Roast Levels Decoded

There are several levels of roasting that each brings out a certain taste and aroma of the coffee bean.  These are determined by how long the bean is in the roaster and at what level they are cooled off to stop the roasting process.  Setting the characteristic levels such as “light” and “dark” are subjective offerings that are reflective of the experience and preferences of the roaster. 

The process of roasting has associated with it certain definitive standards which are tied to the physical properties of roasting.  While roasting, the green beans break out of its shell, much like popcorn.  This is called the “crack” of the bean.  There are two different “cracks” that happen during the roasting process, called the “first crack” and the “second crack.”  Depending on the desired level of roasting, the beans may or may not be heated all the way through to the second crack.

Here is a chart of the Wise Coffee Roast Levels and how we determine the labeling of our beans: