Roast Levels, Roast Development, Coffee Profile Brew Methods

[ChrisSchooley]

This question ties in with the Roastmaster Challenge at the upcoming retreat and also with some workshops that are going to happen here in Fort Collins at the end of June.

Does anyone care to connect the dots between which flavor profiles are best represented by particular brew methods?

Is it related to roast level, roast development, or the coffees inherent characteristics?

That question aside, what is the best brew method for a light/medium/dark roast?

This is just a starter.

[rojo]

I really like to shoot for clarity in the cup with light roasts. I prefer to use a the Hario v60 and get that red, tea-like quality out of light roasts with it. It also lets the acidity shine in my opinion.

Medium roasts tend towards a balance in my mind and I'd chemex in general, knowing that the body is there and again you get a real clarity but retain mad complexity.. Chemex rules, amiright?

Dark stuff...french press really makes it what you're probably looking for: heavy and burly in roast and character with a generally low acidity... french roast french press french kissing... all do a number on the tongue.

[DarrinD]

This is really a difficult question. I have always leaned towards lighter roasts (washed coffees) in finer grind formats; drip, hario, clever, cone, vacuum even. I have found that i tend to like darker roasts in french press moreso. But espresso changes everything. For me, washed coffees that are typically high altitude usually find a home somewhere between a ditting 5-6 setting and with a typical brew of 3-4 min. Heat application on a fine Kenya could be a great experiment to see how a coffee with big body and acidity might fair in an approach like that. Brew them on a hario and on a french press and see what is gained and lost. Could be interesting.