Contents
- What is Blonde Roast coffee?
- Flavor Profile of Blonde Roast Coffee
- Brewing Methods for Blonde Roast Coffee
- Health Benefits of Blonde Roast Coffee
- Roasting or Natural Roasting at a Glance
- The Different Levels of Natural Roast
- The origins of soft roasting
- How is the process of soft roasting?
- How to prepare a light roasted coffee?
- How does mild roasted coffee taste?
- What makes a light roasted coffee unique?
- Conclusion
Blonde roast coffee is a popular coffee roast that has gained a lot of attention in recent years. It is a lightly roasted coffee known for its mild flavor and bright acidity. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about blond roast coffee, including its flavor profile, brewing methods, and health benefits.
What is Blonde Roast coffee?
Blonde roast coffee is a type of coffee that is roasted for a relatively short period of time, resulting in a light-colored and mild-tasting coffee. The term “blonde” refers to the color of the coffee beans after roasting, which is lighter than other roasts such as medium or dark.
Blonde roast coffee is sometimes called “light roast” or “breakfast roast. It is often preferred by those who enjoy a milder coffee flavor or who want to taste the unique characteristics of the coffee bean itself rather than the roasting process.
Due to its lighter roast profile, blond roast coffee typically has higher acidity and a lighter body than darker roasts. It may also have a higher caffeine content, as the longer a coffee bean is roasted, the more caffeine is burned off.
Blonde roast coffee can be brewed in a variety of ways, including drip, pour-over, French press or espresso. It pairs well with lighter breakfast foods such as croissants, muffins and fruit.
Flavor Profile of Blonde Roast Coffee
Blonde roast coffee is known for its unique flavor profile that sets it apart from other coffee roasts. The light roast allows the subtle flavors of the coffee beans to shine through, resulting in a delicate and refreshing taste. Here are some of the key flavor notes you can expect to find in Blonde Roast coffee:
Citrus: One of the most prominent flavor notes in blond roast coffee is citrus. This can range from hints of lemon and lime to more complex notes of grapefruit and orange. The bright acidity of blond roast coffee complements these citrus notes, resulting in a refreshing and crisp flavor.
Floral: Blonde roasts often have floral notes that can range from subtle to more pronounced. These notes can include jasmine, lavender, and even honeysuckle. The floral notes in blond roast coffee add a layer of complexity to the flavor profile and can make for a refreshing and aromatic cup of coffee.
Nutty: Blonde roast coffee can also have nutty notes such as almond, hazelnut, and pecan. These notes are often subtle and can add a hint of sweetness to the coffee. Nutty notes can also help balance the bright acidity and add a layer of richness to the coffee.
Sweet: While blond roast coffee is known for its mild flavor, it can also have sweet notes ranging from caramel and toffee to honey and maple. These sweet notes can add depth to the flavor profile and make for a more satisfying cup of coffee.
Chocolate: Some blond roast coffees can have subtle chocolate notes. These can range from milk chocolate to dark chocolate and can add a touch of sweetness and richness to the coffee.
It is important to note that the flavor profile of blond roast coffee can vary depending on the origin of the beans, the roasting process, and the brewing method. However, these general flavor notes are often present in blond roast coffee and can provide a unique and refreshing coffee experience.
When brewing blond roast coffee, it is important to pay attention to water temperature and brew time to bring out the subtle flavors and aromas. Using high-quality beans roasted by a reputable roaster will also ensure that the coffee has a well-balanced flavor profile.
Brewing Methods for Blonde Roast Coffee
Blonde roast coffee can be brewed using a variety of methods, including drip coffee, pour-over, French press, and espresso. However, it is important to note that the brewing method can affect the flavor profile of the coffee.
Drip coffee and pour-over methods are great for bringing out the subtle flavors of blonde roast coffee. French press is also a popular brewing method for blonde roast coffee,as it allows the coffee’s oils to infuse into the brew, resulting in a fuller body and more robust flavor. Espresso can also be made using blonde roast coffee, but it is important to note that the light roast can be overpowered by milk or other flavors.
When brewing blonde roast coffee, it is important to use high-quality beans and to grind them fresh. This will help to ensure that the coffee retains its delicate flavors and aromas.
Health Benefits of Blonde Roast Coffee
Like all coffee roasts, blonde roast coffee has a number of potential health benefits. Studies have shown that coffee consumption may help to reduce the risk of several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and liver disease.
In addition, blonde roast coffee is lower in acidity than darker roasts, which may make it a better choice for those who experience acid reflux or other digestive issues.
It is important to note that coffee should be consumed in moderation, as excessive consumption can lead to negative side effects such as anxiety, insomnia, and increased heart rate.
Roasting or Natural Roasting at a Glance
Roasting consists of roasting green coffee beans with the objective of extracting their aromas. It is a difficult task full of subtle details where the master roaster must be perfectly familiar with the bean he is roasting and his equipment.
Be careful not to confuse the terms. Roasting or natural roasting is the process of roasting the coffee bean in which the coffee beans are introduced into a roaster without any additives. On the other hand, there is “roasted coffee”, which is the result of adding sugar to the coffee at the end of the roasting process.
