The darker the roast, the hotter the coffee?

#1: Post by **another_jim** » January 26th, 2011, 11:21 am

I've been trying 5 coffees for the HB Homeroast competition, all roasted twice, once light, once dark. In every case, the lighter roast tastes better cool than hot, and the darker roast tastes better hot than cool.

Am I dreaming? Any theories, if I'm not?

#2: Post by **Marc** » January 26th, 2011, 2:09 pm

Can you explain how it was better?

maybe it has something to do with the bitterness and acidity in the cup

January 29th, 2011, 8:09 pm

Flavors aren't so apparent till closer to body temp, is my guess. Did dark ever taste better than light?

#4: Post by **hperry** » January 29th, 2011, 10:29 pm

another_jim wrote:I've been trying 5 coffees for the HB Homeroast competition, all roasted twice, once light, once dark. In every case, the lighter roast tastes better cool than hot, and the darker roast tastes better hot than cool.

Am I dreaming? Any theories, if I'm not?

Really interesting results, although completely the reverse of my experience. Darker roasted coffees end up in the lever which runs 3-4 degrees cooler that the pump. They always taste better there. Of course, you always have the variation between the machines, but I have confirmed this by changing the temp on the pump as well.

#5: Post by **aecletec** » January 29th, 2011, 11:14 pm

I have found that my darker roasts taste sour unless it's hotter than what I usually use for lighter roasts...
Plus I took a note from the CoffeeGeek podcast of a similar opinion... not just you, Jim!

#6: Post by **cafeIKE** » January 30th, 2011, 1:30 am

On dark roasts, which I don't usually enjoy, I grind finer, down dose, brew much cooler, say about 194°F max, and pull longer

#7: Post by **cannonfodder** » January 30th, 2011, 9:37 am

Morning Jim. When you say darker is better hotter, are you refering to the brew temperature or the drinking temperature. I actually took it as the latter. The cup tasted better after it cooled down after brewing and I was assuming you were cupping not pulling shots.

January 30th, 2011, 10:20 am

Yeah, I wasn't clear. I meant drinking temperatures. I found the dark roasts turned unpleasant when they cooled off; tasting like burnt pine sap.

For brewing/pulling, I think the general rule is darker roasts at lower temperatures.

#9: Post by **jc69** » January 30th, 2011, 2:25 pm

Hi,
just in case you were not aware of it, there's lot of material to found on this topic in KingSeven's blog last year:
http://www.jimseven.com/2010/07/03/thin ... tand-3214/
Regards, Jan

January 31st, 2011, 4:34 am

I find it's the same with bitter aperitifs and digestifs containing chinotto for example: adding ice or heating them (which they do in some parts of northern italy in the winter) takes the edge off the bitterness for those who don't like bitter....