The most wonderful thing about coffee is that it does not come in one single flavor. Like a good wine, coffee takes on the tastes of the earth where it’s grown. Different coffee roasting techniques add additional layers of flavor. When picked, coffee beans are green, chewy, and taste very acidic. So what gives these beans the magical flavor that we know and love in our cup each morning?

The roasting process heats the beans, burning off acidity and adding new textures. Different coffee roasting techniques lead to different flavors. The time and heat of the roasting process determines the type of roast the coffee is and the color of the bean when roasting is complete. The grades of coffee roasts are light, medium, and dark. Each has a different degree of acidity, bitterness, layers of taste, and caffeine quantity. 

Light Roast

Light roasts require the least amount of baking. They have the most acidic taste and are higher in caffeine than medium and dark roasts. Receiving less heat, they maintain more of the oils of the original bean, therefore keeping much of the flavor of the region that they were grown in. Light roast also retains more of the caffeine content of the bean. This roast is obtained at ‘first crack,’ meaning when the coffee bean cracks the first time from the heat, around 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

Names to look for:

Light Roast, Light City Roast, American Roast, Cinnamon Roast

Medium Roast

Medium roasts cook for a longer time and at a higher temperature. They boast stronger and more balanced flavors. With an almost perfect compromise of acidity and bitterness, they keep much of the taste of the region the bean was grown in added to new textures from the roasting process. Americans prefer medium roasts.

Names to look for:

Regular Roast, City Roast, Full City Roast, Breakfast Roast

Dark Roast

Dark roasts bake off many of the original oils in the bean but replace it with complex tastes from the roasting process. These are gourmet coffees known for their multifaceted and layered tastes. The flavors come from the expertise of the roaster and less for the region they are from.  

Names to look for:

French Roast, Italian Roast, Viennese Roast, European Roast, Continental Roast, Continental Roast, Espresso

Coffee Mill offers coffees made with a variety of coffee roasting techniques for your office to enjoy. Give us a call today and find a whole new world full of flavor for your cup.