The Differences Between Dark Roast Coffee & Light Roast Coffee

When it comes to K-Cup coffee, or any coffee for that matter, roast matters. Not all coffee roast are the same since they all feature different flavors, caffeine levels, roasting time, etc. Dark roast, medium roast, and light roast coffee are the three main ones but there are roast levels within those.

The roast is one of the aspects about coffee that completely changes the drink depending on which one you go for. If you are into roasting your own coffee beans, then depending on which bean you have, it requires a different roast. So how are the roasts different and why should you care? Let's find out.

• Light roast: This coffee is light in color, as figured by the name. When you want a mild coffee, then you will want to order a light roast because the typical coffee flavor is not as potent; however, the amount of caffeine is greatest. The beans do not have oil on the surface. 

• Common names for light roast include: light city, half city, cinnamon, and New England. 
• Medium roast: The beans are a medium brown in color and have a bolder flavor than mild roast. Still, there is no oil on the surface of the beans. This is the roast that Americans tend to enjoy the most. 
• Common names for this roast include: City, American, and Breakfast. 
• Dark Roast: The coffee is really dark brown, much richer and bolder than the other coffee roasts. There is some oil on the surface to a lot of oil on the surface. There is much more bitterness with dark roast. This roast has the least amount of acid and caffeine in the coffee. 
• Common names for dark roast include: high, continental, New Orleans, European, Espresso, Viennese, Italian, and French. 

If you want to try a roast that you are not used to having, then an easy place to purchase coffee is www.coffeevines.com! We have these roasts with plenty of brands to choose from. 

Coffee Roasts & Their Differences

If you are into coffee, then you should know that there are different coffee roasts; not all coffee beans are roasted the same way. If you are new to coffee and didn't even know roasting the beans was a thing, well, we'll help you with that.

Roasting a process that is done to the beans that heats the beans from the weird looking raw greenish bean into the brown, fragrant, magical wonder that we often see in coffee shops and stores. When the beans are raw, they can be kept in that way for quite a long time; once roasted, use them or lose them.

Roasting coffee beans is not something considered for those new to coffee; roasting is considered an art form and takes years to master. It has been said that roasting coffee beans takes a quick mind and quick hands.

So why roast? It makes the bean have that delicious flavor and smell. If you were to eat or smell a raw bean, it would probably remind you of grass. Imagine drinking a grassy liquid (not like the grass shots from Jamba) instead of the coffee we know and love today.

So what are the different kinds of coffee roasts?

• Light roasts, or mild roasts. These beans are lighter in color, like a light brown. The mild roast is used for softer, or milder, coffee blends. Common names for mild roasts include: light city, cinnamon, half city, and New England. 
• Medium roasts. This roast is obviously a medium brown color, like a milk chocolate color. These beans have a heartier flavor and aroma. The medium roast is perhaps the most popular in the United States. Some common names for this roast include city, American, and breakfast. 
• Medium-dark roast. This kind is a bit darker than medium and has a bit more flavor and aroma while not being as intense as dark roast. It has a more bittersweet taste. A common name for this roast is full city. 
• Dark roasts. These beans have the most shine to them due to the longer roasting process. Due to the longer process, they have a more bitter flavor than the other kinds of roasts; however, coffee that is dark roast tends to have less acidity than the others as well. You can find variety in the dark roast arena; beans range from slightly dark to charred. Some common names for dark include high, continental, New Orleans, European, espresso, Viennese, Italian, and French. 

You can find light, medium, and dark roasts on our site from Coffeevines. As an online coffee retailer, we enjoy bringing the love of coffee to anyone in the country.