Coffee Appreciation

Yep, both of those. The higher the roast level the more the cell structure of the bean breaks down, allowing the oils to creep to the surface and look all shiny. Oils also come to the surface as the coffee ages. Water processed decaf is black and oily even at a moderate roast level because the decaffeination process involves flushing the green coffee with hot water which causes it to become far more pourous.

A nice chestnut brown roast level with a subtle sheen is shiny because the bean has fully puffed out and reflects the light nicely, and a fully matte finish will be due to the bean still being a little bit wrinkly from a medium roast or a medium-dark on a very hard bean.

The picture shows three roasts with the darkest being found in Naples, located in the southern half of Italy. The medium roast is representative of coffee found in Florence and the Central Italian style, and the Northern Italian roast might be found in a typical espresso bar in Milan.

http://www.bestcafes.com.au/espresso-coffee-a-complex-and-fragile-beauty

Thank you both..