Coffee Roasting: The Difference Between Light, Medium and Dark Roasts

January 03, 2022 2 min read

Different coffee roast levels

 If you ask us, roasting is one of the most fascinating aspects of the coffee process. While we go around the world in search of the highest quality coffee, we stay close to home when it comes to processing the beans.

The intoxicating, aromatic coffee that goes into Angelino's coffee come to us as pale green beans with little to no taste. It's our job to bring these beans alive with the perfect roast. There are three main types of roasts: light roast, medium roast, and dark roast. Getting it right is a complex science that has to do with tweaking temperature and timing to obtain the perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness.

Light Roast

When coffee beans are roasted they produce a crackling sound similar to that of popcorn popping. Light roast refers to the beans that are removed at the first crackling. They are light brown and retain the majority of the bean’s distinct regional flavor. They have a light body and lack an oily surface. They also retain the most caffeine out of all the roasts. This comes as a surprise to many people because it is often assumed that darker roasts carry the most caffeine. 

Medium Roast

Medium roast beans are the beans that are removed after a second crackling and have a medium brown hue. These are slightly more bodied than light beans and have a dry surface. Their taste is described as balanced, lacking the graininess that light roast exhibits.

Dark Roast

Lastly, we have dark roasts. Dark roast beans clearly exhibit oil on the surface and have a dark brown to black color. They have the least amount of caffeine out of all the other roasts. However, the taste is much more bitter and stronger.

Coffee in itself has a huge influence on the world. It is the second most traded commodity after oil and the second most consumed beverage after water! Not to mention coffee holds many potential health benefits including the prevention of Alzheimer's and diabetes, an increase in metabolism, and nutrients such as vitamin B5, Niacin, and Magnesium. All of that with the bonus of alertness and improved concentration that only takes 10 minutes to kick in!

What's your coffee roasting preference? Light, dark, medium? Join the conversation  @AngelinosCoffee or Facebook


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