Gourmet Coffee: Light Roast vs Medium Roast Vs Dark Roast

 

arabica coffee, gourmet coffee, types of coffee beans

Slowly but surely, the gourmet coffee movement is making its presence known across the entire world. More people than ever before are experimenting with various types of coffee beans from rare and exclusive sources, discovering an exquisite side of coffee they’d never before experienced.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the whole gourmet coffee experience is experimentation. Along with trying out as many different types of coffee beans as possible, there are also dozens of wonderful brewing methods to have a go at. Not to mention, the time-old saga of arabica coffee vs robusta coffee to get your teeth into.

But if you really consider yourself a gourmet coffee devotee, you owe it to yourself to take roasting levels seriously. Irrespective of whether you favour a modest robusta coffee or a gourmet arabica coffee, the roast level you go for can and will make a world of difference.

As with most things, there’s no such thing as a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ roast level for any type of coffee. It’s entirely up to you to determine where your preferred roast level lies, which often means getting into the fine art of experimentation.

Buying pre-roasted beans/grounds and putting them to the test is one thing, but there’s nothing quite as satisfying as roasting your own arabica coffee beans at home.

In terms of what you can expect from the different roast levels, here’s how light, medium and dark roast coffee differ from one another:

Light Roasted Coffee

There’s an interesting and surprisingly common misconception, which suggests that light roasted coffee is weaker in flavour and caffeine content. In reality, it’s actually the opposite case - the gentler the roast, the more of the coffee’s caffeine content and essential oils are preserved. Light roast is sometimes considered the connoisseur’s choice, given how light roasted coffee beans tend to have much more complex and challenging flavour profiles. They can also pack a serious punch in terms of caffeine content, so may need to be approached with caution by anyone with a low tolerance to caffeine.

Medium Roasted Coffee

This is where the sweet spot lies for most coffee lovers, as medium roasting arguably brings out the best of all worlds. Medium roasting preserves much of the essential oils and brings out the unique flavours of the coffee beans, though produces a much smoother and more balanced final cup. Many different types of coffee beans are at their absolute best when medium roasted!

Dark Roasted Coffee

Last up, anyone looking for the boldest and most intense flavour possible should give dark roast coffee beans a try. Smokey and bursting with boldness, dark roast arabica coffee can be an interesting experience too. Perhaps too bold and intense for everyday drinking for many, but certainly a valid way of exploring a separate dimension of different types of coffee beans.

At Hayman’s online coffee store you will find the best types of coffee beans, such as the world famous Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, best Kona coffee Hawaii, Geisha coffee (a.k.a. Gesha Coffee). All our top Arabica coffee is freshly roasted on the same day it is shipped – click here to order today, we ship worldwide!