Why we have different roast styles for filter and espresso
On the shop section of our website, you may have noticed that some coffees appear to be listed twice…
This is because we believe that coffee should be roasted to obtain maximum flavour and enjoyment and this will depend on how the coffee is going to be brewed. Different brewing techniques require different styles of coffee, not just in grind size, but in roast profile too – filter coffee grounds are in contact with water for up to 4 minutes, an espresso has water that is forced through the coffee at high pressure for under 30 seconds.
The danger in having a single roast profile to cover all bases is that the coffee can become a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ in style. At best this will taste just ‘ok’ but there is a danger of it tasting burnt and bitter when brewed as a filter coffee and too acidic when brewed under the pressure of an espresso machine.
Our filter roast is a light to light/medium style of coffee. Our aim for filter coffee is a roast specifically designed for pour-over, cafetiere, and aeropress, roasting the coffee to bring out the floral, fragrant, juicy flavour notes. Ideally, the coffee should be drunk black, so that the subtleties in the flavour will be fully apparent, though it will taste equally delicious with milk. A light filter roast brewed as espresso can occasionally be good, but more often than not it will taste sour and acidic.
Our espresso roast is a medium style of coffee in both colour and duration. Our aim is to make a well balanced, sweet bean and with a strong aroma. Often drunk with milk, espresso coffee should not taste bitter or have any smokey or roasty taste characteristics. A good espresso will have a deep richness of layered flavour, while often fruity it should also possess strong bass notes. We aim to consistently make both our roast profiles to be fully developed and of the highest quality.
This is especially key with espresso roasted coffee – its no good if you can only pull one amazing shot every so often. “Consistency of quality is the aim”. We achieve this by making sure we source the best green coffee available and roasting it both scientifically and sympathetically.