What is Coffee Roasting?
Coffee roasting is the process of taking green coffee beans and turning them into the flavored, aromatic beans we know and love. Roasting alters the bean’s chemical structure and gives the coffee its unique flavor and aroma. Before roasting, coffee beans are crushed, hulled and dried, a process known as green or unroasted coffee processing. The beans are then roasted at a temperature between 356°F (180°C) and 446°F (230°C), and the total process usually lasts between 10 to 15 minutes. During the process, the beans develop their flavor profile, as well as their colors – from green and yellow to brown.
Does Starbucks Roast their Own Coffee Beans?
The answer to this question is a bit complicated. On one hand, Starbucks does not physically roast its own beans – this is done by third-party companies. On the other hand, Starbucks does closely observe the roasting process and designs the recipes for its various blends. In other words, Starbucks has an involved process where they research, cook and roast the beans, choosing what flavors work best together.
In addition, Starbucks carefully monitors its beans to ensure they are consistently meeting their standards and producing a consistent quality of coffee. To ensure this, Starbucks employs plant technicians who use robotic roasters as well as smaller, micro-roasting machines. This allows Starbucks to have precise control of the roasting process, ensuring the quality of their coffee beans is always of the highest standard.
Why Roast Your Own Coffee Beans?
There are several advantages to roasting your own coffee beans. For one, you’re in full control of the process, from the selection of beans, to the flavor and roasting temperature. This allows you to create custom blends and roast coffee beans to your preferences. Roasting coffee beans at home also eliminates the need for buying pre-roasted coffee, making it more cost-effective in the long run.
Roasting your own coffee beans also means that your coffee stays fresher for longer, as freshly roasted coffee beans only start to break down five days after roasting. It also means that you can easily make small batches of coffee, allowing you to experiment with various flavors without wasting ingredients.
Are There any Disadvantages to Roasting Your Own Beans?
It’s important to keep in mind that if not done properly, roasting coffee beans can have its downsides. Experienced coffee professionals will generally know the optimal temperature and roasting times for different types of beans, something that may difficult for those new to the process.
Additionally, roasting your own coffee beans often requires specialized equipment, which can make it difficult to roast large batches of beans. Home roasting also produces smoke, so it’s important to ensure you have proper ventilation in order to avoid unwanted odors.
The Benefits of Buying Pre-Roasted Coffee
Buying pre-roasted coffee has its own benefits. For one, it removes the need for purchasing and using costly equipment, as well as the need to monitor the process. Buying pre-roasted beans also means that you’re able to sample different blends without the need to roast large batches of beans.
Baristas, who must often deal with demand for large quantities of coffee, often prefer pre-roasted beans for their convenience and speed. Additionally, pre-roasted beans have already experienced the full range of flavors and aromas, which often means a better cup of coffee.
What is Coffee Blending?
Coffee blending is the process in which multiple types of coffee beans are combined to create a unique flavor and aroma. Blends often used beans from different regions and countries and are designed to produce a more complex flavor. Blends can vary from simple combinations of two types of beans to complex combinations of more than 10 types.
At Starbucks, coffees are blended for a consistent flavor profile with each blend usually composed of beans from different regions. These beans are typically roasted separately to preserve the unique flavors of each individual bean before being blended in certain ratios to produce a unique flavor profile.
Does Starbucks Blend their Coffee?
Yes, Starbucks blends its coffees in order to produce a unique flavor profile. Blending helps to create a consistent flavor across their various coffees while also introducing interesting flavor combinations. Their blends can typically be traced back to a combination of beans from different regions, including Latin America, East Africa, and Asia Pacific.
In addition to blending, Starbucks also employs certain techniques such as espresso balancing and decaf processing in order to achieve greater consistency and flavor between the various coffees. It is also important for Starbucks to keep up with the ever-changing trends in the global coffee industry, an area where Starbucks continually strives to innovate.
The Art of Flavoring
When it comes to flavoring coffees, Starbucks does not traditionally roast its coffee with added flavoring. Instead, Starbucks prepares flavored coffees using two methods: adding aroma and flavor oils or by blending flavored coffee beans.
The aroma and flavor oils are designed to mimic the taste and complexity of real-world ingredients. This means that the flavor is extracted from the real ingredient and then added, drop-by-drop, to the coffee beans in order to ensure that the flavor is consistent across all the beans.
Flavored beans, on the other hand, are pre-coated with flavored oils. This way, the flavor is evenly applied to the beans, creating a consistent flavor profile throughout the entire bean. Starbucks uses both of these methods in order to create unique and consistent flavored coffees.
Conclusion of Starbucks Roasting Process
To summarize, Starbucks does not physically roast its own coffee beans, but instead oversees the process and creates recipes for its various blends. Starbucks employs specialized technicians and machine learning in order to keep the quality of their beans consistent. For those who want to roast their own coffee, there are several advantages, though it does require specialized equipment and knowledge of the process. Additionally, there are benefits when it comes to buying pre-roasted beans, as it offers convenience and consistency. Finally, when it comes to flavoring coffee beans, Starbucks uses two methods: adding aroma and flavor oils or blending flavored coffee beans.
