Roasting coffee beans is a unique experience that not many people get to experience. This process dries out the beans and prepares them to turn into coffee that people can drink and enjoy. If you’re trying to roast coffee beans for yourself, you might wonder - what does roasting coffee beans smell like in a space?
Sometimes, roasting coffee beans will smell like coffee. The aroma they give off is appealing to the nose and should make you eager to drink a cup of the delicious beverage as soon as you can. However, more often, it doesn’t always smell this good - and that’s normal.
Read on to learn more about the smell that comes with roasting coffee beans. There are many questions you may have, as a bad smell may signify something is going wrong.
In This Guide...
What Should Roasting Coffee Beans Smell Like?
As mentioned above, roasting coffee can sometimes smell like coffee. For the rare few, beans in the drying process will provide a delicious coffee smell that is strikingly similar to the cup of coffee that will come from the bean. However, this is not the case most of the time.
Some other correct ways for roasting coffee beans to smell include:
- Burnt: As the beans roast, the husk burns away. This action can bring to life a burnt toast or popcorn smell.
- Fish: Yes, coffee beans roasting can smell like fish. This scent appears thanks to the chemical processes inside the beans.
These two methods do not indicate disaster. They mean that all is well in your little drying system.
Roasting coffee beans can bring a variety of smells to the table. We’ll go a little more in-depth about these smells so you can know what to expect when going about this process yourself. Just because you smell burning, doesn’t mean there’s reason to panic. More often than not, burning is a good thing for your coffee.
Does Roasting Coffee Beans Smell Good?
Roasting coffee can smell good. This smell typically happens if the coffee smell does, in fact, surface during the roasting process. For those who adore coffee, this smell will be the most wonderful thing in the world. However, it often is not pleasant to the nose, even if the final product makes a delicious cup of coffee.
Some find the smell of roasting coffee beans to be one of the following to their nose:
- Fishy: A slight, chemical fishy smell is known to have made an appearance in the process. This scent can be unpleasant but is normal.
- Bitter: Burnt can mean bitter to the nose, which not all will enjoy. Bitter is good in terms of coffee beans.
- Pungent: The smell of roasting coffee beans can be strong, drifting to all corners of the place you occupy.
These smells aren’t exactly appetizing to all, but they do indicate that everything is going well with your coffee roasting process.
Even if you hate the roasting smell, the final product is sure to be delicious. Keep these scents in mind so you can ensure that all is well as your beans dry out and prepare themselves to shift into coffee grounds.
Does Roasting Coffee Smell Like Burnt Toast?
Many have reported coffee beans to smell like burnt toast. This conclusion can be confusing - how can roasting coffee beans smell like burnt toast? As we mentioned above, this scent is a common one. A burnt smell is one of the most prominent scents in the roasting process.
The burning comes from the outside of the coffee bean roasting away. This step is necessary for the dryness to emerge, allowing the bean to be ground down into a makeable coffee. If you smell burnt toast, have no fear! All is going well with your creation.
What Roasting Coffee Beans Smell Like
Roasting coffee is an excellent experience, whether you’re doing it in a professional capacity or roasting beans in a popcorn maker inside your dorm room. The way it smells can make all the difference. If a smell is off, it can let you know that your beans are being burned or something is wrong in the roasting process.
In general, roasting coffee smells like, well, coffee. However, it can also smell like burnt toast or popcorn without damage. If your beans are burning you should be able to see them on the outside of the beans. Now that you know what your roasting coffee beans are supposed to smell like, you can roast away without destroying the future of your delicious drink.