Variation of roasting degrees!
Some beans have a wide range in the best roasting degrees, which adds essence of entertainment in roasting/brewing process. Certainly origins of beans strongly characterizes flavor of cups: however, roasting degrees, means roasters techniques, has strong impacts on the flavor. In other words, “Roasting
technique/degrees grab the key of flavor, and have power to settle evaluation of coffee beans.”
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| Left: French / Right:Medium |
Here is experiment done with Costa Rica, Honey Typica. This Costa Rican coffee is processed rare varietal, original Typica with the Honey Process Method. The Honey Process, variety of the pulped-natural process, is categorized as the Dry-Process, also called Natural process. In the dry-process, the coffee cherries are simply laid out on a patio to dry, and the Honey method basically follows that except handling of cherry skin. With the Honey method, skin of the fruit is first removed, leaving the mucilage (inner fruit) around the bean, and then is laid out on a patio to dry. The bean then absorbs some of the starches during the drying process. This method results in more body and sweetness with flavor.
Back on track: Here are two varieties of roasting degrees: Medium and French. Character of Honey typica is well balanced lemony acidity and bitterness on top of deep sweetness, and soothing flavor. This basic character is the core of this Costa Rican coffee stays, referring my coffee journey so far, but degree of each flavor, such as acidity, bitterness and so on, varies by roasting depth and will change total impression of flavor. Cited below are characters’ notes of each roast by the roaster, followed by my impressions.
French Roast
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Roaster's Comments】
Roasted deeply, this is characterized dark chocolaty bitterness and sweetness, free from charcoal like bitterness. Brewed darker, espresso, or café au lait bring more sweetness in flavor.
【Impression】
Full ~ Medium Dark body, light smooth texture. Soothing bitterness with pineapple like sourness and acidity, well harmonized flavor mixed with cacao beans, light cool aftertaste. Deep sweetness is main character of this cup together with light and comfortable acidity. Unlike aroma and visual impressions, taste of this coffee is characterized mild, light, soothing without charcoal like dark bitterness. Acidity varies with temperature; raspberry like acidity fades out and slides underneath of sweetness.
Medium Roast
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Roaster's Comments】
Roasted to medium until sweet aroma stood up. Roasted beans color reddish brown, which prove a high sugar content. Soothing mild acidity bestows emphasis on sweetness. Characterized Mild flavor with moderate richness, fruity sweetness stands out once a cup gets cold. 
【Impression】Medium mild body, smooth light texture. Floral aroma like honeysuckels, papaya like sweetness with bright and sweet acidity, nutty flavor with a tinght of bitterness. Good for summer morning cup, soothing and refreshing even good for iced coffee. Recommended black with maple nuts, or something simple and naturally sweetened with maple syrup.
Over all, Costa Rica is one of my favorite coffee origin, well balanced acidity and sweetness with clear aftertaste. This Honey Typical is characterized by a bright and sweet acidity, as shown in name, and has honey notes like Honeysuckles during the summer: also has a hint of tropical fruit, papaya, and an enticing butter aroma.
Both roasting degrees save main character of Honey Typica in different balance but well harmonized flavor. Sweetness detected differently, so as acidity. With Medium roast, tropical fruit like acidity stood on top of sweetness and stays in aftertaste. The flavor certainly well harmonized but each flavor, sweetness, bitterness and acidity, settled alone to be identified. With French roast, acidity is blended in sweetness, just like dark chocolate and can be detected with vague borders of flavors. Both are characterized soothing and clear aftertaste, but depth of sweetness differs.
My preference in Summer morning will be Medium, paired with a piece of toast or maybe croissants. In afternoon or evening, French roast will suite a good almond flavored sweets, like financier.
