Sunday, February 23, 2014

Methods Of Alaska Coffee Roasting

By Krystal Branch


Different types of coffee have different tastes, something that can be attributed to the process used in roasting. While varieties of beans also play a key role, it does not do so as much as roasting. The beans can be roasted using an oven, gas, on a stove top, using hot air popcorn popper or using a roaster that uses hot air. During the process, approximately 10 to 20 percent of the water weight of green beans comes off. In Alaska coffee roasting can be done in various ways.

After they have been roasted, beans are either dried using air or quenched with a spray. In case a package of coffee beans indicates that it is water added, then it means that in the course of quenching, 12 percent or more of the weight was absorbed back into the beans. Loss of flavor in beans can be attributed to evaporation when flavors mixed with gases leave them.

The question of the best time to have coffee differs depending on different individuals and is dependent a great deal on personal taste. Generally, it is believed that the best time to do brewing is just after the beans have been roasted, up to after 24 hours. Grinding on the other hand is best done before the beans are roasted. There are a number of methods used to roast.

The technique known as fluid bed roasting uses convection to cook beans. Direct heat is not used. Instead, hot air that permeates into the interior is what makes the beans to be roasted. Lengthy cooking will produce heavier flavors. Beans should be roasted and not burnt; hence control of temperature is very important.

The use of fluid roasters never involves the use of water as the name may imply. The term fluid is used to refer to the way in which beans moves. The beans float on a bed of air since they put in a chamber used to facilitate their getting roasted. Here, all the beans are subjected to the same temperature simultaneously. This will ensure there is consistency and it is rare to get inconsistent roasts.

The resultant flavor from drum roasted beans is very strong. On the other hand, when they are roasted for extended periods, they will develop a burnt taste. Convection is used in this technique, just like in fluid bed roasted ones. Conduction is used as well. Drum roasted beans have flavor that lingers for longer.

The use of drum roasters requires much less real training, unlike when fluid bed roasters are to be used. This is part of the reason these roasters are rarely bought for light use. Most people however prefer them because they are strong. They will not need high speed fans like in fluid bed roasters. Airflow is also effectively controlled.

For people that reside in Alaska coffee roasting could also be done individually from home. Pan roasting is the best technique to use because it requires no training, plus the equipment needed is affordable. Individual roasting has the shortcoming of requiring a lot of time and precision. This explains why some people would rather not roast coffee individually.




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