Coffee Roast Guide

Roasting is a heat process that turns coffee into the fragrant, dark brown beans we know and love. Roasting brings out the aroma and flavor that is locked inside the green coffee beans. Beans are stored green, a state in which they can be kept

without loss of quality or taste. 

Roasting causes chemical changes to take place as the beans are rapidly brought to very high temperatures. When they reach the peak of perfection, they are quickly cooled to stop the process. Generally, roasts fall into one of four color categories — light, medium, medium-dark and dark.  

Many consumers assume that the strong, rich flavor of darker roasts indicates a higher level of caffeine, but the truth is that light roasts actually have a slightly higher concentration. The perfect roast is a personal choice that is sometimes influenced by national preference or geographic location.

Light Roasts:

Light brown in color, this roast is generally preferred for milder coffee varieties. There will be no oil on the surface of these beans because they are not roasted long enough for the oils to break through to the surface.

Medium Roasts:

This roast is medium brown in color with a stronger flavor and a non-oily surface. It’s often referred to as the American roast because it is generally preferred in the United States.

Medium Dark Roasts:

Rich, dark color, this roast has some oil on the surface and with a slight bittersweet aftertaste.

Dark roasts:

This roast produces shiny black beans with an oily surface and a pronounced bitterness. The darker the roast, the less acidity will be found in the coffee beverage.  Dark roast coffees run from slightly dark to charred, and the names are often used interchangeably. A good example is Espresso.