Coffee Roast Profiles
Before a bean meets a roaster it already has characteristics from the soil, the weather, and the altitude where it was grown. Notes of citrus fruits, berries, nuts, and flowers have already become a distinctive part of the flavors you will notice as you drink your coffee.
The roast given to your beans adds another layer of complexity to your coffee experience. The lighter the roast, the more of the natural flavors that will come through. The darker the roast will give additional notes of caramel, chocolate, tobacco, and smoke.
At GourmetCoffees.com, we roast each bean to its perfect level to enhance the flavors and provide you with the best tasting, freshest coffee available. When choosing a coffee, not only does origin matter, so does roast. Do you know which roast you prefer? Here are the flavor profiles of each of our roast levels to help you decide.
Light
Roasted to a light brown color which is best for higher quality beans and allows the natural flavors of the bean to shine through. Lighter roasts have a higher caffeine content than the darker roasts. Also known as Cinnamon Roast, Half City, Light City, and New England Roast.
Medium Light
Slightly darker than light roast, medium light is roasted just a little longer. This roast features a slightly brighter acidity and is more complex. The natural flavors of the coffee bean are still noticeable with the roast adding notes of spice, brown sugar, and nuts.
Medium
Darker still than medium light, medium roast is the most popular for coffeehouses. This roast starts to mask the natural flavors of the bean and adds more chocolaty and caramel flavors. You will find more balance and body. These coffees are typically used for your coffee drinks.
Medium Dark
Rich and dark, this roast brings out some of the natural oils in the beans giving them a slight sheen. Bittersweet notes of chocolate, porter beer, and even vanilla start to be noticed with the darker roast and the natural flavors are no longer noticeable. The caffeine content starts to lessen as the roast gets darker. Also known as Full City, After Dinner, and Vienna.
Dark
The color of dark roast beans ranges from deep brown to almost black. Even more of the natural oils are excreted giving the beans a shiny look. This roast removes almost all acidity and natural flavors while imparting notes of dark cocoa, bitter black tea, smoke, or burnt toast. There is much less caffeine in these roasts and coffee made with these beans is ideal for drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Also known as French Roast, Italian Roast, Espresso, Continental, Spanish, and New Orleans Roast. To find coffees in each of these roasts, visit our Roast Profile page and choose the roast that matches your taste.
The roast given to your beans adds another layer of complexity to your coffee experience. The lighter the roast, the more of the natural flavors that will come through. The darker the roast will give additional notes of caramel, chocolate, tobacco, and smoke.
At GourmetCoffees.com, we roast each bean to its perfect level to enhance the flavors and provide you with the best tasting, freshest coffee available. When choosing a coffee, not only does origin matter, so does roast. Do you know which roast you prefer? Here are the flavor profiles of each of our roast levels to help you decide.
Light
Roasted to a light brown color which is best for higher quality beans and allows the natural flavors of the bean to shine through. Lighter roasts have a higher caffeine content than the darker roasts. Also known as Cinnamon Roast, Half City, Light City, and New England Roast.
Medium Light
Slightly darker than light roast, medium light is roasted just a little longer. This roast features a slightly brighter acidity and is more complex. The natural flavors of the coffee bean are still noticeable with the roast adding notes of spice, brown sugar, and nuts.
Medium
Darker still than medium light, medium roast is the most popular for coffeehouses. This roast starts to mask the natural flavors of the bean and adds more chocolaty and caramel flavors. You will find more balance and body. These coffees are typically used for your coffee drinks.
Medium Dark
Rich and dark, this roast brings out some of the natural oils in the beans giving them a slight sheen. Bittersweet notes of chocolate, porter beer, and even vanilla start to be noticed with the darker roast and the natural flavors are no longer noticeable. The caffeine content starts to lessen as the roast gets darker. Also known as Full City, After Dinner, and Vienna.
Dark
The color of dark roast beans ranges from deep brown to almost black. Even more of the natural oils are excreted giving the beans a shiny look. This roast removes almost all acidity and natural flavors while imparting notes of dark cocoa, bitter black tea, smoke, or burnt toast. There is much less caffeine in these roasts and coffee made with these beans is ideal for drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Also known as French Roast, Italian Roast, Espresso, Continental, Spanish, and New Orleans Roast. To find coffees in each of these roasts, visit our Roast Profile page and choose the roast that matches your taste.
