Some of you may have experienced it before: coffee beans swirl in a drum, gradually taking on more color and releasing an enticing aroma. Every now and then you hear a crackling sound, and then the hot beans are lowered into a rotating tray to cool. This coffee roasting process leads us to our favorite beverage. But do these crackling sounds actually serve an important purpose, or are they simply normal noises during the coffee roasting process? Today we'll explain what the first crack and second crack have to do with it. Enjoy reading!
The roasting process of coffee
1. Before the coffee roasting process can properly begin, some preparations must be made. The most important is the selection of the beans . The roaster decides, depending on the requirements, whether to roast a single-origin coffee or a coffee blend. With some blends, the different beans are roasted directly together. The green coffee is mixed before the start. Furthermore, the roaster must be ready for use.
2. First, the beans are placed in the roasting oven, which has already been preheated to a specific temperature .
3. The beans are heated evenly by the rotating drum .
4. The beans now begin the drying phase . This lasts 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the bean, temperature, and roasting oven. The moisture content should be reduced from 10-12% to 2-3% .
5. Now, aromas begin to develop through the so-called Maillard reaction . The roasting oven is heated to a temperature between 150 and 200°C. During this process, the sugars and amino acids in the beans react, forming complex aromas.
6. Now comes the first crack ! This requires temperatures between 195 and 205°C. The moisture evaporates, causing the coffee beans to crack almost like popcorn. Only after the first crack are the coffee beans ready to drink.
7. The roaster checks the beans immediately after the first crack. There are now several possibilities for what happens next:
- Light roast: The roasting process for coffee can be stopped shortly after the first crack. These coffees are particularly fruity and have more acidity.
- Medium roast: The beans are roasted slightly longer, resulting in more sweetness and body. A medium roast generally has a balanced flavor.
- Dark roast: These beans have dark, chocolatey roasted aromas. This can continue until the second crack.
8. The Second Crack : This only occurs at approximately 224-230°C. The cracking sound of the second crack is much quieter and shorter. This officially classifies it as a dark roast. The most well-known example of such a roast is the Italian roast.
9. The coffee beans must then be cooled quickly to prevent further heat buildup. The beans are poured into a bowl and cooled with air circulation.
10. The beans are then left to rest for a few hours to several days to release excess carbon dioxide .
11. Finally, the beans are packaged airtight and are ready for sale.
So now we know how the coffee roasting process works, including the first crack and second crack. But let's delve a little deeper and ask ourselves:
What exactly is the First Crack?
From a purely technical standpoint, the first crack is the evaporation of moisture inside the beans. The steam expands within the beans, increasing the pressure and breaking down the cell walls – this is audible as the characteristic cracking sound, the first crack.
Besides the cracking sound, the first crack can also be recognized visually: the beans expand and develop small cracks on their surface. Coffee beans also smell sweet after the first crack, almost like freshly baked bread. This olfactory development is due to the Maillard reaction and the caramelization of sugars in the coffee bean.
And what is the Second Crack?
The second crack occurs after the first crack and is only found in dark roasts. Since the moisture content of the coffee beans is already significantly reduced at this point, the cracking sound doesn't come from escaping steam, as with the first crack, but from the breaking down of cellulose within the coffee beans. Oils are also released from the beans during the second crack, giving the dark beans a particularly glossy appearance. The long roasting time results in strong caramelization, and the aromas become dominated by chocolate, nuts, and smoke. Acidity decreases considerably, and bitterness can increase.
Conclusion:
The coffee roasting process, including the first and second cracks, is a complex one that requires some basic chemical knowledge. This allows the roaster to understand the processes and use them to their advantage. Have you ever heard of the first crack? Let us know!
Your SIMON&BEARNS Team
First Crack & Second Crack - The coffee roasting process explained
Some of you may have experienced it before: coffee beans swirl in a drum, gradually taking on more color and releasing an enticing aroma. Every now and then you hear a crackling sound, and then the hot beans are lowered into a rotating tray to cool. This coffee roasting process leads us to our favorite beverage. But do these crackling sounds actually serve an important purpose, or are they simply normal noises during the coffee roasting process? Today we'll explain what the first crack and second crack have to do with it. Enjoy reading!
The roasting process of coffee
1. Before the coffee roasting process can properly begin, some preparations must be made. The most important is the selection of the beans . The roaster decides, depending on the requirements, whether to roast a single-origin coffee or a coffee blend. With some blends, the different beans are roasted directly together. The green coffee is mixed before the start. Furthermore, the roaster must be ready for use.
2. First, the beans are placed in the roasting oven, which has already been preheated to a specific temperature .
3. The beans are heated evenly by the rotating drum .
4. The beans now begin the drying phase . This lasts 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the bean, temperature, and roasting oven. The moisture content should be reduced from 10-12% to 2-3% .
5. Now, aromas begin to develop through the so-called Maillard reaction . The roasting oven is heated to a temperature between 150 and 200°C. During this process, the sugars and amino acids in the beans react, forming complex aromas.
6. Now comes the first crack ! This requires temperatures between 195 and 205°C. The moisture evaporates, causing the coffee beans to crack almost like popcorn. Only after the first crack are the coffee beans ready to drink.
7. The roaster checks the beans immediately after the first crack. There are now several possibilities for what happens next:
- Light roast: The roasting process for coffee can be stopped shortly after the first crack. These coffees are particularly fruity and have more acidity.
- Medium roast: The beans are roasted slightly longer, resulting in more sweetness and body. A medium roast generally has a balanced flavor.
- Dark roast: These beans have dark, chocolatey roasted aromas. This can continue until the second crack.
8. The Second Crack : This only occurs at approximately 224-230°C. The cracking sound of the second crack is much quieter and shorter. This officially classifies it as a dark roast. The most well-known example of such a roast is the Italian roast.
9. The coffee beans must then be cooled quickly to prevent further heat buildup. The beans are poured into a bowl and cooled with air circulation.
10. The beans are then left to rest for a few hours to several days to release excess carbon dioxide .
11. Finally, the beans are packaged airtight and are ready for sale.
So now we know how the coffee roasting process works, including the first crack and second crack. But let's delve a little deeper and ask ourselves:
What exactly is the First Crack?
From a purely technical standpoint, the first crack is the evaporation of moisture inside the beans. The steam expands within the beans, increasing the pressure and breaking down the cell walls – this is audible as the characteristic cracking sound, the first crack.
Besides the cracking sound, the first crack can also be recognized visually: the beans expand and develop small cracks on their surface. Coffee beans also smell sweet after the first crack, almost like freshly baked bread. This olfactory development is due to the Maillard reaction and the caramelization of sugars in the coffee bean.
And what is the Second Crack?
The second crack occurs after the first crack and is only found in dark roasts. Since the moisture content of the coffee beans is already significantly reduced at this point, the cracking sound doesn't come from escaping steam, as with the first crack, but from the breaking down of cellulose within the coffee beans. Oils are also released from the beans during the second crack, giving the dark beans a particularly glossy appearance. The long roasting time results in strong caramelization, and the aromas become dominated by chocolate, nuts, and smoke. Acidity decreases considerably, and bitterness can increase.
Conclusion:
The coffee roasting process, including the first and second cracks, is a complex one that requires some basic chemical knowledge. This allows the roaster to understand the processes and use them to their advantage. Have you ever heard of the first crack? Let us know!
Your SIMON&BEARNS Team