could taste the coffee cherry that once contained the bean. Light roasts always taste like spring mornings in Portland to me. If Light Roasts had a playlist, it would definitely start with “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
Medium roasts I drink almost every morning. Medium roasts tend to come out of the roaster a rich earthy brown. They taste of warm spices, caramel and toffee with gentle chocolate notes. A well-brewed medium roast tastes like a relaxing fall morning to me. Since they are right in the middle of the roasting spectrum, they produce delicious coffee regardless of the preparation and are therefore a good choice due to their versatility. The Medium Roast playlist is something you can listen to at the start of your day in the morning or as you go out in the evening – filled with songs like Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.”
Dark roasts are my second favorite for daily drinking. No other roast creates the rich, deep, chocolaty and roasty complexity that a dark roast offers. Dark roasts are often used in “espresso blends,” but to my palate they make the best pour-over or AeroPress coffee. Both methods bring out the warm background flavors and also bring out some of the spicier flavors. For the Dark Roast playlist, I would probably start with “Moonlight Magic” by Ashnikko.
2. Source locally
Photo: Grit
Time is important for coffee beans. Time spent shipping, time spent on the shelf, time spent on your Shelf. The longer it sits, especially after roasting, the less fresh it tastes. At some point, after about a week, you will notice a loss in quality. After two weeks, it’s still drinkable, but produces a much less flavorful cup of coffee. To ensure that you can enjoy your coffee for as long as possible, it is best to buy local coffee.