Coffee comes in four main roast levels: light, medium, dark, and darker than dark. Minimal standardization across the industry leads roasters to create their own names and definitions. This list includes the common names for each level.
Gold Roast – The Best Roast
The best roast for flavor, caffeine, and antioxidants is gold roast. Coffee beans should have no unripe or poorly roasted beans to be specialty grade.
Roast Impact on Flavor
When heated, coffee beans lose moisture, expand, and turn light brown. This first crack sounds like popcorn popping. Roast levels impact the coffee’s body, acidity, flavor, and aroma. Light roasts are lighter in color with milder flavor while dark roasts are darker in color with bolder flavor. The level of roast depends on the roasting time and temperature. A shorter, lower temperature roast makes a light roast. A longer, higher temperature roast makes a dark roast.
Experimenting with Roast Levels
There is no difference in caffeine amount between roasts. The roast that is least bitter depends on personal preference. Some may find light roast less bitter and others may disagree. Testing different roasts is needed. Besides light, medium, and dark main roast levels, many variations exist between categories. Finding your perfect roast depends on taste and preferences. Experiment with different levels to get your ideal flavor.
Medium roasts reach 204°C-221°C after the first crack. Roasting longer develops different flavors. Medium roasts have many complex flavors.