Artisan Roasting: The art of roasting by Coffee Island

Welcome to another lesson about coffee! No, you are not in Coffee Campus by mistake, it is just that we like sharing with you our knowledge and passion for coffee. So, you will be able to make the best choice for your coffee every time, by combining the information you learn and your taste.

From our 1^st lesson we already talked about coffee as a fruit, the several factors that shape it and the coffee processing methods. But what happens after the coffee arrives at our facilities in Patra? What is the next step? You got it right, it’s the roasting!

Artisan Roasting: Art & Science

Knowledge, Experience, Skills, and Love. These are our means to be successful every single time in having coffee beans that have given us their best flavor and aroma.

In Coffee Island, we have been “roasting” coffee for more than twenty years and the time has arrived for us to share our secrets with you. Follow our lead to this short trip to knowledge and learn everything you need to know about roasting.

What is roasting?

It is the roasting of the beans. It may sound simple but it’s not! Green coffee neither has a taste nor an aroma, so for its rich flavor to emerge, it needs to be roasted! Additionally, depending on the roasting degree there are different flavors and aromas, in other words: its flavor profile.

What is artisan roasting?

Testing, searching and precision. In other words, it is the roasting of small amounts of coffee, as the roaster seeks the ideal rate of rise in roasting, in order to extract the best flavor and aroma from every variety.

This is by no means a machine-oriented automated process. An experienced roaster checks the roasting time and temperature, and by using all of his expertise, he offers us a unique flavorsome experience. The coordination of senses, know-how, imagination and talent are his true allies in this process.

Finally, after he/or she finds the correct roasting curve he/or she transfers the results to the big “roaster”, where larger quantities of coffee will be roasted identically, before they find their place at our coffee shops.

And from there…straight to your cup.

So, learn that…

A Blend is the mix of different varieties, which produces a coffee with a compact flavorsome and aromatic profile while it also sets the intensity of the drink, as well. So, we enjoy a coffee with his own identity and consistency, one that can be imitated by no one.

On the contrary, single estate is what its very name literally says: one and only origin of coffee, usually 100% Arabica. It grows in a specific region from which it “inherits” a distinctive flavor and aroma. What are the factors leading to that? The environmental and climate conditions of the specific region.

Can roasted coffee withstand the test of time?

Your love for coffee may last long but the coffee itself when roasted – and not stored properly – has a little chance of preserving itself. Of course, coffee does not belong to the perishable foods, but its scent is definitely “sensitive” and can be spoiled. Why is that bad? Because when a coffee “spoils”, it loses its special flavor and turns bitter.

However, proper storing can protect coffee from its enemies. The bigger threat of coffee is the environment itself and specifically, oxygen, light, humidity, smells and high temperature.

At Coffee Island, coffee storing is made with a specialized procedure in packages with a non-return valve. What does this mean? It means that an exit for carbon dioxide is formed, without creating a way-in for oxygen. This is a win-win situation for coffee and unquestionably, for you as well.

Now that you’ve learned everything for the second section of the coffee, do yourself a favor and treat yourself with the results of artisan roasting straight to your cup.