Uncovering the Finest Coffee Roasting Profiles: A Journey through Flavors and Expert Techniques

Are you tired of the same old cup of joe? Ready to discover the absolute best coffee roasting profiles that will elevate your morning routine to new heights of flavor? Look no further! In this article, we delve into the world of expert coffee roasters, uncovering their secrets and sharing their top recommendations. From the 500 grams light roast by John Francis and the unforgettable Kaffetårnet brew of October 2016, to the bold and robust roasting techniques favored by Peter van Wijk and John Platô, we've got you covered. Get ready to embark on an aromatic journey that will leave your taste buds begging for more.

500 grams light roast, John Francis

John Francis, a coffee enthusiast and roaster, shares his preferred roast style in April 2018. He believes in creating a bright, clean, and balanced coffee that reflects the bean's origin. After experimenting with numerous roasts, he has settled on a simple and easy-to-follow protocol for a 500 gram batch. He offers the following guidelines:

- Always plug your Bullet roaster directly into a 15-20amp circuit for optimal performance, rather than using an extension cord.

- Ensure that the temperature of your beans is 10-15ºC below the first crack temperature (FC). For example, if your FC for Ethiopian beans is 175ºC, charge them at 160ºC BT (bean temperature).

- Aim to reach the turning point (TP) at around 100ºC, which should take approximately 1 minute.

- Look for the browning stage (MAI), where no green beans remain, around the 4-minute mark.

- For City/City roasts, aim for a finishing temperature of 195ºC with a rate of rise (RoR) less than 5ºC.

- For City/Full-City roasts, aim for a finishing temperature of 200-205ºC with an RoR less than 5ºC.

Here is John's preferred protocol for a 500 gram batch (version 0.85):

1. Charge at P6/F2.

2. Increase the heat to 150ºC (Yellow) at F3.

3. Reach FC when the time between cracks is less than 2-3 seconds at P5.

4. Maintain a temperature of 190-195ºC at F4 to control the declining RoR only.

Note: John's roasting conditions include living at an altitude of 7,200 ft (2200 meters) with 35% relative humidity. You can find additional information on how changing weather conditions affect coffee roasting at this link: Changing Weather conditions

Here is an image of John's 500 gram roast: Please note that although the preheat setting is labeled as 200ºC, John charges the beans when the BT (bean temperature) reaches around 160-165ºC.

October 2016, Kaffetårnet

Kaffetårnet, a small café located in central Copenhagen, Denmark, uses a Bullet roaster for their coffee. They roast 750 gram batches and preheat the roaster to 185ºC. The settings they use are as follows:

- Initially, set the power to zero (P0) to avoid scorching the beans.

- Once the bean temperature (BT) reaches 100ºC, increase the power to P9.

- Adjust the power and fan settings by one step for every 10-degree rise in BT.

They achieve the first crack (FC) at 9 minutes and 38 seconds.

Here is an image of Kaffetårnet's 750 gram roast:

August 2016, Jed from USA

Jed from the USA conducted an experiment with his roast to observe the rate of rise (ROR) curve without any adjustments. He set the power to P6 and the fan to F2 throughout the roast. The batch size was 450 grams, and they preheated the roaster to 160ºC (a bit low for this batch size; Jed suggests using 175ºC). The graph shows that the ROR rises too quickly after 8 minutes, indicating the need for earlier heat reduction.

Here is an image of Jed's roast:

In a subsequent roast, Jed decreased the heat by stepping down from P6 to P5 at 6.5 minutes, resulting in a more desirable ROR curve. However, many prefer even lower ROR levels during the first crack.

You can further experiment with heat adjustments, such as using the Kaffe-Thomas technique of stepping down every minute after 5 minutes. Additionally, the fan setting can also be adjusted based on factors such as batch size, bean type, room temperature, humidity, and more.

Larger batch size: Here is a roast by Eric using 1,000 grams of Sumatra beans. The settings remain the same throughout the roast, except for the first minute. It is interesting to note that the ROR levels rise significantly in the final stages of the roast.

Image of Eric's 1 kilo roast:

Roasting to start of 2nd crack, Peter van Wijk

Peter van Wijk prefers roasting his beans until the start of the second crack. He enjoys the chocolatey and nutty flavors that develop at this stage, although obtaining a declining ROR throughout the roast can be challenging. The development percentage usually falls between 30 and 40%, regardless of the profile used. Interestingly, most profiles still result in good tasting coffee.

This particular roast consists of 700 grams of Cuba beans and is preheated to 185ºC.

Image of Peter van Wijk's roast:

Daryl, another coffee enthusiast, agrees with Peter's preference for roasting until the start of the second crack. He mentions that even roasts with unconventional profiles can often result in good-tasting coffee. Peter adds that longer roast times, around 14 minutes, tend to produce better flavors compared to shorter roasts of only 9 or 10 minutes. He also emphasizes the importance of allowing the beans to age for one or two weeks before consuming them as espresso.

Roasting 1 kilo for espresso - John Platô

John Platô, a dedicated roaster, continuously refines his roasting profiles. In his most recent profile from March 2018, he focused on fanspeed adjustments. Initially, he used the lowest airflow (F1) in the first half of the roast to avoid losing heat. However, by accident, he discovered that using F3 led to a faster yellowing point. After experimenting multiple times, he observed several benefits of using F3:

- More evenly distributed heat resulting in a uniform bean color.

- Clearer flavors and a sweeter taste.

- Reduced chaff.

Here is John's protocol for a 1-kilogram batch, primarily intended for espresso. To ensure proper performance, John recommends warming up the roaster for at least 30 minutes before charging the beans. The protocol is as follows:

- Charge with a drum temperature (DT) and bean temperature (BT) of 200ºC.

- Begin with settings of D8, P9, and F4.

- Adjust the power to P7 at 175ºC.

- Adjust the power to P5 and increase the fan to F5 at 180ºC.

- Adjust the fan to F6 at 185ºC

- Adjust the power to P3 and monitor the RoR carefully at 190ºC.

- Here is an image of John's 1-kilogram roast:

Earlier profiles from February 2018 started with a low fan setting and used the following protocol:

- Charge with DT and BT at 200ºC.

- Begin with settings D8, P9, F1.

- Adjust the power to P8 and the fan to F3 at 175ºC.

- Adjust the power to P7 and the fan to F5 at 180ºC.

- Adjust the power to P6 at 185ºC.

- Adjust the power to P5 and the fan to F6 at 190ºC.

- Adjust the power to P4 and the fan to F7 at 195ºC.

- The roast was stopped based on the development time ratio (DTR) falling between 23-26%.

Here is an image of John's earlier 1-kilogram roast:

In conclusion, these coffee roasting profiles are a testament to the incredible diversity and artistry of the coffee world. From the delicate and nuanced flavors of a light roast to the bold and robust notes of an espresso, each profile offers a unique experience for coffee enthusiasts around the globe. So whether you prefer the fruity undertones of Kaffetårnet or the rich intensity of John Platô's espresso, there is a roasting profile out there that will satisfy your every coffee craving. Cheers to exploring the wonderful world of coffee, one roast at a time!