Enjoy dark roast coffee during your relaxing time

1. The Charm and Difficulty of Dark Roast Coffee

For Japanese people, dark roast coffee has been a familiar taste for many years, from the coffee shop culture to canned coffee and convenience store coffee. A delicious dark roast is characterized by a strong body, fragrant aroma, and pleasant bitterness. Compared to light or medium roasts, many people tend to prefer it as a "coffee-like taste."

However, on the other hand, dark roasts are also very difficult to brew deliciously. If the extraction is not done well, even drip coffee can become excessively strong, with negative bitterness and雜味 (unpleasant flavors) emphasized, making it far from a relaxing drink.

As prerequisite knowledge, the definition of dark roast is actually ambiguous. Roughly speaking, it refers to the degree of coffee roasting, but depending on the roasting machine and method, even if roasted at the same temperature, the "degree of roasting" will vary. Therefore, it is difficult to define it as "anything roasted above X degrees for more than Y minutes is called a dark roast." Recently, machines that quantify the color of roasted beans are becoming more common, and the degree of roasting is sometimes quantified based on their color charts (called Agtron values), but many baristas and roasters are still unaware of this.

2. What is Delicious Dark Roast Coffee?

Truly delicious dark roast coffee offers fragrant, long-lasting aromas and a soft, smooth mouthfeel even without adding sugar or milk. Compared to light roast coffee, it is characterized by its body and bitterness, making it less susceptible to being overpowered by milk, and thus suitable for lattes and cafe au laits. For this reason, if you are not confident in your coffee brewing skills but want to make milk beverages, we recommend starting with a dark roast. On the other hand, many dark roast coffee beans on the market have been aged for too long (storage period after roasting) or roasted using methods that scorch the beans to mask poor quality. Be careful, as these are not the same delicious, bitter, and rich dark roasts.

3. Choosing the Right Beans is Key to Success

To brew delicious dark roast coffee, choosing the right beans is very important.

● Gas management after roasting
Dark roast beans tend to have a longer roasting time. As a result, a lot of gas is trapped inside the beans. If extracted immediately after roasting, the gas will hinder the flavor and aroma, making it difficult to fully appreciate the original deliciousness.
Best time to drink: Approximately 3 to 10 days after roasting is when the flavor is most stable, allowing you to enjoy the unique sweetness and aroma of dark roast.

● Freshness is also important
As time passes, compared to light roasts, dark roasts tend to have weaker cell structures and lose flavor more easily due to the greater thermal energy applied during the roasting process. Be sure to check the roasting date when purchasing.

● Choose Natural Process Beans
Dark roast beans, regardless of origin, will exhibit a common bitterness from roasting. However, if you want to experience a more relaxing aroma, it's best to choose natural process beans. Natural process beans tend to retain fruity flavors, allowing a subtle sweetness and rich aroma to stand out even in a dark roast.

4. Recommended Recipe for Delicious Dark Roast Coffee

Here's how to brew dark roast coffee to bring out its best characteristics, ensuring it's not too strong yet has a solid body.

☕ Recommended Recipe

　● Coffee to water ratio: 1:16 (16ml of water per 1g of coffee beans)
　 1. Example: 160ml of water for 10g of coffee beans

　● Water temperature: 80-90°C
　 1. Water that is too hot can emphasize bitterness, so a slightly lower temperature is ideal.

　● Pouring method: Pour the total amount in 5 divisions
　 1. Bloom for 30 seconds with a small amount of water
　 2. Once it has fully drained, pour the next amount of water
　 3. Repeat this process 5 times

　● Cup with a round rim: Cups with a round rim are recommended. They provide a softer mouthfeel, making it easier to perceive the distinctive aroma and sweetness of dark roast.

5. Enjoy a Luxurious Relaxing Time with Dark Roast Coffee

When you correctly select the beans and use the appropriate brewing method, dark roast coffee can be transformed into a luxurious cup that offers both fragrant aroma and a smooth mouthfeel.

　● Best drinking window: 3-10 days after roasting
　● Bean selection: Choose natural process beans
　● Brewing method: Carefully extract with a 1:16 ratio and water at 80-90°C

The dark roast coffee brewed this way will make you forget the hustle and bustle of daily life and bring you a moment of tranquility.

Enjoy a leisurely coffee time, savoring the comforting aroma unique to dark roast. A richer, more relaxing moment is sure to come into your daily life.