Coffee lovers around the world are often regulars at their favorite local coffee shops. Some enjoy specialty drinks, such as lattes, cappuccinos, and pour-overs, while others order a simple cup of black coffee. Many enthusiasts who make their own brews at home have favorite coffee brands from various locations, including countries in Africa and South America.
When brewing coffee at home, consumers can purchase bags of coffee from a local store or online. The coffee can come in the form of whole beans or previously ground. When buying from a local coffee shop, the barista (person who prepares coffee) can freshly grind the beans for customers. Beans can be ground from coarse to very fine, depending on the type of drink the consumer wants to make.
Many serious coffee drinkers purchase whole coffee beans and grind them fresh each day, which preserves the flavor. Others prefer to make the process even more intricate by roasting their own coffee beans at home. Coffee can be divided into three types of roasts: light, medium, and dark. Light roast coffee spends the least time in the roaster and contains more caffeine because of this. Dark roast beans spend more time under the heat, often giving the beans an earthy taste. Dark roast has less caffeine, as more liquid and other elements evaporate during the roasting process.
Coffee roasting can be as complex or as simple as each person prefers. If the consumer is willing to invest money in the process, there are several types of machines specifically made for home coffee roasting. There are air roasters that force heated air over the beans. Drum roasters are larger and toss the coffee beans while the machine heats.
These two options are often preferred, as the machines are designed to prevent scorching the beans using digital monitoring systems. The consumer can select the roasting level, and the machine does the rest of the work. Another option is a stove-top machine with a hand crank, which requires more hands-on work and attention during the roasting process. Many people use other household options, such as a popcorn machine or a simple cookie sheet in the oven.
After determining the roasting method, one of the most important decisions is finding the right coffee. Home roasters need to find green coffee beans, which are not sold in most stores or coffee shops. There are a number of companies online that have varieties of beans from all regions of the world. Most of these companies offer sampler packages for novice home roasters and ship them directly. These samples can help coffee drinkers determine the type of beans they prefer.
Finding the right roast comes down to experimentation for most home roasters. After the green coffee beans are put in the roaster, they will initially turn light yellow and emit a grassy smell. This means they have entered the drying stage, and steam will start to rise from the beans as the moisture evaporates.
Next, the beans will begin to turn light brown and crack down the middle as they lose more moisture. At this point, the beans are considered roasted and can be ground into coffee at any time. The lighter the color, the lighter the flavor of the roast. As the beans are left in the machine longer, the beans begin to caramelize, and a second crack will appear. After this, the coffee bean continues to lose moisture and get darker and darker until the darkest roast is achieved.
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