Many specialty coffee roasters choose to develop different roast profiles for both espresso and filter coffee. This is largely because espresso is a much more concentrated beverage than filter coffee and must be extracted in a much shorter period of time.
As such, there are many factors that roasters must consider to best enhance the flavors and aromas of a coffee when brewed as espresso. Roasters must ultimately consider these factors when selecting a coffee, but the roasting process itself plays a huge role in shaping the flavors and aromas.
You might like this our article on roasting specialty coffee blends.
Why do some coffees work better as espresso?
While the roasting process itself has a massive impact on how the espresso is extracted, choosing the coffee to operate is a crucial first step. Some considerations include:
Kaapo (who is also the 2021 Finnish Barista Champion) emphasizes how crucial it is to have a specific flavor profile in mind before purchasing green coffee for roasting into espresso.
“It’s all about the strength of the flavor,” he says. “It has to be powerful enough for people to appreciate on its own, but it also has to cut through the milk.
“The same coffee roasted to different degrees will taste different,” he adds.
He cites Gesha’s washed Panama as an example.
“As a filter coffee, Gesha has more floral notes, as well as flavors like jasmine, peach, apricot, bergamot, orange blossom and citrus,” he explains. “However, when prepared as an espresso, it’s harder to balance all the citrus characteristics.
“And those flavors aren’t expressed in the best way possible,” Kaapo adds. “Even if you play around with the roast profile, you’re either going to have to roast it too murky or develop it too long, so you’re going to destroy most of the tender flavor notes.”
Taking into account consumer preferences
Ultimately, it is the roaster’s responsibility to ensure that roast profiles allow the inherent characteristics and qualities of the coffee to be enhanced. At the same time, however, consumer taste preferences also influence the roaster’s decision to select a particular coffee for espresso.
“We personally select coffees based on what we think the wider market will like, how the coffee will translate into espresso, and of course quality and taste,” says Ghilyon. “We serve our coffees in all Tate locations in London, which cater to a wide and diverse audience, whether they drink specialist coffee or not, so why not choose a coffee that is both high quality and generally a crowd pleaser?”
There are many different approaches roasters can take to source their coffees. While some may need to appeal to a wider consumer base, other coffees may be better suited to those looking for more unique and compelling sensory profiles, such as experimentally processed coffees.
“There’s definitely a market for these coffees in the right environment,” Ghilyon says. “We’re focusing less on variety and more on flavor profile, origin and processing method.”
How to Develop an Espresso Roasting Profile?
Once roasters have found a coffee to operate as espresso, there is an element of trial and error in developing a specific roast profile. However, some of the main variables roasters can experiment with include:
- Temperature
- Total burning time
- Grain Color (or Agtron Measurements)
- Time of the “first crack”
“I monitor the coffee’s behavior during the roasting process,” Ghilyon tells me. “I regularly check for changes in color and temperature, and I also take into account the total roasting time.
“But the most crucial thing is that you have to taste your coffee,” he adds. “If you don’t like the way you drink it or it’s not extracted properly, what don’t you like? And how can you improve it? You have to analyze the data and then continue experimenting with different roast profiles.
“There are a number of factors to consider when developing a roast profile, but consistency is key, so we keep it elementary,” Ghilyon continues.
Regardless of the approach, roasters need to ensure that their roast profiles provide the optimal level of solubility for espresso extraction. In general, more soluble coffees can be extracted faster. And given that most espressos are extracted in 25 to 45 seconds, higher levels of solubility are especially crucial.
To achieve this, you typically need to smoke for longer to achieve a more developed (or “medium”) roast profile. However, when this isn’t managed properly, Kaapo notes, the risk of developing unpleasant “roasted characteristics” can augment.
More experienced and skilled coffee roasters emphasize that using high-quality equipment allows for extending the roasting time without losing any of the natural flavor properties of the coffee.
Do certain roast profiles work better for espresso?
Given that solubility is key to obtaining a perfect espresso, it is recommended to operate a more developed roast profile.
Kaapo explains how smokers can operate Agron spectrophotometers to measure roast profiles, which operate infrared featherlight to determine the roast profile. For example, the higher the Agtron number, the lighter the roast profile.
“Try matching the Agtron numbers to one specific coffee using similar roast profiles,” he suggests.
However, while Agtron measurements support ensure consistency, they do not always indicate the optimal espresso roast profile for a particular coffee. To achieve the best results, roasters must consider other variables as well.
Blends vs. Single Origin
In recent years, single origins have become popular espresso options. However, many roasters prefer to operate blends – mainly because they provide a more balanced and versatile flavor profile.
But does it have any significance when it comes to how these coffees are roasted?
Each blend contains at least two different types of coffee—for example, origin, variety, or processing method. Roasters typically blend each ingredient separately to achieve the right level of solubility, then blend after roasting.
“We roast coffee for maximum flavor,” Kaapo explains. “So if we have the best possible roast profiles for two specific coffees, we can blend them at a specific ratio and find the sweet spot where they complement each other.”
However, over the past few years, an increasing number of roasters have begun using more evolved roast profiles for milk-based espresso drinks. Essentially, these roast profiles ensure that the coffee flavors are expressed in a way that complements the natural sweetness and creaminess of the milk.
Additionally, some roasters may want to avoid using certain sources or processing methods for milk-based espresso drinks. For example, Ethiopian or Kenyan coffees tend to be lighter in color and have more floral and fruity flavors, so they roast best to lighter profiles—which may not pair well with milk.
Tips for modifying espresso roast profiles
Ghilyon emphasizes the importance of experimenting with different roast curves to get different results and ultimately find what works best.
“You can change the batch temperature (read on the drum after adding beans), brew the coffee for a longer or shorter time, or experiment with the time Maillard reaction,” He says.
The term refers to a series of chemical reactions between amino acids and sugars in the beans that cause them to “brown” and release flavors and aromas. In coffee roasting, the Maillard reaction is the time between when the beans start to turn yellow and when they first crack—the moment when pressure builds inside the beans and causes them to expand irreversibly.
It’s all about taste
Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to finding the best roast profile for espresso. But Kaapo tells me that cupping and tasting the coffee as often as possible is crucial.
“You have to try different roast profiles for one particular coffee – and for many other coffees,” he explains.
For less experienced smokers, this may be complex at first. However, with plenty of practice, the process can become easier.
“It can be complex to achieve consistent results every time, but if we maintain a consistent focus on quality throughout our supply chain, we can provide our customers with a reliable and trustworthy experience,” Ghilyon concludes.
In roasteries and cafes around the world, developing roast profiles for espresso has been common for some time. These roast profiles not only provide a more balanced sensory profile, but also support to improve the overall quality of the drink.
Every coffee roastery has its own approach, but one of the most crucial factors to keep in mind is customer needs – and knowing how to properly meet them.
Did you like it? Read our article about the future of espresso.
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