Roasting Gourmet Coffee Beans in Costa Rica

There are a few small mountain farms in Costa Rica that produces a limited amount of exceptional coffee beans each season. Learn the technique to roasting organic coffee beans in Costa Rica. Once the processing is complete the green coffee beans are shipped, and carefully stored until it is time to roast them. Green coffee beans are very stable and can be stored for a period of time without being adversely affected. However, once you have roasted your gourmet coffee beans, they need to be enjoyed as soon as possible.

There are three favorite roasting profiles that most people request. These profiles also compliment the chemistry of the mountain grown Arabica beans. The lightest roast, American medium, is perfect for a majority of consumers. This roast will create a medium colored bean with no oils on the surface. It is a perfect roast level for the “cupping” experience. Cupping is similar to a wine tasting and you need a roast that reflects all of the subtle flavors of the bean.

The next profile is called “Full City” and results in a medium dark roast. This roast will have more body, slightly less acidity, and slightly less caffeine. The beans appear dry on the surface, but as they “degas” (over a period of twelve to twenty four hours) the oils in the bean will be pushed to the surface it will become lightly dappled with oil. The taste is very well rounded, subtly sweet, and extremely pleasant.

The darkest roast is a “Vienna” roast. Some roasters consider this roast to be a medium dark roast, although it is quite dark and during the “degassing” period the surface of the bean will become completely oily. This is the highest temperature roast and the flavors become more focused and the sugars in the beans will slightly caramelize. This roast level creates a very full bodied coffee with a sweet and slightly chocolate taste with no bitterness. Many coffee lovers like to finely grind this roast and make espresso from it. Having fresh roasted gourmet coffee beans really make a difference.

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Rhonda Keen is the owner of a boutique coffee farm in the mountains of Costa Rica. Rhonda is committed to the environment and utilizes organic growing and roasting techniques to craft the finest organic Costa Rican coffee.

Sign up for our organic coffee recipe club at http://www.keensorganiccoffeenews.com

Author: Rhonda Keen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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