The Art of Roasting
To roast : Verb. To brown or dry coffee by exposure to heat. (Source: Collins dictionary).
Roasting gives coffee its characteristic taste. Each delicious drop getting out of the espresso capsule you have chosen is the result of years of experience and tremendous competence.
Discovered between the thirteenth and the fifteenth centuries, the roasting process remains the same. In roasting machines made of a horizontal drum, at a temperature of 464°F to 537 °F, for up to 30 minutes, green coffee beans are slowly moved around in heated air. The key is for the drum never to stop during the process, so roasting is homogenous and without burning. According to the desired flavor, beans will change color from green to light brown, sometimes to a shiny dark.
But the secret of a tasty, well-balanced espresso lies in the nuance of its roasting. One more minute in the drum, a few less degrees and the coffee beans will have a different taste. Roasters' responsibilities are immense; they are artists, with the power to sublime the bean characteristics or dramatically transform it. A light roast will highlight the specificity of the beans original environment while a darker roast can achieve new flavors and increase bean caffeine levels. There is no such thing as roasting guidelines. Each country, each coffee house have their own practices, sometimes adding sugar or even butter to enhance certain flavors. “Roasting profiles” are usually well-hidden secrets, and a know-how passed from generation to generation of roasters. A knowledge shared only with insiders.
Like sculptors shaping stones into graceful bodies, roasters perfect coffee beans so you can enjoy every subtle fruity, acidic or nutty notes hidden inside them. Once cooled, they will be ground into a fine powder, ready to be placed in a coffee capsule.