What is your preferred coffee roast? Dark? Light? A mix of both? Here is a “coffee 101” guide to coffee roasts from light to dark.
How dark the coffee beans are roasted is one of the most important factors that determine the taste of the coffee in the cup.
The green coffee beans are transformed into the aromatic and flavorful beans we know as coffee through the roasting process.
There are many factors that affect the taste of coffee.
Different types of coffee beans, from different countries or grown in different environments, will usually have different flavors even when roasted to the same degree (particularly at lighter to medium roast levels).
The Factors That Determine The Flavor Of Coffee Include The Age Of The Coffee, The Processing Method, The Grind, And The Brewing Method. The Roast Level Serves As A Baseline That Gives A Rough Idea Of What The Coffee Will Taste Like.
The roast levels of coffee beans are most commonly described by how light or dark their color is, ranging from light to dark (or extra dark). The roast process involves the beans absorbing heat, which in turn darkens their color.
The oils from the beans come to the surface at higher temperatures. Even though different coffee beans can result in different colors, it’s not a super accurate way to judge how well the beans are roasted. However, if you take the color and compare it to the typical roasting temperature for that shade of brown, it’s a helpful way to figure out what level of roasting the beans are at.
roast level preferences vary depending on location. For example, people on the West Coast have traditionally preferred darker roasts than those on the East Coast.
People from Europe have tended to prefer dark roasts, giving their names to the French, Italian, and Spanish roasts that are common at the darker end of the roasting spectrum.
Light Roasts
The lightest of the roasts, light roasts are also known as “city roast” or “breakfast roast” A light roast is a light brown color, with a light body and no oil on the surface of the beans. Light roasts have a toasted grain taste and pronounced acidity. The lightest of the roasts, light roasts are also known as “city roast” or “breakfast roast”.
The original flavor of the coffee bean is more prevalent in light roasted coffees, as well as most of the caffeine.
Light roasted beans are roasted until they reach an internal temperature of 180°C to 205°C (356°F to 401°F). At 205°C, the beans pop or crack and expand in size. This is called the “first crack.” A light roast means the coffee has not been roasted beyond the first crack.
Some common types of light roast coffee are Light City, Half City, Cinnamon Roast, and New England Roast.
Medium Roasts
Medium roasted coffees have a medium brown color and more body than light roasts. They do not have any oil on the bean surfaces.
However, the grainy taste is not as strong in medium roasts, and the flavor, aroma, and acidity are more balanced. Caffeine is decreased somewhat, but there is still more caffeine than in darker roasts.
A medium roast will have an internal temperature of between 210°C (410°F) and 220°C (428°F). This is the temperature range between the end of the first crack and just before the beginning of the second crack.
Some common roast names that would be considered Medium Roast include Regular Roast, American Roast, City Roast, and Breakfast Roast.
Medium-Dark Roasts
The medium-dark roast has a darker color and some oil on the surface of the beans. This roast also has a heavy body.
The beans are roasted to the beginning or middle of the second crack, which is about 225°C (437°F) or 230°C (446°F). The flavors and aromas from the roasting process become noticeable at this point, and the coffee may have a slightly spicy taste.
A Full-City Roast is a medium-dark roast that is roasted to the beginning of the second crack. An After Dinner Roast is a roast that is roasted to the middle of the second crack. A Vienna Roast is a roast that is roasted to the middle of the second crack and is sometimes characterized as a dark roast.
Dark Roasts
The coffee beans used for dark roasting are of a higher quality, and dark roasted coffees are generally more expensive. Dark roasted coffees have a dark brown color, like chocolate, or sometimes almost black. The coffee beans used for dark roasting are of a higher quality, so dark roasted coffees are generally more expensive.
After coffee beans are roasted, the resulting flavors tend to be stronger and more prominent than the coffee’s original flavors. Roasted coffee often tastes bitter, smoky, and even burnt. Caffeine levels also tend to be reduced after roasting.
To roast coffee beans to the level of a dark roast, they must be heated to an internal temperature of 240°C (464°F) or above. This usually occurs during the second crack.
Coffee beans are not typically roasted at temperatures higher than 250°C, as this causes the beans to become thin and taste like tar and charcoal.
Some of the more popular dark roast designations include French, Italian, Espresso, Continental, New Orleans, and Spanish Roasts. Many dark roasts are used for espresso blends.
Light roast to dark roast: Let’s talk flavor
Coffee beans are not divided into light and dark beans when they are harvested. The roasting process is what determines if the beans will be light, medium, or dark.
The light roast coffee beans are not roasted at a very high temperature, which preserves the fruitier and brighter taste notes.
The roasting process causes the coffee beans to become darker brown and release oils, which enhances the flavor. The darker the roast, the smokier the flavor will be due to the high temperature.
