What would your day be like if you weren’t able to start it off by taking a good few sips of your morning coffee roast? No really, try to think about it. For many, coffee is a beloved beverage that is oftentimes needed to begin a busy day or keep the hours going when needing to work late.
Some people even drink coffee for the simple fact that they enjoy the flavor of it even if they don’t need the added caffeine placed into their daily routine. These coffee drinkers normally opt for decaffeinated coffee roasts. Whatever your preference is, do you know what kind of coffee roasts you’re drinking?
If you do, do you know what the different types of roasts mean? If not and you’re a dedicated coffee drinker, you’re going to want to find out. For everything you need to know about the different types of coffee roasts and what they mean, continue reading below!
1. Light Roast
Light roast coffees are perfect for people who need a little bit of a pick me up but aren’t looking for too much caffeine. Not everyone does well with a lot of caffeine and all they need is a small amount to get through the day.
One popular coffee roast is a cinnamon roast. This roast is light, meaning it doesn’t contain a high amount of caffeine in it. The half city is another popular light roast. The light roast is also known as the “first crack.”
This is due to the fact that it’s the first stage of the expansion and cracking of the coffee beans. During this stage, the beans are pale in color and dry looking. This leaves you with a coffee that doesn’t have much of any traces of the roasting process and has less of a body to it.
It also normally has more acidity in it and a more varied flavor.
2. Green Coffee Beans
Green coffee beans are beans that have not been roasted at all. Green coffee beans are the typical beans that have just been harvested. And although there is some debate on how long these beans last for, you can plan for their flavor to stay strong for about 6-18 months.
Although these beans aren’t roasted, when they’re left out in the sun to dry and all the moisture removes from them, they sometimes crack open. This is the same effect that you get when lightly roasting the beans as mentioned above.
3. Medium Roast
A medium roast is ideal for those who need more than a light roast but aren’t looking to jump off the walls any time soon. Medium roasts provide more intense coffee bean flavors and bitterness, but also more caffeine!
Some medium roast coffees include full city, regular, breakfast roasts, and American. With a medium roast, the beans are still dry, but they are loaded with more sweetness in them. This is due to the caramelization process that happens during a medium roast creation.
In a medium roast, the acidity levels are normally a bit lower and the body is much fuller. However, the flavor is more compressed, and you can taste a bit more bitterness in the beans.
4. Dark or Full Roast
Now, some people out there have been drinking coffee for so long, that they’ve turned to a dark or full roast. Have you ever taken medicine for such a long period of time that you begin to become immune to it? The same is true with caffeine.
With that being said, if you’re one of these people, then you’ll benefit from a dark or full roast. Some dark and full roasts include continental roasts, french roasts, Italian espresso, and more! The dark or full roasts are for people who no longer feel the effects of lighter roasts.
In a dark roast, the beans have come to the “second crack” phase. During this phase, the beans begin to show a shiny oil on them. These dark roasts have a richer roasted taste to them.
You might experience a more bitter taste in your mouth or even a spicy taste. And in some cases, you might feel those oils come off in your mouth leaving a bit of an oily film. Shop here for some of the best dark roasts available!
5. Double Roast
A double roast is when the beans are roasted to the point of smoke. Yes, that’s right, the beans begin to smoke during a double roast. You won’t find a lot of the beans original flavor once they’ve been double roasted.
Instead, you get much more of a smokey taste to them. You’ll get little hints of sweetness throughout, and you’ll have less body in these beans than with a medium or dark roast. This roast is perfect for those who like that smokey flavor!
6. Espresso
Some of the most popular espresso roasts are Italian roasts, Full City Roasts, French roast, and Vienna roasts. Their medium and dark roast caramelization mixed with the high pressure and temperature of an espresso machine makes for wonderful espresso flavors!
With espresso roasts, you can expect to have much more energy after consumption. Espresso roasts are perfect for those who love the taste of coffee, but also require the strong caffeine components of it to get through the day.
What do These Coffee Roasts Say About You?
So, what does your coffee roasts say about you? Consider what kind of roasts you drink the most of. After reading through this guide, you should have a better understanding of why you’re pulled to a specific type of roast or maybe even why a single cup of that roast isn’t working for you.
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