Coffee Roasting Roasting Washed vs. Natural coffees
@UnionStreet
Posted in Coffee Roasting
Roasting Washed vs. Natural coffees
Hello Everyone! New roaster here and just starting to learn on my MCR-1. Absolutely love roasting my own coffee and roast path has been great to use.
Being a new roaster I am starting to figure out how different beans take heat differently and what that does to the bean profile. I am wondering if other experienced roasters here have any advice on how they apply starting charge temps, soaks, Gas KPA and so forth to beans that are either naturals or washed.
Personally I am being more gentle with my washed Columbian compared to my natural brazil right now. Giving my Columbian a 1 min soak, a longer total roast time and applying less KPA throughout the roast. I think some of this has to do with the the Columbian being overall a larger bean with more mass (unsure about the density btw the two). Taking more of a slow and low approach to the columbian and a fast and hot approach to the brazil. This goes against the grain on what I have read online, saying you should be more gentle with naturals so they dont become a run away train.
Any advice is appreciated! At what BT are other roasters dropping for a light and for a medium roast??
Sugar burns easier than cellulose. Naturals are usually roasted slower to allow time for full inner seed development without hitting the outer seed with heat so hard that the sugars on the outside of the seed caramelize and char to the point of inducing roast flavors.
As you've noted, size matters. To avoid undeveloped acidity and vegetal flavors, larger seeds require more time to finish temp. Smaller seeds develop internally quicker and require less time to finish temp.
For a light roast, you should be about 10-12F beyond first crack in as long a time as it takes to complete inner seed development. A medium roast is probably something like 12-20F beyond first crack.
Steve
Thank you Steve! I will re-read that a few times to digest to fully. I appreciate the response. FYI Im really enjoying roast path, it is a great production and learning tool!
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