Flavor profiles of coffee beans have more to do with the roast process than with the beans’ origin. Roasting coffee beans is a science that affects the temperature, time, and capacity of the beans to create light and dark roast coffees with Expect consistent flavor profiles.
Which roasts have more caffeine
There has been much discussion about whether dark roast coffee actually has less caffeine than light roasts. The idea is that caffeine begins to burn off during the roasting process, but it burns off at a higher temperature than most roasters roast their beans.
The dark roast K-Cups from Cambio contain more caffeine than the other roasts.
The amount of caffeine in coffee beans does not change based on how dark they are roasted. Dark roast beans take up less space than light roast beans because they expand during the roasting process. This means that if you measure coffee by scooping it into a container, you will get more light roast beans than dark roast beans. Consequently, the light roast beans will have a higher concentration of caffeine.
The amount of caffeine in light and dark roast coffees is not significantly different.
What does the roasting process look like
There are two main things you have to do to roast coffee beans. Firstly, you have to keep the beans in constant motion so that none of them gets burnt. Secondly, you have to make sure the temperature is just right. Roasters usually heat the beans to temperatures between 370-540 degrees Fahrenheit, but it’s not just about the temperature.
Fluctuations during the roasting process can greatly change the flavor of the coffee. The longer the bean is roasted, the darker it becomes. If you want a coffee with full body and chocolate notes, you should roast it for a longer time. However, this will also make the coffee lose the fruitiness of lighter roast coffees.
To make sure that each batch of Cambio coffee tastes the same, we use a lot of chemistry (and maybe a bit of magic).
First, the temperature must be increased at the same rate over the same amount of time for each batch. The air flow must be adjusted accordingly.
Second, the roast time has to be identical for all the coffee blends. Cambio has eight coffee blends, so this takes a lot of precision–which we are fully committed to.
When your coffee beans are roasting, you will start to hear a crackling noise. This is because the beans are expanding and leads to the “first crack.” The difference between light and dark roast coffees is that darker roasts also have a “second crack,” which signals that it is time to move them to the cooling tray.
The second crack in the roasting process occurs when oils appear on the outside of the bean, which leads to a richer, bolder, smokier flavor. This different roast time gives light and dark roast coffees their dominant flavors that drinkers have come to anticipate when purchasing their preferred blends.
How does a roastmaster know when roasting is complete
Although there is a general set of guidelines to roast coffee beans, experienced roastmasters also rely on their senses of sight and smell to determine if the beans are roasted properly.
The colors of the beans are easy to determine, but the experienced roastmaster can also smell slight variations. This skill is very important and it is why it is important to choose an experienced roastmaster.
The roastmaster can tell which beans are light, medium, or dark based on their color once they have cooled.
Why do some roasts taste bitter
Some coffees have more bitterness to them because of organic acids. Lighter roasts have more organic acids, which makes them more bitter.
Dark roasts tend to be more bitter because the chlorogenic acids in the beans break apart and create a bitter by-product.
Why do some roasts taste sweet
A little sweetness in coffee is always popular. Roasting coffee beans burns off the natural sugars, but this process can also create other sugars. The cooling rate of the beans can therefore affect their natural sweetness. The faster the beans cool, the sweeter the coffee.
Kinds of acids in a coffee
There are nine different kinds of acids in coffee:
- chlorogenic
- quinic,
- citric,
- acetic
- lactic
- malic
- phosphoric
- linoleic
- palmitic (Healthline).
Acids are released from the beans during the roasting process, which might make you think that roasting the beans for less time will result in less acidity.
Even though dark roasts have a bad reputation for being acidic, they actually have a lower acidity level than light or medium roasts. So if you want to be mindful of your acid intake, dark roasts are the way to go!
Small batch roasting
The size of the roasting equipment is important as is the capacity for how many beans can fit inside the roaster. Most manufacturers though recommend only using 75% of the drum.
Small batch roasters help you stay fresh without having too much left over.
Bagged coffee tastes best when consumed within two weeks of the roast date. K-Cups® have a much longer shelf life because they contain very low levels of oxygen.
Conclusion
To summarize the differences, in addition to the color gradations:
- As coffee roasts get darker, they lose the origin flavors of the beans and take on more flavor from the roasting process.
- The body of the coffee gets heavier, until the second crack, where the body again thins.
- Lighter roasts have more acidity than darker roasts.
- Light roasted beans are dry, while darker roasts develop oil on the bean surface.
- The caffeine level decreases as the roast gets darker.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to what tastes best to you, what sort of flavor you prefer, and what aroma you like. You might prefer a coffee with less caffeine in the morning, and then switch to a darker roast later on. Ultimately, it’s all a matter of personal preference.