Are you looking to get into the art of coffee brewing? or Perhaps you just want to familiarize yourself with the type of coffee roast that you’re drinking. Whatever the reason is, it’s good to understand the types of coffee roasts. Each coffee roast brings different characteristics to the taste of the brew, ranging from positive to negative. In this article, I will be going over all the different type of coffee roasts. So let’s start!
Light Roast
The Light Roast is the first stage of coffee roasting. Some may refer to this roast as the “First Crack” because during this roasting stage the beans crack and expand. Cracking at a temperature of 385F, the “First Crack” can be comparable to popping corn.
Requiring the lowest temperature and time out of the coffee roasts, this is one of the easiest roasts and a great starting point for any beginner roaster. This roast retains most of the bean’s flavour and antioxidants, making it the healthiest of the roasts.
In colour, the beans are light brown and dry with no trace of oil. The light roast is very aromatic delivering floral and fruit notes, along with a light body that packs the most acidity out of all the roasts.
Selections of Light Roasts are:
- Light City
- Half City
- Cinnamon Roast
- New England Roast
Ideal Brewing Method: Pour Over (French Press / Percolator)
Medium Roast
The Medium Roast is known to be the most ideal out of all the roasts, delivering a perfect balance of acidity and body fullness. Having a sweeter profile than the light roast, this roast delivers a lot more flavour due to longer roasting process. Many people favour this roast because of its slight bitterness, low acidity and distinct flavours.
The beans are medium brown with no oil and have a stronger aroma. Due to the higher roasting temperature (430F), the beans lose around 13% of their weight.
Selections of Medium Roasts are:
- Regular Roast
- American Roast
- Breakfast Roast
- City Roast
Ideal Brewing Method: Cold Brew / Drip Coffee
Medium-Dark Roast
The Medium-Dark Roast beans are a darker colour showing signs of some oil. This roast has a heavier body than the light and medium roast, offering a spicy and bittersweet after taste. The roasting temperature of this bean is between 440F and 455F. Depending on your taste preference, the medium-dark roast and dark roasts are ideal for espresso blends.
Selections of Medium-Dark Roasts are:
- Full City Roast
- After Dinner Roast
- Vienna Roast
Ideal Brewing Method: Cold Brew / Drip Coffee / Moka / Espresso
Dark Roast
The Dark Roast is known as the “Second Crack” the beans are dark brown, sometimes even black. Its colour is very comparable to dark chocolate. They have a nice gloss of oil on the bean’s surface, this is also reflected in the brew. The brew is very thick, giving the drinker a smoky and slightly burnt aftertaste. It has a very pronounced bitterness, leaving you with no acidity. The roasting temperature of this bean is between 465F to 480F. Due to the high roasting temperature, the Dark Coffee Roast has the least amount of caffeine compared to the roasts.
For more information on the caffeine content in your coffee, check out our “How Much Caffeine is in Coffee?” article.
Selections of Dark Roasts are:
- Full City Plus Roast
- Espresso Roast
- Continental Roast
- French Roast
- Spanish Roast
- Italian Roast
- New Orlean Roast
Ideal Brewing Method: Cold Brew / Drip Coffee / Moka Pot / Espresso
Key Points to Types of Coffee Roasts
- The roasting process introduces distinct flavours.
- Light roasts are dry, while dark roasts are oily.
- The darker the roast the less acidity.
- The darker the roast the less caffeine.
The Verdict
Now that you are familiarized with the types of coffee roasts. You can experiment with them and find out which ones are your favorite. Whatever the roast is they all have their time and place in a coffee lovers heart!
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