Why Does The Crowd Prefer Dark Roasted Beans? Any Tips On Optimizing The Roasting Process?

[okbutfirstcoffee]

Hi, I'm just starting out in the coffee beans online market in the US and have noticed that the majority of visitors prefer the dark roast pack over the others. What is this trend? I thought people are crazy about caffeine levels and thus came to the conclusion that our light-medium roasted beans would go off the shelves.

In addition, do you guys have any tips on the coffee beans roasting process that one should keep in mind and implement? Are there any tricks that could make the product better?

Feel free to check out my website. I have explained the coffee products in detail. I guess everything checks out but if there's anything that could help the business bloom, please share.

Thank you...

 

[Musicphan]

I can't explain the dark roast crazy either... if I took mine off my offering they would linch me I think its people are used to over-roasted Commerical coffee and they are used to that flavor profile. I try and explain that richness in coffee comes from the origin as well as roast level.

Regarding roasting... check out Scott Rao's book as well as Rob Hoos. Both excellent books.

 

[topher]

I asked in a previous post. Do you roast? If you do what roaster are you using and what size? Did you ever find out if you had a central American coffee or was that a misprint?

 

[Lais Rassi]

Dark roasted beans are often preferred by the crowd because they have a richer flavor and a sweeter aftertaste. They also tend to be more complex than light roasted beans, which some people find more agreeable.

 

[addertooth]

They prefer it because they have been programmed to believe it is "real coffee flavor".
They have no clue about the incredible flavors available with single-origin coffees done at a lighter level of roast.
If, many of them tasted a properly roasted Geisha, or a fruity Ethiopia coffee... they would likely comment....
"it tastes strange, and is full of funny flavors".

They will then (with a smug look on their face), reach for their cup of Folger's black silk coffee, and believe there is something wrong with you.

 

[Billy Banana]

Most people simply just drink what they are used to, and when I was a boy lighter roasted coffee was simply not around, at least where I live. But lighter roasts are certainly getting more and more popular.

“A Change Is Gonna Come” as Sam Cooke wrote (beautiful song).

 

[acidwashed]

Roast to your crowd to make money. Roast lighter to please your hardcore fans? That's what we do.

 

[JeffD]

I believe the crowd's preference for a dark roast is ignorance and braggadocio. There are those, I admit that after careful taste comparisons prefer dark roast, but these are not the crowd, or even the majority.

 

[topher]

We offer 1 medium, 1 dark, 1 decaf and 2 flavors. It's funny to hear customers talk. You offer them a medium roast and it's as if you are questioning their manhood. I'm a man...RAWR! I only drink dark roast! Most people start off drinking dark and as their palate evolves they gravitate to medium to light roast. When I started in coffee in 89 I was a cigarette smoker. I only liked darker coffees when I first started, I couldn't really taste anything else. I quit over 20 years ago and thankfully my taste came back.

 

[shadow745]

I believe the crowd's preference for a dark roast is ignorance and braggadocio. There are those, I admit that after careful taste comparisons prefer dark roast, but these are not the crowd, or even the majority.

Taste is subjective and varies among us all. To claim a preference is based on ignorance is a bit much. I've been involved in specialty coffee for quite some time now and have tried all sorts of coffees along the way. Tons of blends, single origins at various roast levels. Started home roasting as I grew tired of the fad most artisan roasters were taking with lighter underdevelopment. Too light and you end up with a bit much on acidity, fruit fwd, etc. regardless of machine, burr type, technique used. I'll gladly take darker anything over lighter as it works for my palate and expectation. My roast preference is full city as that gives some roast notes while maintaining inherent coffee traits. It all comes down to what each of us likes and I know for a fact what I find to meet my expectations/experience and make it happen every day with no disappointment whatsoever.

 

[JeffD]

Taste is subjective and varies among us all. To claim a preference is based on ignorance is a bit much.

My experience is that many folks who get to know coffee, and especially those who go through a coffee tasting class or club meeting, often change their preferences. So there is a learning component to it. "The Crowd" has not had such an experience, so I don't think it is unfair to at least consider not just their expressed preferences, but what preferences they might have had they more taste testing experience, or, more experience in general with great coffee. Speculation though, I agree.

 

[shadow745]

My experience is that many folks who get to know coffee, and especially those who go through a coffee tasting class or club meeting, often change their preferences. So there is a learning component to it. "The Crowd" has not had such an experience, so I don't think it is unfair to at least consider not just their expressed preferences, but what preferences they might have had they more taste testing experience, or, more experience in general with great coffee. Speculation though, I agree.

Thing is with a class you're simply being persuaded to a degree to follow what others think is 'correct'... Like those that just have to follow the 'rules' listed by the SCAA. Might work for them trying to establish industry standards, but means little to me. Problem with life in general is we are all expected to follow standards to a point and I simply refuse. I take my own approach with roasting, espresso, you name it and not disappointed or 2nd guessing anything I do in life.

 

[Birdman]

Some people's first experience with coffee, especially whole beans is Starbucks or Peets. They do tend to learn towards darker roasts, so that's what people are used to. That said, some people like darker roasts. Also, some beans taste better with somewhat darker roasts.

 

[JeffD]

I think also part of it is dark roasted beans, all shiney, look so wonderful I really can't help thinking I should prefer them. I know if I ever took a picture of coffee beans, they are the way to go! ... But medium and lighter roasted beans make coffee more to my liking.

 

[shadow745]

I think also part of it is dark roasted beans, all shiney, look so wonderful I really can't help thinking I should prefer them. I know if I ever took a picture of coffee beans, they are the way to go! ... But medium and lighter roasted beans make coffee more to my liking.

Great thing with coffee is the taste/texture can be altered in tons of ways. For example, if I cut a roast batch a bit short on development I can tweak variables to make it more palatable. I can boost water temp a bit to offset excess acidity... I can blend in another coffee such as an Indonesian which can really nicely balance pretty much anything out there... I can grind a bit finer, change dry dose a bit...

All said/done people should be aware that there's far more to it than just lighter or darker. Of course some just don't care and simply want coffee and that's fine as well. I see lots of people saying that they started on darker variety and eventually settled on much lighter. I'm kinda the opposite as after no telling how many tens of thousands of extractions I've had I still prefer coffee origins/roast levels that I started out on. There is no right/wrong, just what works!