To roast coffee there is roasting equipment of many sizes that allow roasting quantities of between 100 grams to several hundred kilos.
The majority of the coffee industry roasts coffee with fast methods at high temperatures in order to save time; on the contrary, artisan roasters use lower temperatures and longer times for the roasting process.
An industrial roasting can be done at 800 °C in 90 seconds or at 400 °C in less than 10 minutes, on the contrary, an artisanal roasting is done at around 200 °C and can take up to 20 minutes.
A slow roast will cause the coffee bean to lose more weight than a fast roast, but it will also give you a better quality coffee, albeit more expensive!
As roasting times increase, the Maillard reaction develops, caramelization develops, aromas develop, bitterness increases and at the same time acidity decreases which gives it a mild flavor.
The roasting process can be controlled to define these three fundamental elements of coffee:
- Acidity. It decreases the more it is roasted.
- Bitterness. Increases as it is roasted more.
- Sweetness. Evolves in the shape of a bell. First it increases, reaches its peak and then decreases.
During the roasting process, two “cracks” are produced at different points in the process. They are so named because during the process, CO₂ and steam accumulate inside the coffee beans until the pressure causes a rupture of the bean and gas is released.
The concept is similar to popcorn, but here the bean does not explode. They are of different intensity, the first is more marked and sonorous, the second much lighter.
Depending on the temperature, the roasting time, the type of grain and the roasting equipment, one level of roasting or another is obtained. Here you can see a selection of the coffee roasters with the best quality/price ratio in the market.
The Different Levels of Natural Roast
Perhaps a good idea is to clarify the different levels or types of natural roasting of the most common coffees.
Light Roasts or White Coffee
The roasting process does not reach the first crack. The beans are not completely roasted, do not have an oily touch and are light in color.
The beans have not yet lost much mass (especially water) and many of the roasting aromas have not developed. Light roasts retain most of the caffeine in the coffee bean.
Take a look at our article on white coffee if you want to know more.
Light Roasts or Blonde Roasts
Blonde roasted coffees are golden brown in color with more body than light roasts, which is what we are talking about in this article! The beans are fully roasted, do not show an oily surface and exhibit a more balanced flavor, aroma and acidity.
The bean has increased in size between 1.2 and 1.5 times the original and has lost between 8% and 11% of its weight. It is often referred to as American roast because it is generally preferred in the United States.
Medium dark roast or French roast
Medium-dark roasts have a richer, darker color with some oil on the surface of the beans. The bean has increased in size by 1.5 to 2 times the original size and has lost 11% to 18% of its weight. It has more body compared to light or mild roasts.
Dark Roasts
Dark roasts are dark brown or almost black in color. The beans may have an oily surface and a rich, pronounced body. The bean has lost up to 22% of its mass. A multitude of aromas have developed, there are about 800 different aromas recorded, as well as flavors, body, sweetness, acidity, and sometimes undesirable roast flavors.
Again, I insist. Do not confuse dark roasting with roasted coffee, this coffee manufacturing method that was invented in Spain consisted of adding sugar to the coffee during the roasting process. It is unhealthy and of low quality.
The origins of soft roasting
Soft roasting is a concept that has been used for quite some time, although it is true that it is much more established in Anglo-Saxon and Northern European countries and in the United States.
The name “blonde roast” on the other hand was invented by Starbucks in early 2018 for its Anglo-Saxon market. In the Spanish-speaking market, it is called “tostado suave”.
How is the process of soft roasting?
Soft roasting consists of removing the coffee from the roaster just after the first crack. Sometimes, it is removed before or during the first crack.
It is important that the coffee is completely roasted for us to call it a soft roast, otherwise we would be talking about a white coffee.
How to prepare a light roasted coffee?
A light roasted coffee is prepared in the same way as any other coffee, however, you should take into account some details first.
How to grind the soft roasted bean?
The soft roasted bean is a bean that, as we already know, has not gone through the whole process and therefore is a harder and more resistant bean than the dark roasted bean.
This inevitably affects the grinding of the grain. The grinder will have more difficulty to grind the bean and eventually, if you only grind soft roasted coffee, you will end up breaking the grinder.
Coffee Preparation
This type of coffee can be perfectly prepared with different types of coffee makers without any problem. I do not agree very much with the opinion that it should only be prepared with a Chemex type coffee maker.
However, it is good to keep in mind that the objective of soft roasting is precisely to preserve the balance between the roasted tones, the caramels and oils and the acids and citrus of the green beans.
In this case, if what you are looking for is a balance between the aromas and the body of the coffee, probably a V60 type coffee maker would be perfect for your objective.
But as I have said previously, everyone has their own tastes and preferences. If you want more body, try a piston coffee maker (be careful, it grinds the beans coarser) and if you like clear coffee, try a Chemex.
Water quality
The quality of the water is key in the preparation of this type of coffee. This coffee is characterized by having a higher acidity than medium or dark roasted coffee.
It is advisable to use a slightly hard water (150 mg/L TDS) when preparing your coffee with medium or dark roasted coffees, because it helps to extract the flavors and aromas of the ground coffee.
