Hawaiian Coffee: Are Darker Roasts Higher in Caffeine?

Kona coffee, Best Kona coffee Hawaii, Hawaiian coffee, best Kona coffee beans, specialty coffee, gourmet coffee, online gift cards

You’ve received a handful of online gift cards once again, and decided to treat yourself to something special. The bag of the best Kona coffee beans money can buy that’s been catching your eye for some time is now within reach, along with a selection of other varieties of gourmet coffee you’ve been going to try out.

But as you plan on ordering your Hawaiian coffee from a specialist roaster, you can choose the exact roast level you would like for your beans. The question is – what is the best way to enjoy the best Kona coffee Hawaii produces?

More specifically, does a darker roast mean more caffeine in your cup?

Decoding Roast Levels

Whether roasting the best Kona coffee beans or any other type of coffee, the roast level you choose will make a big difference to the resulting brew. But when it comes to caffeine content, the assumption that darker is stronger is actually misguided.

Here’s a brief look at how the three main roast levels affect the resulting cup of coffee:

Light Roast Coffee

Contrary to popular belief, light roast coffee actually contains the most caffeine of all. Raw coffee beans have the highest concentration of caffeine, which gradually declines as the beans are roasted. Hence, the lighter the roast, the more caffeine in your cup.

In terms of taste, light roast coffee has a distinctly mild and delicate flavor, with a thinner and lighter consistency.

Medium Roast Coffee

Heading into the medium roast territory, the caffeine content of the beans is lowered by the roasting process, but not on the same level as darker roasts. There will still be a good whack of caffeine in there, but less than in an equivalent light roast cup.

Flavor-wise, most specialty coffee varieties are roasted to a medium level as standard. This is where the texture becomes slightly thicker, the flavor becomes more intense, and the coffee takes on a more full-bodied guise. If you are unsure as to which roast level is best for you, start out with a medium roast and experiment from there.

Dark Roast Coffee

Last but not least, dark roast coffee is typically assumed to have the highest caffeine content of all, due to its strong and exceptionally full-bodied flavor. The intensity of dark roast coffee is such that you would be forgiven for thinking you were drinking a seriously strong cup of coffee. In reality, dark roast coffee has the lowest caffeine content of all.

Not that you would know this by the way the resulting brew tastes, which explodes with rich and decadent flavor are soon as it hits the tongue. Dark roast coffee is renowned for its smoky, almost charred taste that lingers on the palate indefinitely. An experience enjoyed by many coffee drinkers, but potentially a little overpowering for your everyday coffee drinker.

At Hayman’s online coffee store, you will find the best coffee beans in the world, including the best Kona coffee Hawaii produces (i.e. 100% pure Kona coffee, fresh roasted on the same day it is shipped to you). Click here to order today, we offer free worldwide shipping!