Light Coffee

With the advantages in mind, what exactly is light roasting? What's so great about it?

Light coffee roasting, light enough so there is no oil on the bean surface, or perhaps just a hint of oil after a day or so, is suitable for coffees that have a more delicate character. A great Ethiopia Yirgacheffe comes to mind. The light roast complements and supports the brilliant citrus notes, the flowery aroma, the sincerely delicate flavor that so subtly covers the palate.

Other roasters define light roasting slightly differently. Todd Curtis, master roaster at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, believes that "light roasting is a manipulation between green coffee character, cupping, air flow to the burner chamber, time, burner temperature, batch size and thermo couplers. It is truly an art, like mixing colors. It depends on mixing all of the above in various ways for each individual green origin to achieve the full potential taste profile a roaster is looking for."

This description might sound intimidating, but it really isn't. There are a variety of resources available to help roasters gain a better understanding of light roasts. A good place to begin is to use the SCAA/Agtron Roast Color Classification System as a guide in your light roasting and blending. As you may have gleaned, the distinction between light roasts and medium roasts is a very fine line. "Not all roasted coffees should be treated the same," says Curtis. "The end result is in the cup. Most companies use an Agtron reading around 55.00. This may be great for a Central American but not an Indonesian. But to really bring out the full taste profile for a light roast, tools like Agtron and color disks are only tools of the trade. Taste should make the final decision."

Featured Coffee

Wildcard SSL Certificates