Different Types Of Coffee Roasts

By :Ranger Up Coffee 0 comments

Coffee Roasts

MYTH: The darker the roast the stronger the coffee.
This is partially true but generally false. The flavor of the coffee is stronger tasting due to the near burning of the bean and the caramelization of sugars contained in the bean. Also the darker the roast the less caffeine the bean will impart on your extracted coffee. Most connoisseurs of coffee prefer a city or full city roast to taste the true flavor of the bean. Personally I prefer a Black and Tan blend of a single origin coffee. As the name states a certain ratio of the beans are roasted Dark (Italian) or Extra Dark (French) while the other portion is roasted Medium (City) or Medium Dark (Full City). There are many different types of roasts but we will highlight 4 broad categories below and each roasts characteristics.

Light Roast (City)

Color: Light brown
Acidity: Medium
Aroma: Very Strong
Sweetness: Medium to Strong
Body: Full
Flavor profile: Toasted grain with pronounced acidity
Caffeine level: High
Bean Surface oils: Dry

Medium Roast (Full City)

Color: Brown
Acidity: Medium to low
Aroma: Very Strong
Sweetness: Medium to Strong
Body: Very Full
Flavor profile: Sweet with Very full body
Caffeine level: Medium
Bean Surface oils: Dry to glaze

Dark Roast (Italian)

Color: Dark Brown
Acidity: Low
Aroma: Weak
Sweetness: Medium to Weak
Body: Thin
Flavor profile: Heavy, full body flavor with small taste of spice
Caffeine level: Low
Bean Surface oils: Shiny

Extra Dark Roast (French)

Color: Black
Acidity: Very Low
Aroma: Weak to burnt
Sweetness: Very low
Body: Very Thin
Flavor profile: Bitter, smoky, or burnt taste
Caffeine level: Very Low
Bean Surface oils: Shiny