Types of Coffee Roasts: Characteristics, Flavor, and More

Expert coffee roasters possess a profound understanding of the different types of coffee roasts as if they come naturally to them.

They make batches for their customers who enjoy the fruity, floral, and acidic notes of a light roast. They ensure they have medium-roast coffee beans for customers who prefer a balanced taste. They know how to satisfy people who love the strong, nutty taste of a dark roast.

If you're just starting your coffee roasting business or maybe roasting your coffee at home, it's important to understand the different coffee roast levels. You need to learn about the characteristics, flavor profile, and temperature of each level of roasting coffee roasts.

Our expert-approved coffee roasting guide helps you provide the same awesome flavor that your regular customers look forward to from your shop. Consistent roast profiles help create trust and make your customers want to return. One of the most important aspects of roasting coffee is to keep records and take notes!! This cannot be stressed enough as it can help get you consistently coffee when you find the right combination of bean type and roast level.

Different Coffee Roasts Explained

Light Roast Coffee

Light roasts are like the fine wine of the coffee world - smooth and delicious. You’re tasting the bean’s original flavor. If you have a good-quality specialty bean with flavors worth experiencing, roast light. 

Light roasts are definitely a bit tricky. Light roast coffees need more attention and careful handling when roasting and brewing.

They react more to changes in temperature, time, and other factors, which makes them harder to get just right than darker roasts. Little mistakes can really change how the final taste turns out.

Characteristics

Color: Light brown.
Surface: Beans stay dry since the heat has not yet caused the oils to break through the surface.
Acidity: Higher acidity, bright, tangy flavors stand out.
Body: Less body than dark or medium roasts.
Roasting Temperature: Usually cut off the heat soon after first crack, around 385°F - 410°F (196°C - 210°C)
Aroma: Emphasis on the natural qualities of the coffee beans and where they come from.
Versatility: Its well-rounded body and bright acidity allow it to work well with various brewing methods (drip, pour over, French press, espresso, etc.).

Flavor Profile

Bean Flavor: Retains original bean flavor. With light roasts, you are tasting more of the bean or how it was farmed. This includes the soil composition, climate, altitude, and specific farming practices.
Fruity Notes: Often features tastes such as citrus, berries, or apple.
Other Notes: Feature floral and tea-like qualities, as well as a clean and crisp finish that lingers on the palate. Usually features a natural sweetness that brings to mind honey or caramel.

Types of Light Roast Coffee

Light City
This coffee has a super light roast level. The flavor profile usually keeps a lot of the original tastes from the coffee bean, highlighting bright and tangy notes along with a lighter texture. The beans have a light brown color.

Half City
A bit darker than Light City, yet still fits in the light roast category. The flavor is a mix of the bean's unique tastes and a gentle sweetness. It has a bit lower acidity than the Light City roast. The beans have a light to medium brown shade.

Cinnamon
This roast is super light, probably the lightest you can find! The flavor is lively and tangy, and many say it has a texture similar to grains or bread. It can feel pretty light in your mouth with just a hint of caramel flavors; however, it is sometimes roasted so lightly that it does not fully develop flavors which leads to grassy or underdeveloped notes.

Because of the sour taste that this roast can have, some roasters do not consider cinnamon roast ideal for drinking. The beans are a really light brown, kind of like cinnamon, which is why they get that name. (not because they taste like cinnamon!)

 

These light roast alternative names—Light City, Half City, and Cinnamon—were created to help coffee lovers tell apart the small differences in flavor and roasting intensity. Every name shows the special traits and small differences that people looking for particular tasting experiences in light roasts can enjoy.

Medium Roast Coffee

A medium roast keeps a bit of the acidity from a lighter roast but balances it out with a fuller body. The smells and tastes from roasting begin to stand out more clearly. This is a solid choice for beans that have strong flavors on their own or those that could use a bit more balance.

People who like medium roasts enjoy them because they highlight the bean's natural flavor and still have a bit of a smoky taste.

Characteristics

Color: Medium brown beans.
Surface: Minimal to no oil until you reach the city roast level. This roast may have a light sheen of oil.
Acidity: While medium roasts maintain some acidity, they are generally more balanced and less acidic than light roasts. The acidity in medium roasts contributes to a balanced flavor rather than a bright and lively taste.
Body: It has a medium body that feels smooth and rounded in your mouth.
Roasting Time & Temperature: Medium roasts are typically achieved by roasting the beans until just before the second crack, at temperatures between 410°F and 440°F (210°C - 227°C).
Aroma: Well-balanced and welcoming, with notes of both the original bean and roasting.
Versatility: It works with a variety of brewing methods, including espresso, drip coffee, and French press.

Flavor Profile

Bean Flavor: Balanced flavor that shows both the natural taste of the beans and the effects of roasting. Not too sour like light roasts and not too bitter like dark roasts.
Fruity Notes: While medium roasts can exhibit some fruity notes, these are more prominent in light roasts.
Other Notes: Can also have notes of chocolate, caramel, nuts, and flowery notes. 

Types of Medium Roast Coffee

Regular Roast
Roasted to a nice medium brown color, usually finishing just after the first crack, reaching a temperature between 410°F and 440°F.

