Learning the language....

I read a quote about coffee roasting the other day that summed up where I am with this....it was something to the effect that you really can't learn anything until you realize you don't know anything about it and that you will always have a ton to learn.  The more I learn and understand, the more I realize there is to learn about roasting, and I am thoroughly enjoying the process!

You can click here for an online dictionary of coffee terms from roastmagazine.com.  I'll try to break down what I'm learning about the roasting process.

The beans, green and practically having no smell, go into a roaster that is already heated to about 400 degrees.  From the moment they are poured in, I make sure they are in a constant, steady state of motion.  As they begin to roast, a smell that is somewhat bread-like becomes noticeable, and before long, I hear a tell-tale pop that's the signal that I've reached first crack.  If it happens too quickly or later than I expect, that's a cue to make sure I'm paying attention to temperature.  The pops increase in frequency, and the aroma is becoming more akin to what we think of as a coffee smell.  As first crack winds down, there seems to be a quiet interlude leading up to second crack.  As the roast continues into second crack, the sound to me is more of a sizzle than a series of pops, and the smoke becomes more dense when I check the beans.  This, full city +, is the point when I like it best, just barely into second crack, so this is normally what I shoot for.  This is when, in my opinion, the aroma is just incredible.  However, I am learning by experience that it's important to try out different levels of roasting.  One day, I accidentally went a little farther into the roast, and I loved the taste of those Peruvian beans when they were pushed to a deep, shiny, dark brown. 

What is first crack?  What's really happening?  How do the beans look as they roast?  Well, I found this site, Sweet Maria's, and it has been such a help all along the way, and they have a wonderful page devoted to the roasting process.  Click here to read more about what's really happening at each state of the roast. 

Hope y'all find this interesting!