Today we’re in for a treat. We’ve got CFO, head roaster, and green buyer Mike Perry answering your questions about how to choose green unroasted beans. Whether you’re new to the coffee world or in tune with flavor profiles and processes, learning how to roast is an art, a journey. One of the first steps is knowing which beans to buy.
Mike, do you have any tips for home roasters?
First, check the flavors of the roasted version. When I buy, I look at distributor notes and they typically match [with what we’re looking for] because they are roasting similarly, medium-light. We manipulate it a bit on the roast to get more sweetness, a little more body.
Should home roasters determine some based on region?
Natural process: When it comes to region, if you’re looking for fruity, berry-like coffees, Ethiopia has crazy berry flavor profiles. When it comes to Central and South American coffees, Panama and Columbia natural processes especially have strong fruit notes. Brazil naturals are an exception to the flavor process, because their flavor profile is more like honey, citrus fruit, and chocolate, and that’s what we’re looking for, rather than red fruit.
Honey process:This is in between natural and washed, so depending on how much mucilage is left on, depending on what the weather is like, you’ll get a little more sweetness, that’s why people like them.
Mike’s recommendations based on how coffee is being brewed, what roasters are looking for:
- If you’re looking for body, that’s where the earthy Sumatra comes in.
- If you’re looking at brightness, high elevation, that’s where Kenya comes in.
- My go-to is Kenya: a clean, bright cup to wake me up.
- Sometimes you get a Natural Geisha, that’s where crazy candy flavors come into play, that’s a treat.
