Best Practices for Measuring the Color of Ground Coffee

The color of finished roasted beans is an important metric in measuring the quality of your coffee. When you test for quality, using a spectrophotometer will give you accurate color measurements for your coffee roast. Additionally, following industry standards set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCA) can help you obtain a quality cup of coffee.

Measure Ground Coffee Color With Proper Grinding

When it comes to roast profiling, accurately measuring the color of your ground coffee beans is critical. Grind them as fine as possible to know their actual color — improperly grounded beans cannot accurately reflect the color. An improper grinding process, in turn, can give you inconsistent results when measuring the color of coffee beans. Try to follow the same timeline and waiting times when using your coffee roaster for multiple batches to get uniform readings.

Follow Industry Standards When Measuring Your Ground Coffee

The SCA has developed an industry standard for measuring roast coffee color. The colors are set on a scale from very light to very dark, which can help you find the perfect roast for your coffee. Grinding your coffee finely may cause its color to appear lighter, while a coarser grind can result in a darker appearance.

Commit to Color Consistency

Each roast must have a consistent color, which indicates its quality. Keep your spectrophotometer clean and recalibrate it often to ensure color consistency with your roasts. Roast the beans for longer to achieve darker roasts that yield a bold flavor, or roast them for a shorter time for lighter, brighter flavor variations.

Measure Color With a Spectrophotometer

Use a high-quality spectrophotometer to measure the color of your coffee beans and check the color immediately after roasting, as color variation can differ according to the roasting time. Grinding the coffee finely can give an optimal reading by increasing the beans' lightness and differentiating them from their whole bean state.

The HunterLab Difference

We at HunterLab understand the importance of getting consistent readings for your coffee roasts. Color measurements are much more than just looking at your coffee color and making a determination. Take the guesswork out of the roasting process with HunterLab's ColorFlex EZ-Coffee spectrophotometer.

Our solutions help you identify when your roast has reached its full potential. Accurate color identification saves you time and money so that you can spend more time offering your end users quality products. Get a quote by contacting us online or calling us today.