The taste is well-rounded, featuring a mix of flavor, smell, and a bit of tanginess, along with a hint of sweetness and caramel notes. It has a bit of oil on the surface, and the color turns into medium brown. It has a medium body.

Breakfast Roast
Just like a Regular Roast, it usually gets to a nice medium brown color.

The flavor is soft and well-rounded, designed to be easy to enjoy and friendly to the palate. A bit more vibrant and tangy compared to other medium roasts. The beans have a dry surface. It has a medium body that’s nicely rounded, perfect for enjoying with breakfast.

American Roast
Finishes around or just after the first crack, hitting a temperature of 415°F to 425°F.

The flavor is well-rounded, combining a nice acidity with various tastes. It has a gentle sweetness and a richer body compared to other medium roasts. Its color turns medium brown, a bit darker than Regular and Breakfast Roasts. The American Roast has a medium to full body.

City Roast
City roasts are generally roasted to a medium brown color, typically finishing just before the second crack, at temperatures around 410°F to 440°F.

A mix of the natural tastes of the coffee bean and deeper, roasted flavors. It has a strong sweetness and a rich, full texture. The beans turn deep, medium brown and have little to no oil on them. Its body has a balance between medium and full. The same with the American roast, it has a medium to full body.

Dark Roast Coffee

When roasting dark, roasters  aim to balance various flavor attributes, including acidity, body, and sweetness, across different roast levels. Dark roasts emphasize roasted flavors due to longer caramelization.

The true taste of the bean is mostly gone at this roasting stage, but you get a strong, rich cup instead. Think intense dark chocolate. Brewing a press of dark roast coffee one morning during a massive hangover will definitely shock you back to life if you need it. But, you won't get a lot in terms of actual nuance.

Characteristics

Color: Dark brown to nearly black.
Surface: Oily sheen due to longer roasting time.
Acidity: Low acidity
Body: Heavy or full-bodied
Roasting Time & Temperature: Dark roasts are typically roasted at temperatures ranging from 425°F - 450°F (218°C - 232°C) for a longer period, usually around 14 to 16 minutes (depending on equipment used).
Aroma: Rich, smoky, and sometimes charred
Versatility: Well-suited for espresso and milk-based drinks

Flavor Profile

Bean Flavor: Predominantly roasted or burnt notes, with minimal bean origin flavor
Fruity Notes: Subtle to nonexistent fruity undertones
Other Notes: Bittersweet, bold, sometimes spicy or nutty

Types of Dark Roast Coffee

Full City Roast
Usually, you reach this roast level just into the second crack or right at its onset. It has a rich, medium-dark brown color.

A thin layer of oil starts to show on the surface of the beans. The taste is well-rounded, showcasing both the unique traits from where it comes and the distinct flavors from the roasting process.

Full City Roast is a little bit sweet with hints of chocolate and caramel. It has a slight tanginess and feels richer than the lighter types. You might notice some smoky or toasted flavors.

Vienna Roast
This roast level is reached after the beginning of the second crack, but it doesn't go as far as a French roast. It has a deep chocolate brown color.

The beans have a greater amount of oil on their surface than those in the Full City roast. The original flavors of the coffee fade away, while the roast flavors take center stage. 

More intense sweetness with clear caramel notes and flavors reminiscent of chocolate. Less acidity and a more complete, robust flavor. It has a clear smoky flavor, with a hint of spice, and features roasted and bittersweet notes.

What’s The Best Type of Coffee Roast?

For coffee roasters, the best one is the kind of coffee roast that most of their customers prefer.

Medium roast is the favorite coffee roast among American consumers. However, dark roasts are a favorite among classic coffee lovers who shop for coffee at grocery stores, particularly those who like to add milk and sugar.

Popular Types of Coffee Beans for Different Levels of Coffee Roast

The Secret to Successful Coffee Roasts: Choosing a Reliable Green Bean Supplier

Understanding the difference in roasts of coffee is not enough to make each roast successful. It also depends on the quality of the green beans you use.

Choose a dependable green beans supplier to ensure your coffee roasts' rich flavors and smells delight your customers. Excellent coffee requires high-quality beans, consistency, and sustainability from a reliable supplier.

FAQs on Types of Coffee Roasts

How to roast coffee beans professionally?

To roast coffee beans professionally, start with high-quality green beans from a reliable provider. Professional roasters allow for exact temperature and timing. Set roasting profiles and monitor bean color, fragrance, and sound. Stop roasting by cooling the beans immediately after roasting. Regularly cup and taste coffee to verify consistency and change characteristics based on feedback and experience.

How many types of roasting?

Three basic coffee roasting methods are light, medium, and dark. Like Light City, light roasts are light brown, acidic, and oil-free. American and City medium roasts feature a balanced flavor, medium brown hue, and slight oil. Dark roasts, like French or Espresso, are dark brown to practically black and bitter with a slick, oily top.

Best coffee roasts for cold brew?

The ideal coffee roasts for cold brew are medium and dark. Balanced acidity and sweetness make medium roasts ideal for cold brew. Dark roasts have powerful, rich tastes with reduced acidity and enhanced bitterness, making them best for cold brewing and diluting.