However, if you use hard water to prepare an infusion of mild roasted coffee, the hardness of the water will greatly affect the acidic tones that you are trying to preserve and the quality of your coffee.
Try to use water that is as soft as possible, and if you can use filtered water with a Brita type pitcher or similar, all the better.
How does mild roasted coffee taste?
As we have previously mentioned, during the roasting process the Maillard reaction takes place, which has certain effects on the coffee bean and its flavor:
- Maillard reaction: it is the set of chemical reactions that occur at high temperatures between proteins and sugars in food and that generate that roasted color, flavor and smell.
Above all, the following effects are produced in the bean as it is roasted
- The sugars contained in the coffee caramelize, reacting with the amino acids of the coffee, which gives it its caramel tones and sometimes its oily appearance.
- As this reaction takes place, the acid and citric tones disappear from the coffee.
The objective of soft roasting is precisely to find that balance between the caramel flavors and aromas and the citric and acidic flavors of green coffee.
If you contrast the flavor of a light roasted coffee with that of a medium or dark roasted coffee, you will perceive that the latter has much more caramel or oily tones while you will not perceive acid or citric details.
What makes a light roasted coffee unique?
The quality of the bean
To say that the quality of the bean influences the coffee seems to me to be a magnificent truism, but it must be said.
The question is that as the roasting is softer, the quality of the bean affects the flavor of the coffee more. Why? Well, because as we are roasting less, we are also camouflaging less the true flavor of the original fruit (and yes, coffee is a fruit).
Therefore, the higher the quality of the raw material, the richer the range of aromas and flavors that it can offer you.
If you have decided to try soft roasted coffee, look for quality coffee from reliable and consistent manufacturers. Do not skimp, it will not be worth it.
Mild roasted coffees have more acidity
The acidity of light roasted coffees is a subject that we have already commented on previously.
Indeed, light roasts have a higher acidity component than a medium or dark roast coffee. The reason for this is that the Maillard reaction has occurred for less time and with less intensity.
If you prepare coffee in infusion, you will obtain a more acidic coffee. The acidity of a product dissolved in water is measured with the pH. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, where 1 is maximum acidity, 7 is neutral pH and 14 is maximum basicity.
Within this scale, mild roasted coffee is around 4.5, while medium roasted coffee is around 5.5 and dark roasted coffee is around 6. Obviously, it always depends on the type of coffee, preparation procedure, etc.
This acidity is quite marked and leaves a trace on the palate. Keep in mind, by the way, that with this level of acidity, it is not very advisable to use milk or soy cream with this coffee because it can cut you.
Types of beans or “Blends” in mild roasts
The concept of Blending with coffee is exactly the same as with whiskey. You can use beans from only one origin and type of plant.
This is called “Single Origin” to indicate that it effectively has only one type of bean, it is the equivalent of “Single Malt” with Whisky. It is logically, the preference of purists.
On the other hand, you have the blend, which is a mixture of grains from different origins. Here you depend on the mastery of the craftsman who makes the blend to get the best of each house and provide you with a different and unique experience.
The fact that it is a blend does not mean that it is not a coffee of the highest quality or with a delicious flavor, it simply means that it is a mixture of beans from different origins.
Is mild roasted coffee stronger?
No. Mild roasted coffee is not stronger. It is more acidic. The strength of a coffee is also called “body” and is basically measured by the amount of dissolved solids in the brew. The coffee will be stronger the more coffee you use.
Keep in mind that this coffee is more acidic than others and can affect your stomach if you drink too much. If your stomach is sensitive to acidic foods, enjoy it, but in moderation!
Is light roasted coffee the same as white coffee?
No. White coffee is a coffee that is even less roasted than light roasted coffee. The light roasted coffee is roasted completely, although in a light way and has a characteristic golden color while the white coffee is not roasted at all.
They are different coffees, with different ways of preparation and different flavors. Take a look if you want to learn more about white coffee.
Does light roasted coffee have more caffeine than dark roasted coffee?
Yes, light roasted coffee has more caffeine than dark roasted coffee, per bean. As it has a less intense roasting process, in the light roasted coffee, per bean there is a greater amount of caffeine.
This difference is compensated a little in the grinding, because to obtain the same weight of ground coffee of light roasted coffee as dark roasted coffee, you need considerably less beans of light roasted coffee.
The reason is that dark roast beans weigh considerably less and therefore you need more beans to reach the same weight.
Therefore, in an infusion, you will have slightly more caffeine with a light roast than with a dark roast.
Conclusion
The soft roasted coffee is one more step in the search for a new taste and enjoyment of the aroma of coffee. It is not necessary to be a great connoisseur or connoisseur of the coffee world to enjoy a good cup of this coffee and Starbucks is a good example of this.
Whether you enjoy the taste of Blonde Roast or Blonde Roast coffee or not, you should be aware of its high acidity and adjust your consumption according to your sensitivity to acidic liquids.
Try to make your coffee with the best quality beans possible. You will notice it in the flavor, aroma and probably will have a little less acidity.
The acidity of mild roasts may not be to the liking of many people, who will perceive them as “sour” or acidic in taste. But as we say in Spain, “para gustos los colores”. In the end, it is largely a matter of personal palate preference.