4 Types Of Coffee Roasts – What You Need To Know

There are many names for the types of coffee roasts we have in the market. But we can group them all to the 4 main types of coffee roasts:

• Light Roast
• Medium Roast
• Medium Dark Roast
• Dark Roast

So yes, we have all heard about coffee beans being roasted and now aware of the types of roast there are out there. But what is the difference between these roast profiles? 

And that is the question we are going to answer in this post.

Coffee roasters on their own are very much like chefs; two roasters may roast a type of coffee bean but result in varying flavor profiles as different roasters have different preferences and take on roast levels. 

Furthermore, there’s very little standardization when it comes to identifying coffee roast profiles. A Light Roast Coffee to a roaster may be a Medium Roast Coffee to another. Hence, as consumers we should educate ourselves in order to make informed choices and know our personal preferences too!

In this blog post, we will explore the 4 types of coffee roasts which are most common across the coffee industry.

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At a glance: 4 Types Of Coffee Roasts

1. Light Roast Coffee

Light Roast Coffee Characteristics

Light roast coffees are roasted to a point where the color hue on the coffee bean turns light brown. Looking at the chart above, light roast will be at the early stages of the “First Crack”.

As the coffee bean absorbs heat, it heats up the water content in the coffee bean and eventually turns them into steam. Consequently, the steam pressure builds up until a certain point, there will be an audible “pop” resembling the sound of a pop-corn (but less intense!). This is the “First Crack” and also the indication of where roasting should stop if the roaster intends to roast a Light Roast.

Light Roast Coffee Flavor Profile

Here, you should know that different types of roasting degrees feature different flavor profiles.

This roast level exhibits the highest acidity as caramelization of sugars is low. Since most of the present flavor compounds were retained, Light Roasts tend to have the brightest tasting notes of the 4 types of coffee roasts. 

The characteristic of coffee brewed from light roast coffee is usually tea-like with a light body and crisp acidity. Absolutely perfect for people who do not enjoy strong coffee. 

This is also  the main reason why light roast is often used for cupping sessions as the natural flavors of the coffee is especially pronounced. 

When consuming light roast coffee, the drinker is almost exclusively tasting notes from the coffee bean itself. For example, the Light Roast Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee is well known for its berry-like flavor profile.

However, some people may find light roast coffee to be too “sour” for their liking.

Perfect for: Pour-Over Method

Types Of Light Roast Coffee Alternative Names: Half City, Light City, New England, Cinnamon.

2. Medium Roast

Medium Roast Coffee Characteristics

Next on the types of coffee roasts list; the Medium roast.

Medium roast coffees are roasted until the coffee bean turns a few shades darker than the light roast profile but not all the way to the “Second Crack” level. As more heat is being introduced to the coffee bean, naturally more compounds will further be broken down. 

By doing so, the process trades off some of the brighter flavor notes from the coffee bean for a more balanced flavor profile. Moreover, one can also notice very light oil layers forming on the surface of the coffee bean or sometimes none.

Medium Roast Coffee Flavor Profile

Tasting notes of the medium roast usually offers a balance of flavors from the roast and acidity from the coffee bean. 

In other words, one can expect a beautiful balance between acidity from the coffee bean and also a rounder well-developed body introduced by the roasting process.

To describe it in a scientific way. Both citric and malic acid deplete during the roasting process. Therefore, the darker the coffee is roasted, the more these acids are broken down, leading to a flatter, more body-orientated cup profile.

Since the medium roast’s flavor profile is more balanced, this type of coffee roasts is much more widely accepted by the mass market. Not to mention, the medium roast is most versatile and would work well with almost all brew methods. 

Perfect for: Pour-Over, Espresso, Moka Pot

Types Of Medium Roast Coffee Alternative Names: America, City, Breakfast, Regular.

3. Medium Dark Roast

Medium Dark Roast Coffee Characteristics

Third in line of the coffee beans roast type; the Medium Dark Roast.

Medium Dark Roast is achieved when the roaster stops the roasting process at the “Second Crack”, particularly to reduce the acidity of the coffee bean while developing the rich, full body flavor profile. 

Right at this point, not all of the original flavors of the coffee bean have been broken down yet. On the other hand, the burnt roasty flavor is not fully developed either. 

Medium Dark Roast Coffee Flavor Profile

When done right, the medium dark roast boasts a sweet syrupy cup of coffee with hints of original tasting notes. 

Perfect for: Espresso, Moka Pot, French Press

Types Of Medium Dark Roast Coffee Alternative Names: Vienna, Full City, After Dinner

4. Dark Roast

Dark Roast Coffee Characteristics

Dark roast as the name suggests means that the coffee bean has been roasted to a point where it develops a dark brown color, slightly beyond the “Second Crack”. Unlike the Medium Dark Roast, the original flavors present in the Dark Roast coffee bean will most likely be lost and a full-bodied flavor intensifies. 

The other apparent change one could notice is the notably oily layer on the coffee bean surface.

In the past, farmers would often discard coffee beans of lower grade or full of defects. As a result, the market sells these coffee beans at a lower cost to poorer folks. 

So in order to mask the bad characteristics and flavors of the coffee bean, these people resort to dark roasting the coffee. So dark that all coffee beans varietals will generally taste the same.

Dark Roast Coffee Flavor Profile

Flavor-wise, you are mostly tasting flavor notes due to the roast rather than the coffee bean and most of the original tasting notes of the coffee bean will be lost. Instead, dark roasted coffee brings flavor notes bold nutty chocolate-y with low acidity. 

