Cinnamon Roast

What is a cinnamon roast? It is one of the lightest roast levels possible, named for the color of the beans, which resemble the light, reddish-brown hue of cinnamon sticks. This roast is typically stopped shortly after the first crack, the point at which the bean has expanded and released its initial moisture. Because the beans have spent very little time in the roaster, they retain much of their original green coffee character.

In a cinnamon roast, the chemical changes associated with roasting are minimal. The Maillard reaction, which is responsible for developing the browning and complex flavor compounds, has barely begun. As a result, the coffee retains a high level of acidity and a very thin body. The flavor profile is often described as 'grassy,' 'grainy,' or 'toasty,' with very little of the sweetness or depth that most coffee drinkers associate with a finished roast.

Because the beans are so lightly roasted, they are very dense and difficult to extract. Brewing a cinnamon roast requires a very fine grind and high water temperatures to pull out any meaningful flavor. Even then, the cup can often taste sour or underdeveloped, as the organic acids have not been sufficiently broken down or balanced by the development of sugars.

In practice, the cinnamon roast is rarely used in modern specialty coffee. It is often cited as an example of an underdeveloped roast, where the potential of the coffee has not been fully realized. While some experimental roasters may explore very light profiles to highlight the unique terroir of a specific origin, the cinnamon roast is generally considered too light to be palatable for most consumers.

Understanding the cinnamon roast is useful for learning about the spectrum of roast levels. It serves as the starting point on the roasting scale, showing just how much the coffee bean changes as it is subjected to heat. While it may not be a common choice for your morning cup, knowing what a cinnamon roast is helps you appreciate the balance that roasters aim for when they move into the 'City' or 'Medium' roast categories.