Vibrancy
Cafe Moto’s ‘Vibrancy’, more commonly referred to as acidity, is the lively tingle that electrifies the sides and tips of your tongue as you sip your coffee. More technically speaking the perceived acidity of coffee results from the proton donation of acids to receptors on the human tongue. Acidity is typically a highly valued quality especially in Central American and some East African coffees. Sourness, however, is an extreme of acidity and can be considered a defect. Acidity has been correlated with coffees grown at very high altitudes and in mineral rich volcanic soils. The perceived acidity of washed coffees is also significantly higher than the acidity found in naturally (dry) processed coffees. This is likely due to an increase in the body of naturally processed coffees relative to wet processed coffees since body masks a coffee's acidity. The acid content in a brew is also greatly dependent upon the roast degree, type of roaster, and brewing method.
Body
A coffee’s body is best described as the impression of weight and substance that fills-up your mouth. Body can best be sensed by allowing the coffee to rest on the tongue and by rubbing the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Body ranges from thin, to light, to heavy and is a result of the fat content. The viscosity, however, results from proteins and fibers in the brew. Medium and dark roast styles will have a heavier body than lighter roasted coffees, but conversely will have less acidity.
Roast
‘Toast Point’ or roast level is the degree of roasting yielding the optimum point of flavor. Roasting is a chemical process by which aromatics, acids, and other flavor components are either created, balanced, or altered in a way that should augment the flavor, acidity, aftertaste and body of the coffee as desired by the roaster.
The first stage of roasting is endothermic (beans absorb heat), where the green beans are slowly dried to become a yellow color and the beans begin to smell like toast or popcorn.
The second step, often called the first crack, occurs at approximately 205°C (400°F) in which the bean doubles in size, becomes a light brown color, and experiences a weight loss of approximately 5%. In the next step the temperature increases from 205 °C (400 °F) to approximately 220 °C (428°F), the color changes from light brown to medium brown and a weight loss of approximately 13% occurs. The second step is followed by a short endothermic period, which is followed by another exothermic (beans release heat) step called the second crack. This second pyrolysis occurs between 225-230°C (437-446°F), and the roast color is defined as medium-dark brown. The second pop is much quicker sounding and the beans take on an oily sheen.
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