Freshness is the key prerequisite to the door of the ultimate coffee experience. The sad fact is that most of us are not aware of this single most important criteria to great coffee, due to the way coffee is marketed, prepared and served.
Coffee at its freshest makes a huge difference in the quality of the cup. And if you drink it “on the rock”, you will realize how much you’ve missed all this time. Anything less, we have to compensate it with sugar or creamer. Otherwise, it will taste bland without character.
So how can we get the freshest coffee?
bought in the supermarket or gourmet coffee shop. Needless to say, it will be at least better bought in the supermarket or gourmet coffee shop. Needless to say, it will be at least better than the instant coffee that tastes sour almost instantly if you do not add sugar. than the instant coffee that tastes sour almost instantly if you do not add sugar.
On the other end of the spectrum of difficulties, we need the roast master to meticulously extricate the complex aroma and flavors that the coffee beans offer, based on his experience. Analogous to cooking, it is an art to be able to bring out all the virtues yet maintaining a balance in flavor to suit the customer. It is also a science in achieving and sustaining this consistent quality in every batch of roasting.
Is it worthwhile to roast yourself or leave it to the roaster?
Yes, it is most satisfying if what matters most is the quality of coffee. And it is also possible to achieve the same quality of your favorite coffee brand, with some help and practice. This may sound a bit over- simplifying and may even undermine the specialization of coffee roaster, that is both art and science. Nonetheless, it is actually possible for one to master home roasting to produce a cup best suit one's taste bud. And this is definitely an accomplishment in your leisures that you can show off, just like a connoisseur.
As highlighted in the beginning, freshness plays an utmost importance in unleashing the complex characteristics of the coffee. Whatever latest packaging technology employed, once the package of your favorite brand is opened, the first cup made is the most memorable, but the rest is history. Otherwise, unless you are willing to visit your favorite café every time, and the café roast their own coffee regularly or maintain constant supply of fresh beans on weekly basis, you’ll not be able to get a good cuppa.
What are the other benefits of home roasting, apart from freshness?
The way you want it. On one dimension, without other ingredients, the same coffee beans can produce different flavor range depending on how they are roasted. Even with the same roast color, they can taste different. So home roasting allows you experiment the different roast styles to suit your taste buds.
On the other dimension, with the different variety of beans, one can uncover the distinctive characteristics of the beans, without relying too much on the roasters who's so-called best roast usually take on a middle path that suit the mass market and all brew methods.
Fun – It is easy and fun to watch the beans transform from small pale green to muscular, shiny and brown beans, filling the surrounding with an aroma that your neighbours can only envoy. Depending on your mood, you can determine how the coffee should taste like. Or if you manage to get hold of some award winning beans, you will want to experiment to uncover the complex characteristics of the coffee. And once you get the hang of it, you will find that the coffee from your gourmet coffee shop is no big deal after all.
Cost – It is definitely much cheaper to roast your own beans. What you need is just a home roaster and few ounces of raw coffee beans. Just mentioned earlier, it can be as simple as popping popcorns. Though not the most convincing reason to own roast, it does provides savings in the long term if you are a coffee lover or a regular coffee drinker.
Hobby to impress – As a product from the nature, it is interesting to know that a single bean, without any other ingredients, can produce such marvellous aroma that scientists around the world are still researching. It takes a lifetime to understand coffee, especially when it comes to the varieties, processing methods, roasting styles, preparation methods and final tasting. There is just too much to digest. With the different roasting styles, you will realise how different the same coffee can taste like, from the dark- roasted bold and strong body coffee that complements well with sugar and creamer, to the adventurous, lively and mysterious beverage that by itself is so enlightening. Finally, you can impress your friends with the connoisseur in you. Why not?
So are you convince or would you like to take up this challenge to make the next best coffee in town?
