Armeno Roast Levels: Decoded
New to Armeno coffee? No worries! We know there's a lot of lingo involved when it comes to the way we describe our beans, so here's a brief overview of what to expect from each of our four roast levels: Full City, Viennese, French, and Italian.
As a quick overview: what do we mean when we talk about 'roast level?' Essentially, when we talk about a coffee's body strength, that is a quality inherent to the bean based on where it's grown (similar to how we talk about wine). The roast level, however, is what we do to the beans, and determines how 'light' or 'dark' the beans are.
The best analogy we can give is: think of toast in a toaster oven. The longer you leave the bread in, the more you'll be tasting that 'toasted' flavor, rather than the natural flavors of the bread itself. Of course, the last thing we want is a 'burnt' taste, so don't worry! Even at those higher roast levels, Head Roaster John Park chooses beans with flavors that he knows can benefit from a darker roast, leaving you with a deeper, richer flavor that packs a delicious punch.
In terms of how it actually works, a lot of it comes down to temperature and time. Most roasts only take about 11-17 minutes, with darker roasts needing a temp and time that's just a smidge higher and longer than light roasts.
Alright, onto the specifics!
Our Four Roast Levels
A Full City Roast brings our beans to that classic, walnut brown. The majority of our beans are done to this standard roast, and though this is the lightest of the four roast levels, it doesn't mean weakest! Much like wine or chocolate, every coffee bean has a unique flavor profile, and often a full city roast is the best level for showing off those lovely, natural qualities.
A Viennese Roast (or medium roast level) is the next step up, adding a bit of backbone to your morning brew. Batches of our Sumatran, Nicaraguan, and Kenyan beans are brought to this level, as well as our popular Wachusett Blend, which is a mix of Viennese roasted beans from each of our main regions. This level is perfect for those that don't want something as heavy as a dark roast, but do want a little extra oomf.
A French Roast is our standard dark roast level. This roast quite literally shines due to the natural oil produced at this level, and flavor-wise, it offers a rich syrupiness that many of our customers love! Our Sumatra Mandheling French is our most popular French roast, but we carry Brazilian Bourbon Santos French and Costa Rica Tres Rios French as well. Our Dark Roast Blend, which we use for our cold brew, is also a mix of French roasted beans from our various regions. Perfect for espresso drinkers, those that want a heavier brew that stands up well to milk and sugar, and those that love a 'strong' cup!
An Italian Roast is the darkest we go. Only our Sumatra Mandheling beans are brought to this roast, since most other beans aren't robust enough to maintain their flavor at this level. Those who love our blends, however, know that you can find these 'super dark' beans in our rich and chewy Cowboy Blend as well! Best suited for the boldest of coffee drinkers.
Hope this helps you all when deciding what roast level is right for you!
Have Questions for us?
Email us at beans@armeno.com or shoot us a message using our store's contact form, or on Facebook or Instagram!
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