You’ve probably seen bags of coffee beans in the supermarket labelled ‘light’, ‘medium’ or ‘dark’ roast, but have you ever wondered what that actually means? What’s the difference between light, medium and dark, and what effect does it have on your coffee’s taste? If you find it all a little bewildering and are wondering what the best option is for you, this blog is here to help.
Everyone has their go-to roast level, so there isn’t really a wrong answer when it comes to which roast to choose. But different roast levels will produce different flavours, so which one is best depends on which flavour you prefer, and how you like to drink your coffee. Let’s dive in…
What’s the Big Deal With Roasts Anyway?
Coffee roasting is one of the most influential factors on the taste of coffee. It’s an essential step, transforming green beans into the aromatic and invigorating coffee that we know and love. What makes the difference is what level the beans are roasted to; it’s not just about making the bean darker, it changes its physical attributes too.
Here are the key differences between roasting levels:
- Light roasts last until a single crack is heard in the beans, called the ‘first crack’ (between 196 and 205 degrees Celsius).
- Medium roasts last until after the first crack and just before the second (between 210 and 220 degrees Celsius).
- Dark roasts are roasted until well after the second crack (between 225 and 240 degrees Celsius).
Light Roast
Light roast coffee retains more of its original flavour, as it doesn’t get roasted out as much. Light roast coffee beans are light brown in colour, don’t have any visible oils on their surface, and look like toasted grain.
If you drink a light roast coffee, you will probably taste fruity, floral or citrus notes. Light roasts are known and enjoyed for their bright acidity, complex flavour profiles, and tea-like body.
Medium Roast
A medium roast coffee strikes more of a balance between the bright, acidic flavours of the light roast and the deeper roast-developed flavours of the dark roast. Medium roast coffee beans are a medium brown colour and have a mostly dry surface with no oils.
Flavour-wise, medium roast coffee offers a more balanced acidity and fuller body than light roasts. Many people enjoy medium roast coffee for its blend of origin flavours and a caramelised sweetness that comes through the roasting process. It’s a happy medium!
Dark Roast
In a dark roast coffee, deeper flavours developed through the roasting process tend to dominate over origin flavours. Dark roast coffee beans are dark brown, almost black, and have an oily surface. This is because the oils in the coffee bean have migrated to the surface during the roasting process.
If you really like the taste of coffee, a dark roast might be the perfect choice for you. With an extended roasting process, dark roast coffee has a more bitter, smoky and caramelised taste. If you enjoy a coffee with milk, like a cappuccino or a latte, a dark roast is a popular option; the addition of milk can balance out the roast’s intensity.
Many people think a dark roast coffee is stronger, i.e. with more caffeine, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Often, what makes the coffee taste ‘strong’ is the intensity of flavour, rather than it having more caffeine; there actually isn’t much difference in caffeine levels between different roasts.
If you’re ready to explore all levels of roast, have a look at our range of coffee beans from Inglewood Coffee Roasters today.