From Light to Dark: A Coffee Expert's Guide to Decoding Roast Levels and Essential Home Brew Gear

India is experiencing a quiet revolution. A country where, for generations and decades, the most popular beverage was chai, is seeing a turnaround, with a growing love for coffee. Millennials and Gen Z are rapidly embracing the world of speciality coffee, often swapping out the traditional milky brew for a clean, bold cup of freshly brewed black coffee.

Coffee brewing equipment like the French Press, or Moka Pot, is becoming increasingly common in homes, while people talk about roasts and acidity levels in everyday conversations.

Read: 3 Reasons To Avoid Tea/Coffee During Pregnancy, As Per Gynaecologist

To understand this exciting shift and what makes a truly great brew, we sat down with Ganga Prabhakar and Pavan Hanbal, the founders of Coffee Mechanics.

A Coffee Expert's Guide to Decoding Roast Levels of Coffee

Ganga and Pavan both come from five generations of coffee growers, and they founded the company in 2016 with a singular purpose: to elevate premium Indian coffee and give it the global attention it deserves.

Coffee Mechanics focuses on the farm-to-table experience of coffee, and has physical stores and cafes in Bangalore.

Decoding Your Coffee Cup: The Science of Roast Levels

For anyone starting their journey with speciality coffee, the terms "roast level" and "acidity" can be confusing. While the coffee grind would depend on the machine or equipment you’re using, the roast and acidity is what you'd need to understand better, to pick coffees as per your preferred flavour profile. 

Pavan explains, understanding the roast is like mastering the art of caramelising onions: the level of heat applied determines the final flavour profile through what's known as the Maillard reaction.

The roast spectrum offers a guide to the taste you can expect:

• Light Roast: This roast is stopped early to highlight the original characteristics of the bean, giving it a tangier, fruit-like acidity. “It is often considered an acquired taste, especially for those new to black coffee,” explained Pavan.
• Dark Roast: As the coffee darkens, the acidity is reduced, and the bitterness increases. Pavan highlighted, “This often results in nutty or chocolatey notes, which are a common preference for many coffee drinkers.”
• Medium Roast (The Sweet Spot): The medium roast is where the acidity, sweetness, and bitterness all come into a perfect "symphony," making it the most balanced and easiest on the palate.

What Coffee Brewing Equipment Do You Need?

Both Pavan and Ganga agreed that new coffee enthusiasts could start with some basic, easy-to-use equipment.

• The Moka Pot: For those who enjoy an espresso-style, strong cup of coffee (often to be mixed with milk), the Moka pot is the classic and simplest tool for a potent brew.
• The French Press: If you prefer a heavier-bodied black coffee, the French press is the easiest and most convenient option, requiring only the right coarse grind size and hot water

However, for those looking to expand their hobby, they can start to grind their own coffee. Freshly ground coffee, when brewed, creates a whole experience that’s hard to beat.

Being experience-focused is what sets the business apart. By utilising their own plantations in Chikmagalore and partnering with other quality producers across the country, they’re on a mission to showcase the incredible diversity of Indian origins. For the couple, the experience starts far before the cup is poured.