Types of Coffee Roasts ☕

Types of Coffee Roasts, What you should know?

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. 

The duration of time coffee beans are roasted is a critical step in determining how a cup of coffee will taste. It may surprise you to learn that before being roasted, coffee beans are actually a soft bean with a greenish-yellow color. It is the process of roasting the beans that transforms these flavorless beans into either a sweet, fruity, acidic cup of coffee or a dark, bitter, strong cup of coffee—depending on how long they are roasted. It takes years of training to become an expert roaster with the ability to “read” the beans and make decisions with split-second timing. The difference between perfectly roasted coffee and a ruined batch can be a matter of seconds. Roasting is both an art and a science

So, talking about the common types of coffee we normally use to drink, this what you should know

• LIGHT ROAST
• MEDIUM ROAST
• MEDIUM-DARK ROASTS
• DARK ROAST

LIGHT ROAST

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.

During the roasting process, the coffee beans crack once they reach an internal temperature of about 400°F. Generally speaking, light-roast coffee beans are those that have not yet reached their "first crack." Because the beans are not roasted for very long, a cup of coffee made from a light roast would have more fruity, floral, and acidic flavor notes. Light-roast coffees are often referred to in stores as "Half City Roast" or "New England Roast."

Color: Light brown
Oil On Surface?: No
Taste: Toasted grain with pronounced acidity
Amount Of Caffeine: High
Internal Temperature of Beans at Roasting Peak: Approximate 400°F

MEDIUM ROAST

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-roast coffees are generally those that have been roasted between the first crack, at an internal temperature of about 400°F, to before the second crack, or an internal temperature of 428°F. A cup of coffee made from a medium roast would exhibit a smoother, more balanced flavor with a mildly intensified degree of bitterness when compared to a light-roast coffee. Medium-roast coffees can often be referred to as "City Roast", “American” or "Breakfast Roast."

Color: Brown
Oil On Surface?: No
Taste: Balanced flavor, aroma, and acidity
Amount Of Caffeine: Medium
Internal Temperature of Beans at Roasting Peak: Approximate 420°F

MEDIUM-DARK ROASTS

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

Beans roasted to medium-dark reach an internal temperature of 437°F – 446°F. This is during or just after the second crack. This roast will also start showing the oils on the beans’ surface because the temperatures are high enough.

These roasts have a richer, fuller flavor, more body, and less acidity. Vienna Roast and Full-City Roast are some examples of a medium-dark roast coffee blend.

Color: Dark Brown

Oil On Surface?: Some

Taste: Heavy, full-body flavor with a small taste of spice

Amount Of Caffeine: Low

Internal Temperature of Beans at Roasting Peak: Approximate 445°F

DARK ROAST

Dark-roast coffees are roasted past the second crack, to an internal temperature of roughly 464°F, which is about as far as you can go without ruining a coffee bean. One quality worth noting is that dark-roast beans have an oily shine to them as a result of the roasting process, which pulls oils from inside the coffee bean to the outside. A cup of coffee made from a dark roast would exhibit smoky, bitter, and burnt flavors. Dark-roast coffees are often referred to in stores as “French Roast” or "Italian Roast."

Remember! 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 — be sure to check your beans before you buy them!

Color: Black
Oil On Surface?: Yes
Taste: Bitter, smoky, or burnt taste
Amount Of Caffeine: Very Low
Internal Temperature of Beans at Roasting Peak: Approximate 475°F

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