However, not all hope is lost for a Dark Roast coffee. The elevated bitterness coupled with the minimal acidity, Dark Roasts pairs extremely well with milk and sugar. 

Perfect for: Espresso, French Press

Types Of Dark Roast Coffee Alternative Names: Continental, Italian, French, Spanish, Turkish.

Coffee Roasting Stages

Curious about the process of how a coffee bean progresses from a green bean to a dark roast?

Here’s a quick little chart to summarize the coffee roasting stages to achieve the types of coffee roasts discussed above. 

Green: This is the natural color of the coffee bean after processing from the farm. A pale raw-greenish hue which looks like a dried nut. 

Drying: At the initial phase of the roasting process, the shades of green will gradually turn into a more yellow hue. You will also start to pick up notable scents of greenery.

Browning: As the roaster continuously introduces heat to the coffee beans, water molecules in the coffee bean will start to evaporate; therefore generating steam in the process.

First Crack: As steam escapes from the coffee bean, the pressure from the steam causes the bean to expand and crack open almost sounding like popcorn popping. In this phase, a chemical reaction called the Maillard Reaction will occur; where the sugars in the coffee bean will start caramelizing. 

This is where you get the subtle natural sweetness from coffee! The color of the coffee beans will start to turn into a beautiful shade of brown.

Second Crack: Roasting beyond the “First Crack” will eventually lead to the “Second Crack”.

Coffees roasted past the Second Crack phase are usually dark roast. When roasters hear the second phase of violent popping sound from the coffee bean, they will expect the appearance of the coffee bean to be dark brown in color with a distinct oily surface. 

Almost certainly, the flavor profile in this range is usually bitter and bold. If one were to go beyond this, the coffee will most likely approach the burnt levels. Back then, coffees were roasted until these levels in order to mask any defects! Sneaky!

Burn: Roasting the coffee way beyond the “Second Crack” will result in burnt coffee beans. The aroma of the coffee bean is now smoky and pungent. Visually, the coffee bean is a deep dark brown with a shiny oil coated surface. All the flavor compounds which exhibit flavor notes such as fruity, flowery, herbaceous are now lost and all that remains is bold bitterness. Maybe there’s a market for these kinds of coffee beans out there.

Coffee beans become more porous the longer they are roasted, so it is much simpler for water to extract flavor from a darker roast compared to a lighter roast. With that in mind, in order not to over-extract a dark roast coffee, it is recommended to reduce the water ratio and temperature compared to a medium roast recipe. 

Roasting For Specialty Coffee

What Is Specialty Coffee?

Specialty coffee is a title given to coffees which achieves coffee scores above 80 points out of a 100 point Q Scale scale by Q Graders. In other words, specialty coffee is some of the highest quality coffees you can find in the world.

While the coffee scoring judges the coffee flavors, the Specialty Coffee title is not merely based on the type of beans, but also the process of production.

To be able to trace the source of the beans from the time they’re grown, processed, roasted and served in the cup, and with careful separation such that only the best green beans are selected for roasting and brewing. 

Arabica, Robusta or even Liberica beans, as long as it goes through this time consuming process, can be defined as Specialty Coffee. 

What Is The Best Roast For Specialty Coffee?

Knowing this, Dark Roast will be the absolute worst roast level for specialty coffee. Not only does it remove all the natural flavors of the coffee bean, it introduces burnt and smoky flavors. At this point, it will taste just like any other dark roast coffees.

In order to feature the natural tasting notes of Specialty Coffee, Light Roast and Medium Roast are the best. Light roast for specialty coffees which are packed with fruity notes. 

Medium Roast for specialty coffee beans with flavor profile leaning towards the chocolaty and nutty side. 

FAQ On Types Of Coffee Roasts

Which Type Of Coffee Roast Is Best?

The majority of the coffee drinkers would agree that medium roast is the best coffee roast. Unlike light roast which can have high acidity or dark roast which can be too bitter, both might be unpalatable for beginner coffee drinkers. Medium roast offers a great balance between both elements 

What Are The 3 Roast Levels Of Coffee?

The 3 roast levels of coffee which the market is usually familiar with are Light, Medium and Dark Roast. You can tell the 3 roast levels apart based on the color of the coffee bean. Naturally Light Roast has the lightest brown hue while the dark roast is usually chocolatey brown. 

What Are The Three Types Of Roast?

The three different types of roasting profiles are:

• Light Roast:

Light Roast has the lightest brown hue. Flavor wise, it features the bright and light natural flavors of the coffee bean. 

• Medium Roast:

For Medium Roast, it exhibits a beautiful milk chocolate brown. Medium Roast exhibits a beautiful balance between acidity and body. 

• Dark Roast:

Dark roast is usually dark brown in color. The flavor of dark roast is usually bitter and heavy bodied. 

Types Of Coffee Roasts: Conclusion

There we have it, the four main types of coffee roasts for coffee beans and how to tell them apart. Other than the different types of roasting degree, the types of coffee roasting machines matters too. But that is a topic for another post. 

The key take-away here is that none of these roasts are more superior than the other. 

We grow up consuming different kinds of food and will most likely develop our palate to prefer certain types of flavors; some may love dark roast and despise light roast coffees and vice versa. It all comes down to personal preference and by equipping yourself with this knowledge, you can make more informed choices!

So what is your preference on the different types of coffee roasts?

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